Drake has initiated legal proceedings against Universal Music Group, accusing the label of using artificial means to inflate streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us.
The track, a pointed jab in an ongoing feud between the two artists, became a massive hit earlier this year, but Drake alleges its success was the result of manipulation.
In a pre-action petition filed in New York, Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, claims Universal and Spotify engaged in a scheme involving bots, payola, and other methods to artificially boost Not Like Us.
The petition alleges that Universal orchestrated a campaign to dominate streaming platforms and airwaves, bypassing organic audience interest.
“Universal Music did not rely on chance,” Drake’s lawyers assert in the filing. “It launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”
Universal has denied the allegations, calling them “offensive and untrue,” and emphasizing that music consumption is driven by fan choice.
Spotify and Kendrick Lamar have yet to respond to the claims.
The pre-action petition allows Drake’s team to request the preservation of documents and evidence from Universal and Spotify in anticipation of a potential lawsuit.
While the filing primarily targets Universal, Spotify is included on the assumption it may hold relevant information.
Not Like Us became a runaway hit, achieving 96 million streams in its first week, topping the US charts, and becoming a top 10 radio success.
Drake’s lawyers, however, argue these achievements were artificially engineered.
The filing cites claims from a podcast whistleblower who allegedly received $2,500 to deploy bots that streamed the track on loop.
Drake’s team also alleges Universal reduced royalty rates on Not Like Us by 30% in exchange for Spotify heavily promoting the track.
Furthermore, reports suggest that Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, mistakenly played Not Like Us when users requested Drake’s album Certified Loverboy.
The feud represents a deeper fallout between Drake and Universal, his long-time label.
Court documents reveal Drake attempted to address his concerns privately, only to face resistance and alleged efforts to suppress the matter.
The filing accuses Universal of firing employees perceived as loyal to Drake and of concealing its actions.
“Streaming is a zero-sum game,” Drake’s lawyers argue. “Every time a song breaks through, it means another artist does not.”
They claim Drake suffered economic harm and reputational damage as Lamar’s track surged in popularity.
Universal has firmly rejected these allegations, stating, “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. The suggestion that UMG would undermine any of its artists is absurd and untrue.”
The legal battle emerges as Lamar rides a wave of success.
His diss track has earned four Grammy nominations, including Song of the Year, and he’s set to headline the Super Bowl halftime show.
Meanwhile, his surprise album, GNX, is seen as a follow-up to Not Like Us.
Despite this momentum, Lamar ranks behind Drake in global popularity.
On Spotify, he is the 23rd most-streamed artist, while Drake holds the 13th spot.
This latest legal skirmish adds another chapter to their contentious rivalry, with the stakes continuing to rise.
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