Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, alleging that they artificially inflated the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” According to the petition submitted to the New York Supreme Court, Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, accuses UMG and Spotify of engaging in an illegal scheme involving bots, payola, and other tactics to promote Lamar’s song while hindering Drake’s music.
The lawsuit claims that UMG licensed the track to Spotify at a 30% discount in exchange for promotional boosts and user recommendations. As a result, “Not Like Us” amassed 96 million streams in just seven days, reaching number one on the US charts and becoming a top 10 radio hit.
UMG has dismissed the allegations as “offensive and untrue,” stating that they employ the highest ethical practices in their marketing and promotional campaigns. However, Drake has also filed a separate lawsuit in Texas, alleging defamation against UMG for distributing a track that falsely accused him of pedophilia.