- Drake has filed authorized motion in opposition to Common Music Group and Spotify, accusing them of collaborating to artificially increase the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss observe, “Not Like Us.”
- Frozen Moments LLC, Drake’s firm, has filed a petition accusing UMG and Spotify of illegally utilizing bots and payola to advertise Lamar’s music whereas obstructing Drake’s music.
Drake has commenced authorized motion in opposition to Common Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, claiming that the 2 entities conspired to artificially increase the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss observe, “Not Like Us.”
In a petition filed with the New York Supreme Courtroom on Monday, attorneys for Frozen Moments LLC, Drake’s firm, accused UMG and Spotify of partaking in an illegal scheme that concerned using bots, payola, and different strategies to advertise Lamar’s music whereas concurrently obstructing Drake’s musical endeavors.
“UMG didn’t depend on probability, and even extraordinary enterprise practices,” the legal professionals claimed.
“It as a substitute launched a marketing campaign to govern and saturate the streaming providers and airwaves.”
The petition contended that the observe, which garnered 96 million streams inside per week, achieved the primary place on the US charts and have become a prime 10 radio hit, was licensed to Spotify at a 30% low cost in return for promotional benefits and consumer suggestions.
Moreover, Drake has initiated a separate lawsuit in Texas, alleging defamation in opposition to UMG.
This lawsuit claimed that UMG was conscious that “Not Like Us” made false allegations of pedophilia in opposition to him however proceeded to distribute the observe nonetheless.
In response, a spokesperson for UMG characterised the allegations as “offensive and unfaithful.”
“The implication that UMG would take any motion to undermine any of its artists is each offensive and unfaithful,” they said.
“We adhere to the best moral requirements in our advertising and promotional efforts. No quantity of fabricated and ludicrous authorized arguments on this pre-action submission can obscure the truth that followers choose the music they want to hear.”
Each Drake and Lamar have established long-term affiliations with UMG, with Drake linked to Republic Data and Lamar to Interscope, each of that are subsidiaries of UMG.