AceShowbiz - Drake and Kendrick Lamar's lyrical battle has escalated beyond just diss tracks and into a courtroom drama involving their shared record label, Universal Music Group (UMG).

Drake has filed a defamation lawsuit against UMG, accusing the label of pushing a false and damaging narrative that he is a "certified pedophile," an allegation strongly implied in Lamar's Grammy-winning track "Not Like Us."

UMG is pushing back hard, having filed a motion to dismiss Drake's suit. Their stance? This isn't a legal matter - it's just the nature of hip-hop.

"Instead of accepting the loss like the unbothered rap artist he often claims to be, he has sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds. Plaintiff's complaint is utterly without merit and should be dismissed with prejudice," argues UMG in their filing.

The controversial battle began in spring 2024 when Drake released "Family Matters," insinuating that Lamar had cheated on his fiancée and engaged in domestic violence.

Lamar responded with "Meet the Grahams" and "Not Like Us," the latter's hook taking the internet by storm. "Not Like Us" didn't just end up as a viral sensation; it became the best-selling rap record of 2024, even winning several Grammy Awards.

Drake, whose legal name is Aubrey Drake Graham, alleges that UMG unleashed every weapon in its arsenal to make "Not Like Us" a viral hit, treating incendiary attacks as proven facts. After the track's release, Drake reports incidents at his Toronto home, including a drive-by shooting and racist threats shouted by an intruder.

Drake's attorney, Mike Gottlieb, argues that UMG is trying to distract everyone from the core issue, "A greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence."

He claims UMG intentionally fostered a hostile environment by actively promoting the inflammatory nature of "Not Like Us."

On the other hand, UMG insists that diss tracks are a part of rap culture and protected by the First Amendment. They argue that "Not Like Us" is simply artistic expression and that distributing it doesn't mean they endorse any falsehoods about Drake. UMG points out Drake himself has used the label's platform to release similarly incendiary tracks attacking Lamar.

The legal dispute has only intensified with Drake taking action against iHeartMedia for allegedly accepting illegal payments from UMG to boost "Not Like Us" radio airplay, a suit that was recently settled. With the court denying UMG's request to pause discovery in Drake's suit and allowing him to depose a UMG executive, the case is far from over.

As the battle unfolds, one thing remains clear: the rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has grown beyond mere music, potentially reshaping industry practices and the boundaries of artistic expression.