Spotify has officially denied Drake’s recent allegations that streaming numbers for Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us were “artificially inflated.” The accusations were outlined in a legal filing last month by Drake’s company, Frozen Moments, and targeted both Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG), which distributes Lamar’s recordings.
Drake’s filing claimed UMG and Spotify conspired to boost streams of Lamar’s diss track, which takes aim at the Canadian rapper, and accused UMG of defamation. Spotify responded in opposition, with a spokesperson stating, “Spotify has no economic incentive to promote Not Like Us over any of Drake’s tracks.” They clarified that only one promotional tool, Marquee, was purchased for €500 to promote the song in France. Spotify also denied any evidence of bot activity to artificially inflate streams and emphasized its robust measures to prevent fraudulent activity.
UMG also rejected the claims, calling them “offensive and untrue.” A spokesperson stated, “We employ the highest ethical practices in our campaigns. Fans choose the music they want to hear, and no contrived legal arguments can change that.”
Drake’s legal team fired back, accusing Spotify of distancing itself from UMG’s alleged manipulative practices and stating, “If Spotify and UMG have nothing to hide, they should comply with this basic discovery request.”
The controversy escalated further when Drake filed a second petition in Texas, accusing UMG of knowingly distributing a song that falsely accused him of pedophilia. He also alleged that UMG engaged in a “pay-to-play scheme,” funneling payments to iHeartRadio to promote the track.
Drake’s filings, which are pre-action petitions rather than lawsuits, aim to depose key figures at UMG and iHeart for potential future litigation. The petitions suggest sufficient evidence exists for defamation claims but also explore possible allegations of civil fraud and racketeering.
Notably, neither Drake nor Lamar is signed directly to UMG. Both artists own their masters through their respective labels—Drake’s OVO and Lamar’s pgLang—and license their music to Universal for distribution. Despite this, the legal action centers on Not Like Us, a diss track that has become a cultural lightning rod. The song, which topped the Billboard Hot 100 and is nominated for multiple 2025 Grammys, marks a flashpoint in the longstanding feud between the two artists.
The animosity between Drake and Lamar has intensified over the past year. Lamar released a series of personal diss tracks accusing Drake of inappropriate relationships and other allegations, which Drake has denied. In response, Drake dropped his own tracks but later removed them from his platforms. The feud cooled after a shooting incident near Drake’s Toronto home in May but reignited with Lamar’s surprise album release, GNX, last month.
Drake’s latest legal maneuvers suggest an attempt to escalate the battle from the music charts to the courtroom. How this will unfold remains to be seen.