In a dramatic escalation of his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar, rapper Drake has accused Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify of conspiring to artificially boost the popularity of Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
The claims are part of a legal “pre-action” petition filed by Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC on November 25 in a Manhattan court, alleging racketeering, deceptive business practices, and false advertising.
According to the filing, UMG orchestrated a scheme involving bots, payola, and other methods to inflate streaming numbers for “Not Like Us.” Drake’s attorneys claim the label manipulated algorithms on Spotify and misdirected consumers to the track, even when they searched for unrelated music. They further allege that UMG slashed licensing fees for Spotify in exchange for platform promotions and paid influencers to amplify the song’s reach on social media.
One startling accusation suggests UMG colluded with Apple to have Siri redirect users searching for Drake’s “Certified Lover Boy” album to Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” which includes a lyric accusing Drake of misconduct. While Apple is not named as a respondent in the petition, the rapper’s lawyers point to this as evidence of UMG’s tactics to undermine his reputation.
Drake’s legal team argues that UMG’s actions were driven by internal corporate dynamics, particularly the financial incentives tied to divisions like Interscope Records, which houses Lamar’s projects. The petition claims Interscope executives sought to bolster their profits by boosting Lamar’s single, which also revitalized his back catalog’s streaming performance.
Despite efforts to address the issue privately, Drake alleges UMG refused to take responsibility for the alleged misconduct. He claims the company dismissed employees perceived as loyal to him and directed blame at Lamar, urging Drake to sue the artist rather than the label.
UMG has denied the allegations, calling them “offensive and untrue.” A spokesperson for the company stated that UMG adheres to the highest ethical standards in its marketing practices, emphasizing that fans, not fabricated schemes, determine music popularity. Spotify has declined to comment on the matter.
Drake’s petition falls under New York’s “pre-action” procedure, designed to gather evidence before filing a formal lawsuit. While Spotify is named in the petition, the allegations primarily target UMG, reflecting a significant fallout between the rapper and the label where he built his career.
Both Drake and Lamar have long-standing ties to UMG, with Drake initially signing through Lil Wayne’s Young Money imprint and later with Republic Records, and Lamar first joining TDE, distributed by Interscope, before establishing his pgLang label. The feud between the two artists, marked by diss tracks, now extends into the realm of business litigation, adding a new layer of tension to the hip-hop landscape.
As the legal battle unfolds, it raises broader questions about the ethics of music promotion and the role of streaming platforms in shaping consumer preferences.
