A judge has dismissed Drake’s defamation lawsuit against Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us.
Judge Jeannette Vargas ruled Lamar’s lyrics, which accused Drake and his associates of being “certified paedophiles”, were “nonactionable opinion” and could not be considered defamatory.
Drake filed the lawsuit in January accusing Universal Music Group (UMG), the record label behind both rappers, of defamation by allowing the song to be published and promoted, saying it spread a “false and malicious narrative”.
Drake’s spokesperson said he planned to appeal the ruling. UMG said it was pleased with the outcome and was looking forward to continuing its work with the rapper.
Not Like Us, which was initially released in May 2024, was widely seen as the decisive blow in an ongoing battle between the rival rappers.
It has become the biggest hit of Lamar’s career, having won five Grammys and being one of the most-talked about moments of his Super Bowl half-time show in February.
In a 38-page order, Judge Vargas called the row between the rappers “the most infamous rap battle in the genre’s history”.
“The artists’ seven-track rap battle was a ‘war of words’ that was the subject of substantial media scrutiny and online discourse,” the judge wrote.
“Although the accusation that plaintiff is a pedophile is certainly a serious one, the broader context of a heated rap battle, with incendiary language and offensive accusations hurled by both participants, would not incline the reasonable listener to believe that ‘Not Like Us’ imparts verifiable facts about plaintiff.”
Drake, whose real name is Aubrey Graham, did not name Lamar in the lawsuit.
His lawyers accused UMG of launching “a campaign to create a viral hit” out of a song that made the “false factual allegation that Drake is a criminal paedophile, and to suggest that the public should resort to vigilante justice in response”.
A UMG spokesperson told the BBC’s US media partner, CBS News, that from the outset, the lawsuit “was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day”.
“We’re pleased with the court’s dismissal and look forward to continuing our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career,” the spokesperson added.
