Spotify disputes Drake's legal filing that claims they worked with UMG to artificially inflate Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us.”
Motion to Dismiss Drake Files Legal Deposition
On Friday (Dec. 20), Spotify's lawyers filed a response to Drake's request ahead of the action. In the filing, the legal team calls Drake's claims false.
“The predicate of Petitioner's entire request because the discovery by Spotify is false: there is no such agreement. In any case, however, the Report is legally deficient and must be dismissed,” the lawyers wrote.
“The petitioner only offers information–and–guesswork of beliefs rather than good–disclosed the facts,” the filing continues. “And the petition does not demonstrate how these speculative alThe counties distinguish between the civil RICO elements, the deceptive business practices, and the false advertising claims petitioner seeks to allege.”
A Spotify spokesperson also offered the following statement XXL:
“Spotify has no financial incentive for users to stream 'Not Like Us' on any of Drake's tracks. Only one of Spotify's tools for artists, Marquee, was purchased on behalf of the song, for €500 to promote the track in France. Marquee is a visual ad that is revealed to users as a Mandatory Recommendation.”
Read more: Fans react to Drake taking legal action against UMG and Spotify over Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us'
Did Drake's legal action fail against him?
Back on November 25, Drake filed two appeals against UMG in the New York and Texas Supreme Courts. The New York filing alleges that UMG and Spotify used bots and payola to boost the numbers of K-Dot's chart-topping Drake diss song. In doing so, Drake alleges that the companies are violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), New York's Deceptive Enterprise Law, and New York's False Advertising Law.
The Texas filing accuses UMG and iHeartRadio of a similar scheme in addition to defamation claims. The move led to Drake being chastised by some fans on social media, who speculated that the filing was made because Drake was frustrated by losing the rap battle with Kendrick.
Both cases will be heard in court in January.
