Drake has taken legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing them of conspiring to manipulate streaming platforms in favor of Kendrick Lamar’s music while suppressing his own. The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims that the music giants engaged in various tactics to influence the success of Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us. So, why did Drake start a lawsuit against UMG and Spotify? Read on to know more.
Why is Drake suing UMG and Spotify?
Drake has started a lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify. The rapper accused them of conspiring to artificially inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us, while suppressing his own music. In documents submitted to the New York Supreme Court, Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, alleges that UMG and Spotify engaged in a coordinated effort to manipulate streaming platforms and radio airwaves to make Lamar’s song appear more successful than it was in reality.
Drake’s attorneys claim that UMG worked with unknown parties to deploy bots that inflated Not Like Us’ streaming numbers. They also allege that UMG paid influencers to promote the track on social media and arranged pay-for-play agreements with radio stations to give the song preferential treatment. The petition further states that UMG reduced the licensing fees it charged Spotify in exchange for the platform recommending Lamar’s track to users, even when they searched for unrelated music. In addition, the lawsuit claims that UMG went as far as paying Apple to manipulate Siri, directing users who requested Drake’s songs to Not Like Us instead.
The petition also points out that Not Like Us became the most-streamed diss track in Spotify history, amassing 900 million streams. This success reportedly benefited UMG financially as the increased popularity of Lamar’s song also boosted streams of his other music. Drake’s legal team argues that UMG’s actions were driven by the financial gain of Interscope executives, who oversee Lamar’s career.
Despite efforts to resolve the issue directly with UMG, Drake claims the company refused to take responsibility and directed him to take legal action against Lamar instead. His lawsuit alleges violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), deceptive business practices, and false advertising.