Drake has decided to drop his lawsuit against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, which accused them of collaborating to manipulate streaming license fees for Kendrick Lamar’s song “Not Like Us.” This decision comes after Drake’s company, Frozen Moments, withdrew its pre-litigation filings, as noted in a recent New York court filing obtained by Rolling Stone.
Initially, Drake’s legal team had filed lawsuits to investigate whether UMG conspired with Spotify and iHeartRadio to increase the popularity of Lamar’s diss tracks directed at Drake. The accusations included claims that artificial means, such as bots and payola, were used to boost streaming numbers, alongside allegations of defamatory endorsements against Drake.
In response to these accusations, a spokesperson for Spotify stated that the platform had no reason to promote “Not Like Us” over Drake’s music, and they have filed a brief requesting the dismissal of Drake’s petition. The streaming service’s legal team described Drake’s claims as far-fetched and lacking evidence, asserting that no such agreement or financial misconduct exists.
Representatives from Drake, UMG, and Spotify have not provided comments regarding this latest development, leaving the situation unresolved in the public eye.