Drake Claims Universal Music Group and Spotify Conspired to Boost Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ Diss Track Through Bots, Payola, and Deceptive Practices

Drake has taken his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar into the legal arena, accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify of gaming the system to boost Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us, while suppressing his own music.

The petition, filed Monday in New York, claims UMG used bots, payola, and deceptive practices to inflate the track’s popularity, creating the false impression of a viral hit.

The filing alleges UMG collaborated with Spotify to recommend Not Like Us to users searching for unrelated music, even paying Apple to have Siri redirect users requesting Drake’s songs to Lamar’s track instead. The song, which includes the inflammatory lyric “certified pedophile,” reportedly received over 30 million bot-generated streams within days of its release. Drake also accuses UMG of paying influencers and radio stations to promote the track and artificially inflate its airplay and viewership.

Drake claims UMG’s actions extend beyond Lamar’s music, accusing the label of suppressing his own catalog by terminating employees perceived as loyal to him. The legal filing argues UMG’s tactics violate federal racketeering laws, as well as New York’s deceptive business and false advertising statutes.

Earlier this year, Drake and Kendrick Lamar found themselves in a rap feud, exchanging diss tracks that spark conversations globally.

Neither UMG nor Spotify has commented on the allegations.

However, the President of Lamar’s former label Top Dawg Entertainment, Punch, got wind of the suit and looked to X, saying, “Naaaaaahhhh. The rap streets is done. SMH.”

Naaaaaahhhh. The rap streets is done. SMH.

— Punch TDE (@iamstillpunch) November 25, 2024