There’s been plenty of buzz lately about Drake taking legal action against Universal Music Group and Spotify. Now, it looks like things are heating up, as an official hearing date has been set for December 20. This means the rapper’s complaint is officially moving into the next steps.
As we previously reported, Drake recently called out Universal Music Group and Spotify, claiming that the companies worked together to artificially boost the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” In a court filing made on November 25 in Manhattan, Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC alleged that UMG orchestrated a “scheme” utilizing bots, payola, and various tactics to make Lamar’s track go viral all across the internet.
“UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices,” lawyers for Drake’s company wrote in the filing. “It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”
Drake’s legal team has charged Universal Music Group with breaching the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, commonly known as the federal “RICO” law that is typically applied in cases involving organized crime. Additionally, they have claimed that UMG engaged in misleading business practices and false advertising in violation of New York state regulations.
The court filings mark a surprising turn in the ongoing feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who have been trading sharp diss tracks over the past few months. It’s unusual for a disagreement like this to lead to legal action in the hip-hop world.
This situation also highlights a significant divide between Drake and Universal Music Group (UMG), where he has spent his entire career. He started with Lil Wayne’s Young Money label, which was distributed by Republic Records, and later signed directly with Republic.
Similarly, Kendrick has also been with UMG throughout his career, initially with the TDE label, distributed by Interscope, and more recently through his own company, pgLang, which he licenses via Interscope.
Universal Music Group responded to Drake’s first petition by saying, “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the company stated. “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.”