Drake & Kendrick – Source: Cole Burston / Getty
Toronto rapper Drake alleges UMG & Spotify deployed bots to “artificially inflate” Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” violating the RICO act.
Right when you think Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s summer squabble is fading away into a distant memory another development occurs. While Kendrick didn’t kick Drake’s back in again on his latest project GNX the Canadian is still stuck on “Not Like Us” it appears. According to Billboard, Drizzy has initiated a lawsuit against his label Universal Music Group, and Spotify over the chart-topping record.
Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC alleges UMG deployed an illegal “scheme” using corrupt methods to make sure the slanderous track dominated streaming services.
“UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices,” attorneys for Drake’s company write. “It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”
Surprisingly the filing accuses UMG of violating the “RICO” act alleging the “scheme” is an organized crime alongside false advertising. Yahoo Reports Drake claims UMG “refused to engage” in discussions over the matter when confronted. It’s worth noting it’s alleged Drake was directed to sue Kendrick Lamar over the allegations instead of UMG or Spotify.
“It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, ‘Not Like Us,’ in order to make that song go viral, including by using ‘bots’ and pay-to-play agreements,” the filing states, claiming UMG charged Spotify 30 percent less than its usual licensing rates in exchange for Spotify pushing recommendations for “Not Like Us” to “users who are searching for other unrelated songs and artists.”
Also, the pre-lawsuit filing accuses Spotify of failing to disclose they received compensation for recommending the song. Allegedly as the beef played out Drizzy believes UMG terminated employees who had ties to him.
“[Drake}received information that UMG has been taking steps in an apparent effort to conceal its schemes, including, but not limited to, by terminating employees associated with or perceived as having loyalty to Drake.”- the filing alleges.
Suing over a diss track is almost unfathomable and would be the most non-hip-hop action we’ve seen in rap history. However, if Drake is willing to roll the dice on the matter hopefully he has enough evidence to make it pay off in the end. Previously the Canadian reminded us every chance he could that UMG signed him to Republic Record for a deal allegedly worth $400M. Now he’s preparing to sue the label months after unleashing “100GIGS” which included hours of unreleased footage for free. Maybe this is his long awaited “plot twist” he teased.
