Drake Files Lawsuit Against UMG & Spotify Accusing Them of A Scheme to ‘Artificially Inflate’ Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’

Maybe is was a scheme that Todd set up for Kendrick to come to Drake with the bull$hit *Aunt Bertha Voice*

Drake has filed legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of conspiring to artificially boost the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” In a court filing on November 25 in Manhattan, Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, claims UMG orchestrated an illegal scheme using bots, payola, and other tactics to inflate the song’s success. This track, which targets Drake during their ongoing feud, was allegedly promoted in ways that went beyond normal business practices, according to Drake’s attorneys.

The lawsuit accuses UMG of violating the federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and engaging in deceptive practices under New York state law. The filing marks a significant escalation in the rivalry between the two artists, which saw them exchanging diss tracks earlier this year. The legal action also reveals a surprising split between Drake and UMG, with whom he has been affiliated for much of his career.

Although the court filing is a “pre-action” petition aimed at gathering information before formally suing, it suggests that UMG, rather than Spotify, is the primary target. The petition outlines several methods UMG allegedly used to promote “Not Like Us,” including offering Spotify lower licensing fees in exchange for recommending the song to users searching for unrelated artists, paying influencers to push the track on social media, and deploying bots to inflate its popularity.

One particularly striking claim involves UMG allegedly paying Apple to direct its voice assistant Siri to mistakenly play “Not Like Us” when users requested Drake’s album Certified Lover Boy, which includes a line in the song that criticizes Drake. While Apple is not named in the lawsuit, the petition suggests that this misdirection was intentional.

Drake’s legal team argues that UMG’s actions were driven by internal corporate incentives, with Interscope executives pushing for the song’s success to boost profits, particularly by reviving Lamar’s previous music catalog. Despite attempts to resolve the issue with UMG, Drake claims the label ignored his concerns and even tried to cover up its actions, including dismissing employees loyal to Drake. He also alleges that UMG attempted to shift blame onto Lamar and suggested that Drake sue the rapper instead of the label.