Drake says UMG and Spotify used bots and payola to make ‘Not Like Us’ seem popular
Favicon 
www.theverge.com

Drake says UMG and Spotify used bots and payola to make ‘Not Like Us’ seem popular

Photo by Prince Williams/Wireimage Musically speaking, I’d say Drake lost the tit-for-tat feud this year between himself and Kendrick Lamar, which culminated in Lamar’s hit song “Not Like Us.” But Drake (real name: Aubrey Graham) doesn’t seem to want to accept defeat that easily. In a petition filed in New York’s state Supreme Court on Monday, Drake is accusing Universal Music Group — the label that’s represented him for his entire career and also represents Lamar — and Spotify of shady business practices aimed at making “Not Like Us” more of a hit than it already was: In 2024, UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices, to “break through the noise” on Spotify, and likely other music platforms. It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and... Continue reading…