Drake Is Taking Legal Action Over Claims That Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Streams Are “Artificially Inflated,” And The Internet Is Freaking Out
I fear this Kendrick vs. Drake beef has reached new heights.
I have no doubt you’re aware of the giant feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. It’s been simmering for awhile, but only reached new heights earlier this year.
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I’m not gonna go into the full, decade-spanning timeline — because frankly, it’s a lot. We’ll start when their beef reignited in 2023, when Drake and J. Cole claimed in a song that, along with Kendrick Lamar, they were the “big three” of rap. Then, in response, Lamar rapped, “It’s just big me.”
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This spun into a series of back-and-forth diss tracks between Drake and Kendrick, which include some pretty serious allegations and insults. In particular, you might recognize Drake’s “Push Ups” and “Taylor Made Freestyle,” and Kendrick’s “euphoria” and “Not Like Us.”
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The latter, “Not Like Us” by Kendrick Lamar, debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 100. It’s also nominated for a whopping FIVE Grammys.
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And if you’ve heard the lyrics, you know they’re pretty wild. For example: “Say, Drake, I hear you like ’em young,” “Tryna strike a chord and it’s probably A Minor,” and let’s not forget about “You not a colleague, you a fuckin’ colonizer,” which people think addresses Drake’s racial identity.
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Well, clearly, Drake has noticed how popular the song is. Most recently, he has taken legal action against Spotify and Universal Music Group, claiming that they “artificially inflate[d]” streams for Kendrick’s “Not Like Us.”
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According to Billboard, Drake’s company has accused them of “launching an illegal ‘scheme’ involving bots, payola and other methods to pump up” the song.
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His company’s attorneys claim Universal Music Group “did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices,” and that “it instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”
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“On information and belief, UMG paid, or approved payments to, Apple Inc. to have its voice-activated digital assistant ‘Siri’ purposely misdirect users to ‘Not Like Us,’” the petition says, according to Variety.
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” a spokesperson from Universal Music Group told Billboard. They referred to these “legal arguments” as “contrived and absurd,” and emphasized that “fans choose the music they want to hear.”
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“We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns,” they said.
Right now, the legal action is no more than a “pre-action” petition, Billboard explained. But let’s just say the internet has taken this information and ran with it:
if there was one rapper that would call the police after losing a rap battle it was always going to be Drake
— .. (@BodegaaCat) November 25, 2024
