Three days after Kendrick Lamar released his latest album “GNX,” Drake took action of his own in a court room. Months after being involved in a rap beef with Kendrick Lamar, Drake took legal action against Universal Music Group and Spotify, claiming that the two companies conspired to artificially inflate the numbers of Kendrick’s diss record, “Not Like Us.”
In the filing, Drake claims that UMG, a label he and Kendrick are signed to, launched an illegal “scheme” involving bots, payola and other methods.
The lawsuit claims, “UMG engaged in conduct designed to artificially inflate the popularity of ‘Not Like Us’… including by licensing the song at drastically reduced rates to Spotify and using ‘bots’ to generate the false impression that the song was more popular than it was in reality.”
Drake’s lawyer also claimed UMG violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, the same act used by Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis to indict Donald Trump and Young Thug.
The lawsuit continues to add to the storyline of the rap beef which began in March 2024 and ended in May after Kendrick released the critically-acclaimed “Not Like Us.”
“Not Like Us” became the song of the summer and eventually led to Kendrick being named as the performer of the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Drake’s lawsuit is arguably the most unpredictable moment in rap history.
The reason it takes precedent over all of the other unpredictable moments in rap history, is that it counters the unwritten rules of the culture. Rap battles are similar to sport. It has always been fair game when two artists use wit and showmanship while engaging in a rap battle.
From MC Shan vs. KRS-One, to Nas vs. Jay-Z, rap battles have always served as expression in the midst of competition. It’s an element of hip-hop that extends to graffiti art and breakdancing, which became an official sport in the 2024 Olympics.
Moreover, the addition of breakdancing in the Olympics put hip-hop on a world stage, but also shed light on what happens when outsiders infiltrate without respect. Rachel Gunn, known as Raygun, participated in the breakdancing competition in the Olympics and made a mockery of the culture by doing a nonsensical dance that overshadowed the true B-boys and B-girls who participated.
Before today, it would have been unfair to compare Drake to Raygun. He’s lifted rap in a multitude of ways and artists have benefitted from his popularity. But taking legal action over a diss record proves that Kendrick’s assertion of Drake was not hyperbole. Anyone who is truly a part of the culture would not run to a federal court to sue after losing a rap battle.
Lawsuits in the music business often center around sampling, record contracts, and payment disputes.
But in the history of the genre, no one has ever sued over a diss track, or the alleged inflation of a diss track. The mere notion could set a precedent where rappers who choose to engage in a rap battle decide to run to the authorities if they lose in a verbal combat.
It’s clear that Drake experienced a rough year following the success of “Not Like Us.” But every action that he has taken afterwards proves that he just might not be a person who is truly engrained in the essence of this culture.
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