Drake Files Legal Actions Over Alleged Manipulation of Kendrick Lamar's Diss Track Success

Drake accuses Universal Music Group and Spotify of inflating streams and suppressing his music, as the feud with Kendrick Lamar escalates into a legal battle.

• Drake's company filed petitions in New York and Texas courts, alleging Universal Music Group (UMG) used bots and pay-for-play schemes to inflate streams of Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us.'
• The filings claim UMG paid Spotify and radio stations to prioritize Lamar's song while suppressing Drake's music, including allegations of Siri misdirecting users to Lamar's track.
• UMG denies the accusations, calling them baseless and asserting that fans choose the music they want to hear, while Spotify declined to comment.
• Legal experts are skeptical of Drake's claims, citing the difficulty of proving defamation and payola in the music industry, and noting the potential reputational damage to Drake himself.
• The feud, which has dominated hip-hop headlines throughout 2024, has seen both artists release multiple diss tracks, with Lamar's 'Not Like Us' breaking streaming records and earning Grammy nominations.

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