Drake has filed legal action against Universal Music and Spotify, alleging that the companies were involved in an illegal scheme to artificially inflate the streams of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us.” The lawsuit, filed by Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, in New York, accuses Universal of orchestrating a campaign to manipulate streaming numbers using bots and other illicit tactics.

In the legal documents, Drake’s attorneys claim that Universal Music, rather than letting the song’s success happen naturally, launched a concerted effort to saturate streaming platforms and the airwaves with Lamar’s track. Drake’s team alleges that Universal “conspired with and paid unknown parties” to boost the song’s visibility and claims the label reduced royalty rates for the track by 30% to incentivize Spotify to promote it more heavily.

Spotify and Lamar have yet to respond publicly to the allegations, and Universal Music has strongly denied the claims, calling them “offensive and untrue.” The music giant insists that fans choose the music they wish to hear, rejecting any notion of manipulation.

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The court filing, which is a pre-action petition rather than a full lawsuit, aims to secure documents and evidence before taking further legal steps. It highlights the song’s rapid success, including 96 million streams within its first week, topping U.S. charts, and climbing into the top 10 on radio. However, Drake’s legal team suggests that these numbers may have been artificially inflated.

A key part of the legal claim references a “whistleblower” who allegedly revealed they were paid to set up bots that would play the track on repeat, helping the song gain more streams and visibility. Additionally, there are claims that the song was recommended to users on other streaming platforms like Apple Music, despite them asking for Drake’s Certified Loverboy album.

This legal dispute adds another chapter to the ongoing tension between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, a rivalry that has been a focal point in the rap world. The conflict also underscores a deeper rift between Drake and his long-time label, Universal Music, as his lawyers argue that the label ignored his private attempts to address the situation. They claim Universal also “fired staff loyal to Drake,” further illustrating the growing divide.

The legal action comes just days after Kendrick Lamar dropped a surprise album, GNX, which has been interpreted as a follow-up to “Not Like Us.” Despite Lamar’s success, including four Grammy nominations for the diss track, Drake remains more popular on platforms like Spotify, where he ranks higher in global streams.