Drake Drops Legal Petition Against UMG And Spotify

Drake has officially withdrawn his legal petition against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify.  The Toronto rapper reportedly came to terms on an agreement with both entities. According to court documents filed in New York, all parties involved “voluntarily discontinued the case without imposing costs on any involved party.”

“The petitioner hereby voluntarily discontinues […] without costs to any party,”  the documents read.

Originally filed in November,  Drake argued that UMG released Kendrick Lamar’s scathing diss track “Not Like Us, where he describes him as a sex offender. Per the filing, Drake and team believed they have procured  “sufficient evidence to pursue a defamation case against the label.” 

Drake accused the companies of working together to inflate streaming numbers for Not Like Us.” He also alleged the companies conspired to catapult the song to the top of the charts to purposely ruin Drake’s successful run. The petition in Texas, which is very similar, remains active.

“UMG … could have refused to release or distribute the song or required the offending material to be edited and/or removed But UMG chose to do the opposite,” the claim read. “UMG designed, financed, and then executed a plan to turn ‘Not Like Us’ into a viral mega-hit with the intent of using the spectacle of harm to Drake and his businesses to drive consumer hysteria and, of course, massive revenues. That plan succeeded, likely beyond UMG’s wildest expectations.”

Drake’s legal petition against that was filed in Texas is still on the table.  The filing accuses iHeartRadio of financially benefiting from payola in connection with Universal Music Group to push “Not Like Us” onto the airwaves. 

Kendrick was not named in either of the petitions,

UMG has vehemently denied all accusations leveled by Drake and his team.

“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” UMG said in a statement at the time. “We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”