Drake Withdraws Legal Petition Against Universal Music Group and Spotify In New York

Drake has officially withdrawn his legal petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify in the state of New York. The artist, through his company Frozen Moments, LLC, filed a Withdrawal Order with the Supreme Court on January 14, ending the lawsuit that had accused the companies of inflating the numbers behind Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”

Journalist Bryson “Boom” Paul broke the news on X (formerly Twitter), revealing that the legal proceedings have been discontinued with no financial repercussions for any of the involved parties. Spotify, which had previously filed an opposition to Drake’s petition, did not object to the withdrawal, while UMG has “reserved its position on the matter,” leaving some ambiguity on their stance regarding the dismissal.

While the New York petition is now resolved, Drake’s legal battle is far from over. He is still pursuing claims against UMG and iHeartRadio in Texas, with a hearing set for January 28, 2025.

Drake’s legal troubles began in November 2024, when he accused UMG and Spotify of using bots and payola to artificially boost the popularity of “Not Like Us,” the track by Kendrick Lamar that served as a diss aimed at Drake himself. In his petition, the artist also alleged that UMG violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, and accused iHeartRadio of running a “pay-to-play scheme” to promote the song on the airwaves, with UMG allegedly funneling payments to the platform.

As Drake navigates the ongoing legal battles, all eyes are now on the Texas case, which may offer more insights into the claims made by the artist and the broader implications for the music industry’s business practices. For now, the withdrawal in New York marks a temporary pause in what has become one of the most high-profile legal cases in the music world.