Controversy is nothing new to the music industry, but this time it takes on a whole new dimension as Drake has filed lawsuits against Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG) for allegedly exaggerating the popularity of Kendrick Lamar's diss single, "Not Like Us."
The Independent reports that on Monday, November 25, Drake's legal team submitted a pre-action motion to Manhattan court. This legal action, which was necessary in New York State prior to bringing a formal complaint, alleges that UMG promoted Lamar's song using unethical tactics like payola, bots, and streaming manipulation. According to the petition, UMG planned a "campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves," which included utilizing Apple's Siri to steer Drake's listeners to the song instead of other content and paying Spotify to play "Not Like Us" to users looking for irrelevant content. In anticipation of a potential lawsuit, Drake's team is now requesting court-ordered access to UMG and Spotify's documents. UMG has responded by refuting all of the accusations. "It is offensive and untrue to suggest that UMG would do anything to discredit any of its artists," a spokesman told Variety. Our marketing and advertising initiatives utilize the most ethical techniques.
Though Punch from Top Dawg Entertainment wrote on X immediately after the news surfaced, Kendrick Lamar's team has responded more subtly: "Naaaaaaahhhh." The streets of rap are finished. SMH. This legal dispute follows Drake's recent livestream in which he criticized Kendrick Lamar and other industry competitors. This latest incident implies that the battle between these two rap titans is far from over, even if tensions have always simmered.
Drake's lawsuit has the potential to significantly alter the way record labels and streaming services market music if it moves forward. It also raises concerns about the morality of digital marketing tactics in a field that depends more and more on playlists and algorithms to succeed. For the time being, fans are left wondering if this legal dispute is the beginning of a bigger reckoning within the music industry or just another chapter in hip-hop's most intense rivalry.
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