It is often said that one should not bite more than one can chew, to not bark if one does not deem oneself ready to bite. Drake, on the one hand, seems to be entirely a stranger to these sayings, if the entire epic around the now-famous track, Kendrick Lamar's, 'Not Like Us' is anything to go by. While his own record label is nowhere to be seen on the battlegrounds, the Universal Music Group has taken the initiative to protect their own artist in light of Drake's attempts at defaming the seventeen-time Grammy winner, Kendrick Lamar. 

Drake's attempt of trying to crawl up the shoulders of the more established and canonized Kendrick Lamar has been brutally trodden, futile as they were brought under the shadows of the rap giant, Lamar's label.

Universal Music Group (UMG) has labeled Drake’s defamation lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us as “misguided,” filing a motion to dismiss the case. The music label argues that Drake willingly provoked and participated in the rap battle, only to sue his own label after public opinion favored Lamar. Also emphasizing that diss tracks are rhetorical hyperbole, protected under the First Amendment, and claims Drake’s allegations are only an attempt to salvage his pride following Lamar’s Grammy-winning success, which solidified his dominance in their ongoing feud, being a reason Drake could be seen cowering. 

The entire feud between the two-time old rapping giants of the industry has been the backdrop of Kendrick Lamar's recent success with the track; 'Not Like Us', winning and bagging multiple accolades to its name, from Song of The Year to Record of The Year. Not just topping charts, but the track has also become a popular-culture phenomenon with the way it has broken streaming records and solidified the rapper's stature in the industry. 

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Drake's state of provoked fervor seems to have stemmed purely from his own unprecedented falling out of the race-track in the face of Lamar's drop. 

The track, 'Not Like Us', central to the legal battle and their feud, had surpassed Drake's 'God's Plan' as the fastest rap song to hit 200 million streams, solidifying Kendrick Lamar's victory. Despite some accusations of plagiarism, 'Not Like Us' remained a record-breaking hit, topping charts and dethroning Taylor Swift on Apple Music, much to Drake's displeasure. This achievement has underscored Lamar's continued success in the wake of their rap battle and even as a standalone entity in the industry, leaving Drake grappling with both legal setbacks and Lamar's musical dominance.

  As UMG seeks to dismiss the lawsuit, they highlight the absurdity of Drake expecting them to promote his diss tracks while simultaneously challenging their support for Lamar's work has not escaped the audience. The outcome of this legal dispute could set a precedent for how artists navigate personal rivalries and artistic expression within the music industry. With both artists at pivotal points in their careers, this case underscores the intersection of art, litigation, and public perception in contemporary hip-hop culture.

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Who's side are you on in this rap-battle between two solid legends on the industry? Let us know in the comments below.