In a shocking move, Drake has filed a legal petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of artificially inflating the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track Not Like Us while suppressing his own music. The petition, filed in the New York Supreme Court on November 25, 2024, by Drake’s company Frozen Moments LLC, demands the preservation of key documents related to the case.

Drake claims UMG, his record label, collaborated with Spotify to manipulate streaming numbers, using bots to boost the song’s streams and deceive fans into thinking Not Like Us was more popular than it actually was. He also accuses UMG of paying influencers and securing pay-to-play agreements with radio stations to push the track.

The song, which has now accumulated over 900 million streams on Spotify, became the most-streamed diss track in hip-hop history, breaking records for single-day streams and weekly streams. Drake alleges that these tactics were part of a broader scheme to promote Lamar’s music at the expense of his own career.

UMG has strongly denied the allegations, calling them “offensive and untrue” and maintaining that they follow ethical marketing practices. The company has rejected Drake’s claims, insisting that fans, not bots, choose what music to listen to.

This lawsuit marks the latest development in the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, which has escalated through a series of diss tracks. As the case unfolds, it could set a significant precedent in the battle against alleged manipulation of streaming numbers in the music industry.

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