Drake has withdrawn his legal petition against Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG), in which he accused the companies of orchestrating an illegal “scheme” to artificially inflate the popularity of his rival Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.”
On Tuesday, January 14, Drake and his Frozen Moments company filed a notice in New York court, withdrawing their order to compel the companies to disclose and preserve certain documents and communications.
According to the court document, Drake met with representatives from both companies on Tuesday, and while Spotify, which had opposed the petition, did not object to its withdrawal, UMG, which had not filed an opposition, reserved its position.
Drake first raised the issue in November 2024, accusing UMG, which distributes both his and Lamar’s music, of using bots and payola to inflate the numbers for “Not Like Us,” a track that contains accusations against Drake, including claims of paedophilia and cultural appropriation.
The petition, which was a pre-action move rather than a full lawsuit, alleged that UMG engaged in tactics to artificially boost the song’s popularity, including offering the track to Spotify at reduced rates and using bots to create a false impression of its success.
In response, UMG issued a statement condemning Drake’s accusations, calling them “offensive and untrue.” The company emphasized its commitment to ethical marketing practices, stating, “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.”
Spotify filed opposition papers in late December, stating that it had no economic incentive to promote “Not Like Us” over Drake’s tracks. The platform also explained that the only promotional tool used for the song was a €500 Marquee ad in France, which was clearly marked as a “Sponsored Recommendation.”
Drake’s legal team countered, suggesting that Spotify was distancing itself from UMG’s alleged manipulative practices and called for full compliance with the discovery request, asserting that if the companies had nothing to hide, they should have no issue with it.
The dispute began following a series of diss tracks between Lamar and Drake, sparked by Lamar’s verse on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That” in March 2024. Despite the ongoing back-and-forth, Lamar’s “Not Like Us” emerged as the biggest hit in their verbal clash.
