A defamation lawsuit brought by Toronto rapper Drake against his record label Universal Music Group (UMG) was dismissed by a U.S. federal judge on Thursday. The judge ruled that the lyrics in Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” which referred to Drake as a pedophile, were deemed as opinion.
Judge Jeannette A. Vargas stated in her written opinion that the lawsuit arose from a well-known rap battle between the two artists. The legal dispute stemmed from a feud between hip-hop stars over a popular song in 2024 that received numerous accolades, including Grammy wins and high streaming numbers on Apple Music.
Vargas highlighted that the context of the rap battle and the provocative language used by both artists did not present “Not Like Us” as a source of verifiable facts about Drake. The lawsuit, filed in January, accused UMG of promoting false allegations of pedophilia against Drake and insinuating vigilantism to listeners, which allegedly damaged his reputation and brand value.
Universal Music Group, the parent company of both artists, refuted the allegations and expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision to dismiss the lawsuit. The statement released by UMG denounced the legal action as an attack on artistic expression and affirmed their commitment to promoting Drake’s music career.
The diss track, “Not Like Us,” was part of a series of insult tracks exchanged between the two artists. Lamar’s song directly targeted Drake, questioning his authenticity in the rap culture and implying controversial statements about his personal life. Drake’s lawsuit claimed that the song falsely depicted him as a sex offender, leading to security incidents at his Toronto residence.
The judge considered oral arguments regarding the lawsuit’s dismissal in June. Kendrick Lamar was not named as a defendant in the legal proceedings, and there was no immediate response from Drake’s representatives to requests for comment on the court’s decision.