The feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake just got messier as Drake filed legal action against UMG and Spotify, accusing them of colluding in the global hit “Not Like” Us” manual streaming.
As we all know, “Not Like Us” was a diss song against Drake that later became a global hit. The lawsuit becomes even more interesting given that Universal Music Group releases music from both artists. In a filing in Manhattan court on Monday (November 25), Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC accuses UMG of launching an illegal “scheme” involving bots, payola and other methods to promote Kendrick’s songs.
“UMG did not rely on opportunity or even ordinary business practices,” Drake’s attorneys wrote. “Instead, it has launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate streaming services and broadcasts.” According to Billboard, the petition claims that UMG “engaged in conduct designed to artificially inflate the popularity of ‘Not Like Us’… …including licensing the song to Spotify at a significantly reduced price and using “bots” to create the false impression that the song was more popular than it actually was.
Universal Music Group has responded to the lawsuit, saying: “It is offensive and untrue that Universal Music Group would take any action to harm any of its artists. We use the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotions.” No amount of contrived, nonsensical legal arguments in this pre-litigation filing can obscure the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.
While it did not name other streaming services, it did note that “UMG appears to have used similar tactics with other streaming services. It is understood and believed that Universal Music Group paid or approved payments to Apple to enable its voice-controlled digital The assistant “Siri” deliberately misleads users that it is “not like us.”
“UMG does not rely on chance or even ordinary business practices,” the petition continues. “Instead, it has launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate streaming services and broadcasts.”
Drake’s attorneys claim that UMG violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which is often used in criminal cases against organized crime. They also accuse Universal Music Group of deceptive business practices and false advertising under New York state law.
Previously, Kendrick Lamar’s new album “GNX” was unexpectedly released, dominating global DSPs and debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.
