Drake has a considerable number of adversaries.
The year 2024 has witnessed the rapper engage in conflicts with nearly every prominent rapper globally. He has triumphed over some, yet faced defeat against Kendrick Lamar.
However, on November 25, Drake opted to pursue a more significant target. The Toronto-based rapper initiated a legal petition against his own record label, Universal Music Group.
He alleged that the label utilized an unlawful “scheme” to artificially enhance the streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” on Spotify.
Universal Music Group has issued a response to the 6 God through Variety, and the record label expressed its stance with clarity.
UMG dismissed every allegation the rapper made in his lawsuit. “The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the statement read. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns.”
Universal Music Group went on to criticize Drake for blaming his loss in the Kendrick Lamar battle on “schemes” rather than quality of music. It was an unexpected, and unexpectedly brutal addition to a statement that otherwise keeps it professional.
“No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission,” the statement added. “Can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
The speculation that Kendrick Lamar’s team employed automated accounts to artificially inflate the popularity of “Not Like Us” has been prevalent online since the release of the track.
Supporters of Drake, including DJ Akademiks, have actively promoted this notion during live broadcasts and even interviewed individuals who identified themselves as “hackers” claiming to have received compensation from Lamar’s team.
However, no substantial evidence has emerged to support these claims thus far. Throughout the conflict, Drake largely refrained from addressing the “bots” allegation, both during and following the dispute.
This reticence is a key reason why many are taken aback by his decision to pursue legal recourse, particularly against his own label rather than Lamar’s.
The cultural momentum increasingly favors Lamar, rather than Drizzy. The latter released his album GNX to widespread acclaim on November 22. Fans lauded both the production quality and Lamar’s return to crafting hit tracks, following the intentionally complex Mr. Morale and the Big Steppers (2022).
Conversely, Drake faced ridicule for his recent appearance on an xQc live stream, during which he attempted to take jabs at Lamar and his affiliates, including Steve Lacy.
