Drake Accuses UMG & Spotify of Inflating ‘Not Like Us’ | Billboard News

Drake has filed legal action against UMG and Spotify over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” claiming the song’s numbers were inflated. Keep watching to see the full story. 

Tetris Kelly:
Drake is in his “First Person Shooter” mood as he files legal action against UMG and Spotify, alleging that the two companies conspired to artificially inflate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” track. This is the beef that keeps on beefing.

After cooling down for a few months, new tensions arise in the ongoing stride between rappers Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Mere days after Kendrick Lamar released his latest album, GNX, which takes a few shots at the Canadian rapper, the petty king himself turn things up a notch. By filing on Monday in a Manhattan court, Drake’s attorneys accuse UMG of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the federal “RICO” statute often used in criminal cases against organized crime. They also allege deceptive business practices and false advertising under a New York State law.

The legal action comes as a surprise as UMG has distributed Drake’s music for his entire career. In a statement to Billboard, a UMG spokesperson sharply denied Drake’s allegations: “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 chose the music they want to hear.”

Keep watching for more.