The action is doubly surprising because Universal Music Group distributes the recordings of both artists.
In the latest twist in the bitter dispute between drake and Kendrick Lamarthe Canadian rapper initiated legal action against Universal Music Group over allegations that the company conspired using Spotify to artificially inflate the popularity of “Not Like Us” of Kendrick Lamar.
The move is doubly surprising because UMG distributes both artists’ recordings.
In a filing Monday in a Manhattan court first reported by Billboard, Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC accused UMG of launching an illegal “scheme” involving bots, bribery and other methods to boost the numbers for Drake’s cruelly personal song. Lamar, who accuses Drake of pedophilia and amplified the already fiery feud between the two artists.
Drake’s accusation against Universal Music
The petition, shared by Variety, claims that UMG “engaged in conduct designed to artificially inflate the popularity of ‘Not Like Us’… including by licensing the song at drastically reduced rates to Spotify and using ‘bots’ to create the false impression that the song was more popular than it really was.”
In a response that was issued several hours after the news broke, a UMG representative told the aforementioned portal: “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and false. We employ the strictest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action presentation can obscure the fact that fans choose the music they want to listen to.”.
Although the petition does not name other streaming services, it states that “UMG appears to have used similar tactics with other streaming services. “Upon information and belief, UMG paid or approved payments to Apple Inc. to have its voice-activated digital assistant ‘Siri’ deliberately redirect users to ‘Not Like Us.’”
“UMG did not rely on chance or ordinary business practices,” the petition continues. “Instead, he launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate streaming services and the airwaves.”
Drake’s attorneys claim that UMG violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), which is often used in criminal cases against organized crime (and which was used to convict R . Kelly for sexual misconduct and other crimes in 2021). They also report deceptive business practices and false advertising under New York State law..
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
