Universal Music Group (UMG) has responded to serious claims made by rapper Drake, who says the company helped promote Kendrick Lamar’s song Not Like Us in unfair ways. Drake believes this was part of a plan to harm his reputation during his ongoing feud with Lamar.
Drake, who is signed with UMG through Republic Records, filed a legal document on Monday, November 25. In it, he accused UMG of teaming up with Spotify to make Not Like Us more popular using unfair methods.
UMG has denied all these claims. In a statement, the company said, “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. Fans choose the music they want to hear.”
Drake’s filing claims that UMG worked with Spotify to promote Lamar’s song by:
- Giving Spotify discounts on licensing fees if the platform recommended Lamar’s song to users who searched for unrelated music.
- Using bots (fake online accounts) to make the song appear more popular.
- Paying social media influencers to promote the track.
- Allegedly working with Apple to make Siri direct people to *Not Like Us* when they searched for other music.
Drake’s lawyers also say he tried to talk to UMG about these issues, but the company ignored him. They accuse UMG of firing employees who supported Drake and suggesting that he sue Lamar instead of the label.
UMG has called Drake’s accusations false and “absurd.” The company says it supports all its artists and would never harm one to benefit another.
UMG also said that fans are the ones who decide which songs become popular and dismissed Drake’s claims as unfair.
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Drake’s filing is not yet a lawsuit. It is a “pre-action petition,” which means he is asking for more information before deciding if he will take the case to court. It is unclear if Drake will file a full lawsuit against UMG or Spotify in the future.
Both Drake and Lamar are big names in music, and their rivalry has been going on for years. Lamar’s label, pgLang, is connected to UMG through its partnership with Interscope Records, which adds another layer to the dispute.
UMG says it has done nothing wrong and will defend itself if necessary. For now, it remains to be seen if this situation will lead to a legal battle.
