Spotify has formally rejected Drake’s allegations that the company conspired with Universal Music Group (UMG) to artificially inflate the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” The Canadian rapper filed petition last month, claiming that Spotify and UMG had used bots to generate 30,000 streams for the song shortly after its release, allegedly in exchange for preferential treatment on the platform.
This follows earlier action taken by Drake as he filed legal claim against UMG alleging defamation as a result of the grammy-nominated release, which was previously #1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Spotify’s legal response, filed in New York Supreme Court, dismissed these claims as “legally deficient” and sought to have the petition denied.
According to Pitchfork, in the official filing, Spotify vehemently denied any wrongdoing, asserting that UMG and the streaming service never had any arrangement to reduce licensing rates or offer biased recommendations for “Not Like Us.”
The company also stated that it invests heavily in automated and manual systems to detect and prevent artificial streaming, emphasizing that any detected manipulation leads to penalties, such as the removal of streaming numbers and withholding royalties.
A Spotify spokesperson further emphasized that the company has no financial incentive to prioritize Lamar’s track over Drake’s, pointing out that the streaming giant’s success is tied to its broad catalog of content, not the performance of any single song. T
he company also criticized Drake’s legal approach, labeling his “pre-action” filing as an attempt to bypass standard legal procedures.
Drake’s legal team, in response, maintained that Spotify and UMG were attempting to distance themselves from what they referred to as “manipulative practices,” demanding that the companies comply with discovery requests. UMG has yet to formally respond to the ongoing legal matter.
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