Drake lawsuit/ Kendrick Lamar diss track/ UMG streaming manipulation/ Not Like Us controversy/ Drake-Kendrick feud/ Newslooks/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Drake has filed a legal petition accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) of artificially inflating streams for Kendrick Lamar’s hit diss track, “Not Like Us,” to undermine his career. The filing alleges UMG used bots and pay-to-play deals to saturate Spotify and other platforms. UMG denies the claims, calling them “offensive and untrue.” The feud between the hip-hop titans escalates as the potential lawsuit looms.
Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar: Legal Battle Over “Not Like Us”
Quick Looks
- Legal Allegations: Drake claims UMG boosted streams of Lamar’s diss track using bots and pay-to-play agreements.
- UMG’s Denial: UMG dismisses the accusations, insisting on ethical promotional practices.
- Song Popularity: “Not Like Us” has amassed over 900 million Spotify streams since its release in May.
- Feud History: The Drake-Lamar rivalry, spanning a decade, reaches new heights with this court filing.
- Potential Lawsuit: The petition demands evidence preservation ahead of a likely legal case.
Drake Files Legal Petition Against UMG Over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
Deep Look
Drake’s feud with Kendrick Lamar has spilled into the legal arena. In a petition filed Monday in a New York court, the Canadian rapper’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, accuses Universal Music Group (UMG) of deliberately inflating streams and airtime for Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.”
The document alleges UMG deployed bots and negotiated pay-to-play deals with Spotify to artificially amplify the song, which takes direct aim at Drake with scathing lyrics like, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young, you better not ever go to cell block one.”
Released in May, the track has since gone viral, garnering over 900 million Spotify streams.
Allegations Against UMG
Drake’s petition accuses UMG, the distributor for both artists’ record labels, of orchestrating a campaign to make “Not Like Us” go viral. Among the accusations are claims that UMG:
- Used bots to inflate streaming numbers.
- Offered Spotify special licensing rates for the track.
- Fired employees seen as loyal to Drake to allegedly “conceal its schemes.”
UMG strongly denied the allegations, 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.”
Spotify’s Role
While Spotify declined to comment on this specific case, it has previously emphasized its commitment to combating artificial streaming. In earlier statements, the platform highlighted its reliance on automated and manual reviews to detect and mitigate streaming manipulation.
A Feud That Keeps Escalating
The Drake-Lamar rivalry dates back to 2013, when Lamar began taking public shots at Drake. While the two had collaborated earlier in their careers, tensions escalated this year with a series of diss tracks exchanged between the artists.
“Not Like Us” stands out as a particularly aggressive entry in the feud, fueling speculation and headlines. Lamar’s track quickly became a streaming juggernaut, but Drake’s legal move marks the feud’s sharpest turn yet.
Industry Implications
The potential lawsuit also involves some of the music industry’s largest entities. Universal Music Group, the world’s biggest record label, and Spotify, the dominant streaming platform, are now central to the narrative.
This isn’t the first controversy surrounding artificial streaming. Industry watchdogs have long criticized labels for allegedly using bots and playlist manipulation to inflate numbers. However, cases of this magnitude involving two superstar artists are rare.
What’s Next?
Drake’s filing is currently a preemptive legal move, but it sets the stage for a full lawsuit against UMG. If the case progresses, it could unveil insights into the murky world of streaming manipulation and reshape how the music industry handles promotional practices.
With both artists at the height of their careers—Lamar fresh off a Pulitzer Prize and Drake maintaining his chart-topping dominance—the stakes couldn’t be higher.
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