On Monday, a court filing revealed that Drake has accused Universal Music Group of artificially inflating the popularity of Kendrick Lamar's song 'Not Like Us' on streaming services like Spotify. The song, which contained scathing lyrics directed at Drake, was allegedly promoted through manipulative tactics such as using 'bots' and pay-to-play agreements.
Drake's company, Frozen Moments LLC, has filed a petition in a New York court seeking the preservation and disclosure of information that could be crucial in a potential lawsuit against UMG, the distributor for both Drake and Lamar.
The filing also claims that UMG has terminated employees who were loyal to Drake in an attempt to cover up their actions. UMG has vehemently denied these allegations, stating that they adhere to the highest ethical standards in their marketing practices.
'Not Like Us,' a track by Lamar released in May, has amassed over 900 million plays on Spotify. The feud between Drake and Lamar, two prominent figures in hip-hop, dates back several years but intensified recently with public exchanges of insults.
Spotify, a key platform for music streaming, has stated that they employ rigorous measures to combat artificial streaming and ensure fair play for all artists. The ongoing dispute between Drake and Lamar, while not yet resulting in a lawsuit, has now involved major business partners of both artists, raising the stakes in the feud.
