Drake Sues UMG and Spotify Over Alleged ‘Artificial Inflation’ of Kendrick Lamar’s Diss Song

Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, claiming they worked together to artificially inflate the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” In a petition submitted to the New York Supreme Court on Monday, attorneys for Frozen Moments LLC, Drake’s company, accused UMG and Spotify of engaging in an illegal scheme that involved the use of bots, payola, and other tactics to promote Lamar’s song while sabotaging Drake’s own music. The lawsuit alleges that UMG didn’t rely on regular business practices but instead orchestrated a campaign to manipulate streaming services and the airwaves. The petition claims that Lamar’s track, which garnered 96 million streams within a week, reached number one on the US charts and became a top 10 radio hit. It also alleges the song was licensed to Spotify at a 30% discount in exchange for extra promotional support and user recommendations. In addition, Drake has filed another defamation lawsuit in Texas against UMG, accusing the label of distributing the song despite knowing it falsely accused him of pedophilia. A UMG spokesperson has rejected the allegations, calling them “offensive and untrue.” They stated, “We employ the highest ethical standards in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of baseless legal claims can change the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.” Both Drake and Lamar have long-standing relationships with UMG, with Drake signed to Republic Records and Lamar to Interscope, both of which are UMG subsidiaries.