Universal Music Group (UMG) issued its first official court response to Drake suing the label for defamation as it relates to distributing and promoting Kendrick Lamar‘s hit diss record, “Not Like Us.”

Attorneys for UMG filed a motion to dismiss his lawsuit Monday morning, calling Drake’s allegations “meritless” and stressing that public embarrassment is the real reason he chose to sue the conglomerate.

UMG’s lawyers wrote, “Plaintiff, one of the most successful recording artists of all time, lost a rap battle that he provoked and in which he willingly participated. 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.”

UMG went on to argue that Drake issued his own “incendiary” statements towards Kendrick during the battle, including accusations that he is physically abusive to partner Whitney Alford, and that his business partner, Dave Free, may be the father of one of K. Dot’s children. However, Drake’s “hyperbolic insults” and “vitriolic allegations” simply didn’t engage the public like Kendrick’s did.

The label goes on to say that both Drake and Kendrick’s disses are shielded from defamation lawsuits thanks to Free Speech guaranteed by the First Amendment, and that over-the-top allegations — like calling Drake a pedophile — are common when it comes to Hip-Hop diss records.

Drake’s lead attorney responded:

“UMG wants to pretend that this is about a rap battle in order to distract its shareholders, artists and the public from a simple truth: a greedy company is finally being held responsible for profiting from dangerous misinformation that has already resulted in multiple acts of violence. This motion is a desperate ploy by UMG to avoid accountability, but we have every confidence that this case will proceed and continue to uncover UMG’s long history of endangering and abusing its artists.”