The Guardian reports that Canadian musician Drake has sued Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify. He claims they colluded to boost interest in Kendrick Lamar’s diss song, “Not Like Us”, while stifling his work. Although UMG has replied, Spotify has not yet logged any comments. Read on to learn more about the case and other relevant information.
Accusation by Drake
In a savage argument between two hip-hop superstars, Drake has sued Universal Music Group and Spotify. He claims they conspired to boost the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” which savagely attacked Drake. On Monday, the rapper’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, filed a petition in a New York court. It aims to find and protect evidence for a future lawsuit against UMG, the distributor of Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s record labels, and Spotify, a defendant in the suit.
Drake’s corporate attorneys, Frozen Moments LLC, filed a suit. They claim that UMG and Spotify planned a scheme to “manipulate and saturate streaming services and airwaves.” They used various methods to promote Lamar’s song. To boost its profile, the petition alleges that UMG paid radio stations for airplay. It also claims UMG paid influencers to endorse Not Like Us on social media. Under New York law, Drake’s lawyers can ask the court to require UMG and Spotify to preserve any relevant papers in case of a lawsuit. The petition is not a real lawsuit, but somewhat a legal procedure.
Drake’s plea states that UMG cut its Spotify licensing payments. This was in return for the platform playing Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” This happened even when users searched for unrelated artists or tracks. It also claims that UMG persuaded Apple to have Siri, the digital assistant, redirect listeners asking for Drake’s music to “Not Like Us” instead. The petition also charges UMG with a “scheme.” It made “Not Like Us” the most-streamed diss tune on Spotify, with 900 million streams. Reports say the song has records for the most weekly streams by a rapper (81.2 million) and the most single-day streams for a hip-hop song (12.8 million).
Drake’s lawyers say UMG’s actions were partly due to Interscope execs wanting to maximize profits. They claim that Lamar’s back catalog streams amplified due to the success of “Not Like Us”, giving UMG financial compensations. The petition says Drake tried many times to resolve the issue with UMG. But, UMG refused to take responsibility and suggested Drake sue Lamar instead. Also, Drake’s lawyers say they have proof that UMG is trying to hide its actions. They fired staff who were associated with or loyal to Drake.
Responses by UMG
A UMG rep told the Guardian, “It’s offensive and untrue to suggest UMG would do anything to discredit its artists.” They insisted that their marketing and advertising initiatives utilize the most ethical techniques. Their fans choose the music to hear. This pre-action submission’s invented and absurd, legal reasons cannot change that. Meanwhile, Spotify has chosen not to respond. According to the media source, Drake and Lamar have been associated with UMG all throughout their careers. Lamar is with Interscope. Drake is with Republic Records.
