NEW YORK, NY ( Source – AP ) — In a dramatic escalation of his ongoing feud with fellow hip-hop superstar Kendrick Lamar, Drake has filed legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of conspiring to artificially inflate the popularity of Lamar’s track, “Not Like Us”—a song that fiercely dissed Drake amid their bitter rivalry.
The legal petition, filed in a New York court on Monday, was submitted by Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC. It calls for the preservation and disclosure of information that may serve as evidence in a potential lawsuit against the two major industry players: Spotify, the global streaming giant, and UMG, which serves as the distributor for both Drake’s and Lamar’s record labels.
The AP reported the petition claims that UMG orchestrated a campaign to “manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves” with “Not Like Us”—a track that has garnered over 900 million streams on Spotify. The filing alleges that this was done using “bots” and pay-for-play arrangements designed to make the song go viral. According to Drake’s camp, UMG and Spotify share a long-standing, symbiotic business relationship, which may have influenced their actions.
The court documents also allege that UMG had a hand in firing employees perceived as loyal to Drake in an apparent effort to cover up these alleged schemes. The petition specifically targets UMG’s role in allegedly facilitating the song’s success through favorable licensing terms with Spotify.
In response to the allegations, Universal Music Group issued a statement calling the claims “offensive and untrue,” rejecting the notion that the company would engage in any practices to undermine its artists. “We employ the highest ethical standards in our marketing and promotional campaigns,” UMG stated. “No amount of contrived legal arguments can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
“Not Like Us,” released in May, features aggressive lyrics aimed at Drake, including the line, “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young, You better not ever go to cell block one.” The song quickly became a viral sensation, but its rise has now come under scrutiny. Drake’s legal team claims that the song’s success was not solely organic but was artificially propelled through manipulation.
While Spotify has yet to comment directly on the latest legal filing, the company has previously addressed concerns about artificial streaming in other cases. In a statement regarding a past controversy, Spotify emphasized its efforts to combat the effects of bots and artificial streams, saying that it invests heavily in both automated and manual systems to detect and prevent fraudulent activity on its platform.
This legal action marks a significant development in the ongoing rivalry between the two rap giants. Drake, 38, and Lamar, 37, have long been two of hip-hop’s most influential figures, but their relationship has soured over the years. The two were once collaborators, but tensions began to rise as Lamar made public jabs at Drake starting as early as 2013. Their feud intensified earlier this year, reaching new heights with the release of “Not Like Us.”
The legal petition, although not yet a formal lawsuit, signals a new phase in this high-stakes feud. With both UMG and Spotify involved—two of the largest forces in the music industry—this conflict could have significant implications not just for the two artists but for the broader music business.
As of now, it remains unclear whether the legal action will lead to a formal lawsuit, but one thing is certain: the rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar shows no signs of cooling off anytime soon.
