Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of collaborating to artificially boost the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.”
In a petition filed with the New York Supreme Court on Monday, attorneys representing Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, allege that UMG and Spotify engaged in an illegal scheme involving bots, payola, and other tactics to promote Lamar’s track while suppressing Drake’s music.
The lawyers argued that UMG did not rely on normal business practices but instead orchestrated a campaign to manipulate streaming services and radio airplay.
According to the lawsuit, Lamar’s track, which garnered 96 million streams in just one week, topped the US charts and became a top 10 radio hit. The filing claims the song was licensed to Spotify at a 30% discount in exchange for increased promotional support and user recommendations.
In addition to this lawsuit, Drake has filed a separate defamation case in Texas, accusing UMG of distributing “Not Like Us,” which falsely suggested he was involved in pedophilia.
UMG responded by denying the allegations, calling them “offensive and untrue.” A spokesperson for the company said, “The claim that UMG would undermine any of its artists is baseless. We uphold the highest ethical standards in our marketing and promotional efforts. Fans ultimately choose the music they want to hear, and no legal argument can change that.”
Both Drake and Lamar have long-standing relationships with UMG, with Drake signed to Republic Records and Lamar to Interscope, both of which are under the UMG umbrella.