Drake has filed a “pre-action” petition in Manhattan court, accusing Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify of artificially inflating streams for Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us.
This legal move claims UMG used bots and payola to increase the track’s popularity.
Drake’s Frozen Moments LLC alleges UMG licensed the song to Spotify at reduced rates and manipulated streaming platforms, including Apple’s Siri, to misdirect users toward Lamar’s track.
The accusations include violations of the RICO Act and deceptive practices under New York state law.
This development follows Lamar’s series of diss tracks targeting Drake, accusing him of personal misconduct.
The tension reignited after Lamar’s surprise album GNX dropped recently, with Drake addressing the situation indirectly during a Kick stream.
Representatives from both sides have yet to comment.
