Kim Zolciak -- Kandi Burruss is a Shameless Publicity Whore

Former "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kim Zolciak has filed legal docs claiming her nemesis in the song world has viciously attacked her ... as a shameless publicity ploy to promote her show.

Kim just filed legal docs ... asking a judge to toss a lawsuit against her filed by Kandi Burruss ... who also appears on RHOA. Kandi -- who was a member of the group Xscape and wrote TLC's "No Scrubs" -- alleges Kim hoarded profits from a song they co-wrote, "Tardy for the Party," which aired on the show in 2009.

Kim claims in the docs that even Kandi doesn't believe what she's alleging, and it's all just a publicity stunt to get attention for her new show, "The Kandi Factory."

Kim says Kandi has been amply paid for her musical contribution ... and was actually overpaid to the tune of $6,000.