Drizzy drops the petition after ongoing legal drama surrounding Kendrick Lamar’s diss track
Surprisingly, Drake officially withdrew legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify. The Toronto rapper and his company, Frozen Moments, filed paperwork on January 14, 2025, informing the New York court that they were no longer pursuing the legal battle, which sought information for a potential future lawsuit over the alleged artificial inflation of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us.
The legal documents, viewed by HipHopDX, revealed that Drake met with UMG and Spotify representatives on the same day the filing was made, and both companies expressed no objection to the withdrawal. While Spotify responded affirmatively, UMG “reserved its position,” meaning they did not give a direct response to the withdrawal. The action was terminated without any costs to either party.
This development follows Drake’s initial accusations last November, in which he alleged that UMG, the parent company of both his and Kendrick Lamar’s record labels, used illegal streaming bots and payola tactics to artificially boost Not Like Us’s popularity. Drake claimed these tactics were intended to undermine his brand and favor Kendrick’s chart-topping diss track.
While the petition was not a formal lawsuit, but rather a pre-action filing to explore the viability of a potential lawsuit, the music giants have strongly denied any wrongdoing. UMG responded to the claims by asserting that it employs only ethical practices in its marketing and promotional campaigns. Spotify echoed this sentiment, claiming no illicit arrangements or deceptive practices were involved in the promotion of the track.
Despite withdrawing the petition, another similar case is still active. Drake has also filed a petition against UMG and iHeartMedia in Texas, raising similar payola allegations concerning Not Like Us. A court hearing for that case is scheduled for January 28, 2025, unless there is a settlement or withdrawal before then.
Drake has not publicly addressed his decision to withdraw the petition against UMG and Spotify, and Kendrick Lamar has not commented on the ongoing legal disputes.
