UPDATE
6:40 PM PT — A spokesperson for Common Music Group tells TMZ … “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.”
Drake appears to assume there’s some shadiness behind Kendrick Lamar‘s monster hit, “Not Like Us” … and he is filed a lawsuit to research the way it received so huge.
After all, “Not Like Us” is the track that successfully ended the Kendrick and Drake beef … as a result of its recognition buried Drake — however now, he is alleging Common Music Group used bots and a payola scheme to pump up the track.
Based on the docs, obtained by TMZ Hip Hop, Drake says an “inside source” instructed him UMG made “covert payments” to a number of platforms, together with radio stations, to play and promote the hell outta “Not Like Us.” Legally, that is generally known as payola, and it is prohibited by the FCC.
Drake factors out UMG has paid settlements previously for this kinda factor … like in 2006, when the label paid $12 million to the NY Lawyer Basic’s Workplace for a “pay for play” scheme.
Within the docs, he additionally claims a whistleblower has accused UMG administration of spending 1000’s in Could 2024 on “bots” so as to get the track to 30 million streams on Spotify — and it additionally paid social media influencers to advertise the track. He alleges the label dropped all copyright restrictions so the influencers might repeatedly publish the track … serving to it unfold like wildfire.
Drake has some big authorized objectives right here — he says he is submitting this go well with simply to get a full understanding of how UMG funneled funds to iHeartRadio and its community of stations. As soon as he has that information, in accordance with the docs, he is gearing as much as file a civil fraud and racketeering case towards UMG and any co-conspirators.
Bear in mind, “Not Like Us” famously consists of the lyric the place Kendrick calls Drake a “certified pedophile” … and Drake says he already has grounds to sue UMG for defamation amongst different issues.
It is also price noting, UMG additionally distributes Drake’s music, however that is clearly not stopping him from going to battle … once more.
