Drake Takes Legal Action Against Universal Music Over Alleged Streaming Manipulation
Canadian rapper Drake has filed a legal action against Universal Music, accusing the label of using bots and payola to artificially boost streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us.
According to court documents filed in New York, Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, alleges that Universal and streaming giant Spotify engaged in an illegal scheme to promote Lamar’s song.
The documents claim that Universal “launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves,” rather than relying on organic interest from fans.
A spokesperson for Universal has refuted the claims, calling them “offensive and untrue” and insisting that fans have the autonomy to choose the music they want to listen to. Spotify and Lamar have yet to respond to the allegations.
Although the legal filing is not a full lawsuit, Drake’s lawyers are seeking to preserve all relevant documents and information from Universal and Spotify in anticipation of potential future legal action.
The dispute stems from the release of Not Like Us, which was perceived as a decisive blow in the ongoing rap feud between Drake and Lamar.
The track garnered significant success, with 96 million streams in seven days, topping the US charts, and becoming a top 10 radio hit. However, Drake’s legal team argues that these achievements were artificially inflated through underhanded tactics.
The filing alleges that Universal conspired with unknown parties to manipulate the song’s prominence, including reducing royalty rates by 30% in exchange for Spotify promoting it to users.
Additionally, a whistleblower claimed on a podcast that they were paid to use software bots to repeatedly stream the song, artificially boosting its popularity.
Drake’s lawyers also assert that the effort extended to other streaming platforms, with reports of fans requesting Drake’s album but being served Not Like Us instead.
The legal action represents a rift between Drake and Universal, his longtime label, as the artist seeks accountability for the alleged misconduct.
The legal filing coincided with the release of Lamar’s surprise album, GNX, which follows the success of Not Like Us.
Although the diss track received four Grammy nominations and Lamar secured a headline slot at next year’s Super Bowl halftime show, he still trails behind Drake in terms of streaming popularity.
