On Monday (11.25.24), the rap 6-God took legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, claiming that the two companies conspired to inflate the streams for the rap Messiah’s popular diss track, “Not Like Us,” according to Billboard.
Drake says UMG has “pointed the finger” at Lamar and insisted that Drake should sue his rival rather than the label. He also claims that UMG told him that the label would sue Lamar if Drake ended up filing his own lawsuit.
Monday’s filing is not yet a full lawsuit, but a so-called “pre-action” petition — a procedure under New York law that aims to secure information before filing a lawsuit. Parties named in such petitions will not necessarily be targeted in the eventual lawsuit, and the allegations in Monday’s filing seem more squarely aimed at UMG than Spotify.
In response to the petition, UMG shared in a statement to Variety, “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.”
The action is doubly surprising because UMG distributes both artists’ recordings.
Naturally, Black Twitter also had their own thoughts on the matter, and as one could imagine, they had a field day with this news. Many clowned the Canadian pop star for taking legal action, claiming that he is out of touch with Black culture. Others simply made fun of him, saying that Drake was just making his loss the rap battle only bigger.
The majority of Black Twitter just had jokes - using every meme in the book to clown Drizzy - from Karen makeovers to Law & Order Spotify Victims Unit.
That’s currently the perception he has in Black and Hip-Hop culture since he couldn’t take a loss in the public rap battle and decided to take it to court.
Even Merriam-Webster Dictionary had 1 million view funny, "The rumors are NOT true. Drake is not suing us because Kendrick used English words in "Not Like Us." > https://x.com/MerriamWebster/status/1861472255328305452
"... now I believe [Drake] did the cease and desist letters. I believe it I believe it now. No matter how much I like Drake bruh, I can't bro - like bro you just gotta take your L dog, you gotta take your L, take your L," expressed YouTube Hip-Hop music review socialite No Life Shaq. "... even the label that [Drake] is with is cooking this... they basically said bro we ain't had nothing to do with that... Drake you got to hold this L."
● SOURCES: Drake Goes Full Karen By Filing Legal Action Over Kendrick's 'Not Like Us,' and Black Twitter is Having a Time. The Root > https://www.theroot.com/drake-went-full-karen-for-filing-legal-action-over-kend-1851708279; ● Drake Accuses UMG & Spotify of Scheme to ‘Artificially Inflate’ Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’. Billboard > https://www.billboard.com/pro/drake-umg-spotify-schemed-boost-kendrick-not-like-us/; ● Drake Claims Universal Music and Spotify ‘Artificially Inflated’ Kendrick Lamar’s Numbers for ‘Not Like Us’ Diss Track. Variety > https://variety.com/2024/music/news/drake-claims-universal-spotify-artificially-inflated-kendrick-lamar-numbers-for-not-like-us-diss-1236223077/; ● Karen Drake. @terracemartin > https://x.com/terracemartin/status/1861205149064004085; ● Law & Order SVU Drake. @Travon > https://x.com/Travon/status/1861186799197978827; ● DRAKE WENT TO THE FEDS ON KENDRICK! HE SUES UMG AND SPOTIFY OVER "NOT LIKE US" ! No Life Shaq > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQcrccAjMBg
* VIDEO: Drake CALLS THE COPS On Kendrick Lamar For Ending His Rap Career. Nino Brown > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY2lFf3ULwo
* #RehaB101ONSW newsfeed.
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