Drake Sues UMG?

Drake vs. UMG: The Battle for Numbers, Power, and the Culture

In a plot twist straight out of a thriller, Drake has come for the jugular of Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, accusing the music giants of conspiring to artificially inflate Kendrick Lamar’s track "Not Like Us" using bots, payola, and underhanded tactics. This is no casual diss track. Drake’s company, Future Moments, LLC, has officially filed a pre-action petition in New York Supreme Court, laying the groundwork for a potential lawsuit. He’s not just throwing shade; he’s calling out UMG for violating the RICO Act, the NY Deceptive Business Act, and the NY False Advertising Act. We’re talking serious accusations here.

A Deal Gone Sour?

Back in 2022, Drake inked a $400 million deal with UMG, a partnership that covered everything from recordings to merchandise to visual media. Sounds like a dream, right? But somewhere along the way, it seems like things took a wrong turn. Drake’s been taking jabs at UMG CEO Lucian Grainge in his music, including a notable shot in For All the Dogs on the track "Away From Home." His relationship with the label, despite being lucrative, appears to be fraying at the edges. Still, Drake remains under the UMG umbrella via his OVO label, which is signed exclusively to Republic Records, a UMG division. Meanwhile, Kendrick Lamar, another massive name in the industry, is also tied to UMG through its subsidiary, Interscope.

Now, with his latest petition, Drake is accusing UMG and Spotify of shady dealings designed to elevate Kendrick’s "Not Like Us" to viral status. Here’s the breakdown of the potential lawsuit—because remember, this is still in the pre-action stage.

The Allegations: What’s Really Going Down? Well check out Xevi's Explanation below or read the list from all of the information we've conjured up.

Drake isn’t holding back. His legal team claims that Spotify and UMG teamed up in a scheme to manipulate the numbers behind Not Like Us to make it appear as though the track had a much bigger audience than it actually did. This isn't just a casual accusation—Drake’s team says they have evidence that points to a coordinated campaign involving bots, pay-for-play schemes, and some very questionable marketing practices.

1. Bot Overload: According to the petition, Spotify allegedly launched a full-on assault on the streaming world, flooding the airwaves and their platform with bots designed to saturate the song's presence, making it go viral in a way that wasn’t organic.

   
   

2. Payola & Discounted Deals: UMG supposedly gave Spotify a sweet deal, lowering their licensing fees by 30% in exchange for promoting Kendrick's track to Spotify users—without telling anyone about this behind-the-scenes arrangement. Transparency? Not in this deal.

   
   

3. Inflated Numbers: In an even more devious twist, UMG reportedly paid third-party services to use bots to artificially inflate the song's streaming numbers and trick the public into believing that Not Like Us was way more popular than it really was. This is where things get murky—allegations suggest that Kendrick's camp was involved in paying for bot activity, too. One anonymous source even claimed they were paid $2,500 to help manipulate the song’s numbers, with promises of more money and a cut of the sales.

   
   

4. Apple & Siri Involved?: Here’s the kicker: UMG allegedly paid Apple to tweak Siri’s algorithm so that when users asked the virtual assistant to play tracks from Certified Lover Boy, it would slyly redirect them to Not Like Us. Clever, but is it fair?

   
   

5. Radio Play for Sale: Then there’s the old-school method of payola. UMG is accused of using independent radio promoters to funnel money to radio stations and DJs to get the song more airtime. This is textbook payola—illegal in the U.S. since the ‘60s, but apparently, that didn’t stop anyone this time.

   
   

6. The YouTube Gambit: In a move so bold it’s borderline brazen, UMG supposedly removed copyright restrictions from Not Like Us on YouTube and Twitch to encourage influencers to push the song without any disclosure of payment.

   
   

7. A Profit-Driven Scheme: According to Drake’s team, UMG’s actions were driven purely by greed. Specifically, the desire for executives at Interscope (UMG’s subsidiary) to meet their sales targets and boost profits. Interscope's CEO, John Janick, allegedly has his incentives tied to the division’s financial success, which may explain the aggressive (and possibly unethical) tactics used to push Kendrick’s single.

   
   

8. Drake’s Team Not Welcome: What’s even more shocking is that Drake claims UMG terminated employees loyal to him and even refused to negotiate after he raised concerns about the harm this campaign was doing to his reputation. Instead, they allegedly suggested he take legal action against Kendrick Lamar, even threatening to sue Kendrick if Drake took them to court.

Drake believes these actions constitute a civil RICO case due to the alleged wire fraud, mail fraud, and bribery involved in this entire scheme. It’s a bold move—and one that could reshape the way the music industry operates if proven true.

The Response: UMG Fights Back

In a statement to XXL, UMG denied all of Drake’s accusations, calling them “offensive” and “untrue.” They claim they operate with the highest ethical standards and that fans—not manipulative marketing campaigns—are the ones who choose the music they love. As for Spotify, they declined to comment on the matter.

As of now, there’s been no word from Kendrick Lamar’s camp, but with this legal drama brewing, you can bet the hip-hop world is watching closely.

What’s Next?

This story is just getting started. Will Drake take UMG and Spotify to court? Will Kendrick Lamar’s team get caught up in the fallout? One thing’s for sure—the drama in the music industry is only getting juicier, and it looks like the battle lines are being drawn. Stay tuned, because if Drake wins this one, it could change the way the game is played—forever.

Until then, keep your eyes on the numbers and your ears to the streets. We’re all watching to see how this story unfolds.