Universal Music Group (UMG) has filed a motion to dismiss Drake's defamation lawsuit over the "Not Like Us" controversy, calling it a "meritless" complaint stemming from a rap battle loss.

UMG argues that Drake's lawsuit is "a misguided attempt to salve his wounds" after losing a rap battle he initiated with Kendrick Lamar. The label emphasizes that the dispute arose from a series of "increasingly vitriolic and incendiary 'diss tracks'" exchanged between the two artists.

Key points from UMG's dismissal motion:

• The content in "Not Like Us" represents protected First Amendment speech and "nonactionable opinion and rhetorical hyperbole"
• UMG claims Drake himself made similar "incendiary attacks" against Lamar in his own tracks
• The label disputes Drake's claim about the song promoting "false and malicious narrative" about him
• UMG argues that no reasonable person would believe the controversial imagery used in the track's promotion was real

Drake's team previously emphasized "real-life consequences" resulting from the "Not Like Us" imagery, particularly regarding an image of Drake's Toronto mansion marked with sex offender markers, which UMG dismisses as "hyperbolic and exaggerated."

The case has gained additional attention following Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime show performance. Earlier this month, Drake and iHeartMedia settled a separate lawsuit regarding alleged "Not Like Us" payola.

The court's decision on this motion will likely hinge on whether it views Drake's lawsuit as a legitimate defamation claim or, as UMG suggests, an attempt to settle a rap battle score through legal means.

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