Drake files lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us
Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, alleging they artificially boosted streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us, which targets the Canadian rapper. The accusations, filed by Drake’s company Frozen Moments LLC in a New York court, claim the companies engaged in an illegal scheme involving bots, payola, and other manipulative tactics to inflate the song's success.
The legal filing, a “pre-action petition,” seeks to preserve evidence and documents ahead of a potential lawsuit. Drake’s lawyers argue that Universal “manipulated and saturated” streaming platforms to ensure Not Like Us dominated airwaves and playlists. A Universal spokesperson has denied the allegations, calling them “offensive and untrue,” insisting fans simply choose the music they enjoy.
Released earlier this year during a heated rap feud between the artists, Not Like Us became an instant success, garnering 96 million streams in its first week, topping the US charts, and becoming a top 10 radio hit. However, Drake’s team claims these achievements were artificially inflated. The filing alleges Universal cut royalty rates for the track by 30% to incentivize Spotify to recommend it to users. It also cites a supposed whistleblower who, on a podcast, claimed they were paid $2,500 to deploy bots that streamed the song repeatedly.
Further accusations involve reports that Apple’s voice assistant, Siri, redirected users asking for Drake’s album Certified Loverboy to Lamar’s track instead. Drake’s lawyers argue such practices caused “economic harm” to their client by unfairly diverting attention and revenue to Lamar’s music.
The feud between Drake and Lamar has escalated beyond the diss track. The legal dispute signals a significant rift between Drake and Universal, the label that has represented him throughout his career. According to court documents, Drake’s efforts to address the issue privately were dismissed by Universal, which he accuses of attempting to “conceal its schemes” by firing employees perceived as loyal to him.
Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar continues to ride the wave of Not Like Us's success. The track is nominated for four Grammy Awards, including Song of the Year, and Lamar has been booked for the Super Bowl halftime show. He also recently released a surprise album, GNX, widely considered a follow-up to the diss track.
Despite Lamar’s recent acclaim, Drake remains the most popular artist globally, ranking as Spotify’s 13th most-streamed artist compared to Lamar’s 23rd position. Universal has strongly rejected the allegations, maintaining their marketing practices are ethical and transparent.
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