Drake’s record label Universal Music Group has recently filed a motion to dismiss his defamation lawsuit against them for promoting Kendrick Lamar’s single, Not Like Us.

In the suit, the UMG label claimed that Drake “lost a rap battle that he provoked and sued his own record label in a misguided attempt to salve his wounds”.

The label further said that Not Like Us might have featured “hyperbolic insults,” but the rapper also used UMG’s platform “to promote tracks leveling similarly incendiary attacks at Kendrick”.

It is reported that Kendrick’s Not Like Us referred Drake and his friends as “certified pedophiles” who should “be registered and placed on neighborhood watch”.

However, UMG believed, “Drake encouraged the feud… For example, when he felt that Kendrick was taking too long to respond, Drake released a second recording in which he goaded Kendrick to continue the public rap battle.”

“Kendrick did just that, and collectively Drake and Kendrick released a total of nine tracks taking aim at each other,” read the motion.

The statement also said that Drake “was pleased to see UMG promote tracks that hurled accusations of Kendrick engaging in domestic abuse and that one of his business partners and managers is the true father of Kendrick’s son”.

“But now, after losing the rap battle, Drake claims that ‘Not Like Us’ is defamatory. It is not,” mentioned the label.

UMG also rejected Drake’s allegation that Not Like Us constituted “second-degree harassment” and that the promotion of it “violates New York’s general business law”.

“Less than three years ago, Drake himself signed a public petition criticizing ‘the trend of prosecutors using artists’ creative expression against them’ by treating rap lyrics as literal fact,” it read.

The motion added, “Drake was right then and is wrong now.”

“The complaint’s unjustified claims against UMG are no more than Drake’s attempt to save face for his unsuccessful rap battle with Kendrick. The court should grant UMG’s motion and dismiss the Complaint with prejudice,” it concluded.

Meanwhile, Drake’s attorney Michael J. Gottlieb told PEOPLE in a statement, “This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability.”