Drake is taking legal action against Universal Music Group and Spotify, alleging that they used unfair practices such as artificially boosting streams and bot use to increase the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s DJ Mustard produced track “Not Like Us”.
Released back in May, the number one charting, Grammy nominated single was described by many as the “song of the summer” and now this new legal action from Drake contests whether “Not Like Us” achieved its status fairly.
In the legal documents as reported by XXL, Drake’s lawyers state, “UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices. It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves. UMG’s schemes … were motivated, at least in part, by the desire of executives at Interscope to maximize their own profits. Executives at Interscope have been incentivized to maximize the financial success of Interscope through the promotion of ‘Not Like Us’ and its revitalizing impact on the artist’s prior recording catalog.”
The suit also argues that UMG employees with loyalties to Drake were fired. It also alleges that when Drake tried to raise issues with his label, he was advised to sue Kendrick Lamar. Read the full legal document here.
In a statement, a spokesperson for UMG said in response to the legal action, “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”