Drake has filed a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Spotify, alleging the companies conspired to manipulate the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us.” The rapper–through legal documents obtained by Billboard–claims that UMG orchestrated a scheme involving bots, payola, and other questionable means to improve the song’s streaming numbers and chart performance.
Drake claims in the suit that the efforts were aimed at drowning his music and giving a lift to Lamar’s market share. The filing stresses that these actions also broke not only the protection of honest competition but also the integrity of the music industry.
The suit also implicates Spotify, alleging that the streaming platform knowingly took part in the manipulation by artificially inflating the popularity of Lamar’s track.
To date, neither Universal Music Group nor Spotify has commented publicly on the allegations. But the case has raised concerns within the music industry about how streaming platforms and major labels can have an increasing impact on chart success.
As the legal battle develops, the case will likely blow the whistle on more general problems of transparency, fair play, and the function of digital services in the emergence of artists.
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