- Drake launches legal action over Kendrick Lamar’s diss tracks
- Drake alleges Universal Music Group ‘artificially” inflated Not Like Us
- Kendrick Lamar’s songs alleged a secret love child
Credit: IMAGO
Drake has reignited his beef with rapper Kendrick Lamar with a new lawsuit. Fresh off Lamar’s new surprise album GNX, Drake restored the spotlight to him. He has geared up to take legal action against Universal Music Group after the rap beef of the summer.
It all started when Lamar set the internet alight by accusing Drake of a string of serious allegations. It was, of course, delivered via the medium of the diss-track. This included intercourse with underage girls and fathering a secret love child. All of which featured on tracks Not Like US, Euphoria and Meet The Graham.
What is Drake beefing with Kendrick Lamar about?
This summer, the hip-hop superstar was embroiled in a public battle with Lamar. However, public opinion largely landed with Lamar.
Obviously not pleased with how it played out, Drake now alleges that Universal Music Group “launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate” the streams of the song Not Like This.
As of writing, it has racked up more than 900 million streams, making it the most streamed diss track in Spotify’s entire lifetime.
Not Like Us, along with being one of the songs of the summer and multi-award nominated, set many records. Firstly, it snagged 12.8 million streams in one day, the most for a hip-hop song. It also smashed the same milestone for the most weekly streams for a hip-hop song, with 81.2 streams.
What did Drake do to clap back at Kendrick Lamar’s songs?
Drake responded by releasing some of his own songs aimed at Lamar.
These included Family Matters and The Heart Part 6. These tracks accused Lamar of similarly serious allegations, including alleged cheating and domestic abuse. He also took aim at Lamar’s collab on pop superstar Taylor Swift’s song Bad Blood.
Both parties deny all allegations outlined in the songs.
What do the new legal documents allege?
According to the papers, UMG “conspired with and paid currently unknown parties to use ‘bots’ to artificially inflate the spread of Not Like Us and deceive consumers into believing the song was more popular than it was in reality.”
They also accuse UMG of paying influencers to share the song on their social media and claiming pay-to-play agreements were arranged with radio stations.
What does Universal Music Group say about all this?
UMG categorically rejected the claims made in the documents which were filed in New York’s Supreme Court on Monday.
“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 choose the music they want to hear,” a UMG rep told The Guardian.
Did Drake kick off a full lawsuit?
Strictly speaking, it is not a full-blown lawsuit. It fits under a procedure of New York state law, which means Drake’s legal team can request UMG and Spotify to save all relevant documents. This would be in case it does turn into something bigger.
Both rappers have worked with UMG for the duration of their music careers. Drake is tied to Republic Records, while Lamar is on Interscope, both owned by UMG. The music giant took to Instagram to praise Lamar’s seven Grammy nods, including five for Not Like Us.
What else do Drake’s lawyers claim?
The lawyers claim that “UMG’s schemes … were motivated, at least in part, by the desire of executives at Interscope to maximize their own profits” and that Not Like Us led to an increase in interest for Lamar’s previous work. This uptick led to more money for UMG.
They also claim that Drake “repeatedly sought to engage UMG in discussions to resolve the ongoing harm he has suffered as a result of UMG’s actions”. However, these were apparently rebuffed by UMG. They are said to have had “no interest in taking responsibility for its misconduct.” Rather, they shifted the blame to Lamar, urging him to take legal action against him personally.
Drake’s team also claim that UMG got information that UMG has been taking steps in an apparent effort to conceal its schemes, including, but not limited to sacking anyone “perceived as having loyalty to Drake”.
In addition, they accuse UMG of breaking the RICO Act – which is meant to stamp out organised crime – along with false advertising and bad business practices.
