Short Summary
Drake accuses UMG, his and
Kendrick Lamar's record label, and Spotify for inflating streams on
Not Like Us using bots and illegal pay-for-play agreements. He also accuses them of licensing
Not Like Us to Spotify at a 30% discount in return for boosting the track in recommendations.
Long Summary
Legal Claims Filed in New York and Texas
Drake has initiated two legal petitions against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, alleging conspiracy to artificially inflate the popularity of
Kendrick Lamar's diss track
"Not Like Us" while suppressing Drake's own music. The first petition, filed on November 25, 2024, in the New York Supreme Court, accuses the companies of manipulating streaming numbers and deceiving consumers about the song's popularity. The following day, Drake filed a second petition in Texas, accusing UMG of defamation for distributing a track that allegedly falsely accused him of pedophilia.
Allegations of Artificial Manipulation
According to Drake's legal team from Frozen Moments LLC, UMG and Spotify employed several tactics to boost "Not Like Us" including:- Using bots to artificially inflate streaming numbers- Paying influencers to promote the track on social media- Setting up pay-to-play agreements with radio stations- Reducing licensing rates to Spotify in exchange for the platform recommending Lamar's track even when users searched for unrelated content- Paying Apple to have Siri redirect requests for Drake's music to "Not Like Us" instead
Record-Breaking Success of "Not Like Us"
The petition claims these tactics contributed to "Not Like Us" becoming the most-streamed diss track in Spotify history with approximately 900 million streams. The track also broke records for the biggest single-day streams for a hip-hop song (12.8 million) and the most song streams in a week by a rapper (81.2 million).
Financial Motivations
Drake's attorneys suggest UMG's actions were financially motivated, particularly by executives at Interscope Records (Lamar's label) who benefited from increased streaming of Lamar's back catalog. Both Drake and Lamar have been signed to UMG subsidiaries throughout their careers—Drake with Republic Records and Lamar with Interscope.
Attempted Resolution and Allegations of Cover-up
The petition states that Drake tried to engage UMG in discussions to resolve the situation, but claims the company showed "no interest in taking responsibility" and instead directed Drake to sue Lamar directly. Drake's attorneys further allege that UMG has taken steps to conceal its actions, including terminating employees perceived as loyal to Drake.
UMG's Response
A UMG spokesperson called the allegations "offensive and untrue," stating: "The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns." The spokesperson added that "fans choose the music they want to hear." Spotify declined to comment on the matter.
Background of the Feud
The legal actions represent an escalation in the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which has involved multiple diss tracks from both artists. Lamar's tracks, including "Not Like Us," accused Drake of inappropriate relationships with underage girls and having secret children. Drake's response tracks, such as
"Family Matters" and
"The Heart Part 6", accused Lamar of domestic abuse and infidelity, criticized his collaboration with Taylor Swift, and mocked his height. Both artists have denied any wrongdoing.*There may be errors on this page.
