Drake has decided to abandon his legal action against Universal Music and Spotify concerning Kendrick Lamar's diss track, "Not Like Us." This move comes nearly a year after the Canadian rapper initiated the case, claiming that the music labels had conspired to artificially inflate the song’s popularity using methods such as bot streams and payola.
In court documents from last November, Drake accused the companies of employing irregular practices to promote "Not Like Us," which features lyrics that controversially insinuate paedophilia against him. The allegations described the extensive reach of the song as deliberate and tainted with unethical business strategies.
However, on Tuesday, Drake’s legal team voluntarily withdrew its pre-action petition, effectively bringing a close to this chapter of the dispute. Reports indicated that Drake met with representatives from both Spotify and Universal earlier in the week to discuss the allegations. Spotify welcomed the withdrawal, while Universal reserved its position without offering opposition.
It's important to note that another legal action against Universal and iHeartRadio in Texas remains active. The track "Not Like Us" is recognized as a pivotal point in the ongoing rivalry between the two artists that began in the early 2010s. The song quickly gained popularity, debuting at number one on the US charts and surpassing 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Drake's immediate response to the controversy was the release of his own track, "The Heart Part 6," in which he denied Lamar’s accusations and claimed that he had provided false information to Lamar. Despite his rebuttal, it failed to garner the same level of engagement as "Not Like Us."
In the essence of the ongoing feud, music industry professionals speculated that Drake's legal maneuvering was less about the merits of the claims and more about leverage over Universal for potential contract issues. Critics highlighted that the publicity surrounding the lawsuit might inadvertently amplify attention on the lyrics that Drake sought to diminish.
As the saga unfolds, "Not Like Us" continues to accumulate accolades, having received four Grammy nominations. Drake's withdrawal from legal confrontations marks a significant moment in the broader narrative of their artistic rivalry.
In court documents from last November, Drake accused the companies of employing irregular practices to promote "Not Like Us," which features lyrics that controversially insinuate paedophilia against him. The allegations described the extensive reach of the song as deliberate and tainted with unethical business strategies.
However, on Tuesday, Drake’s legal team voluntarily withdrew its pre-action petition, effectively bringing a close to this chapter of the dispute. Reports indicated that Drake met with representatives from both Spotify and Universal earlier in the week to discuss the allegations. Spotify welcomed the withdrawal, while Universal reserved its position without offering opposition.
It's important to note that another legal action against Universal and iHeartRadio in Texas remains active. The track "Not Like Us" is recognized as a pivotal point in the ongoing rivalry between the two artists that began in the early 2010s. The song quickly gained popularity, debuting at number one on the US charts and surpassing 1 billion streams on Spotify.
Drake's immediate response to the controversy was the release of his own track, "The Heart Part 6," in which he denied Lamar’s accusations and claimed that he had provided false information to Lamar. Despite his rebuttal, it failed to garner the same level of engagement as "Not Like Us."
In the essence of the ongoing feud, music industry professionals speculated that Drake's legal maneuvering was less about the merits of the claims and more about leverage over Universal for potential contract issues. Critics highlighted that the publicity surrounding the lawsuit might inadvertently amplify attention on the lyrics that Drake sought to diminish.
As the saga unfolds, "Not Like Us" continues to accumulate accolades, having received four Grammy nominations. Drake's withdrawal from legal confrontations marks a significant moment in the broader narrative of their artistic rivalry.
