The ongoing rap battle between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has taken a dramatic turn, now spilling over into the courtroom. Drake has filed petitions questioning whether Universal Music Group (UMG) manipulated the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us, through artificial means like bots or pay-to-play tactics. The song, which contains harsh accusations against Drake, has been at the center of their feud, and now it’s the subject of legal scrutiny.
To dive deeper into the legal implications, we turn to two experts: ABC News legal contributor Brian Buckmire and entertainment attorney Kevin Cassini. Brian explains that Drake’s petition is not yet a lawsuit, but rather a formal request to gather information. Drake believes he has enough evidence to suggest that UMG, iHeartRadio, and Spotify may have used underhanded methods to inflate the song’s popularity. The key here is whether Drake can get the necessary depositions from these entities to prove his case.
Kevin acknowledges that Drake’s legal team is highly experienced and wouldn’t pursue this if they didn’t think they had a solid case. However, he also points out that casting such accusations could backfire. It’s unlikely that UMG would have gone to such lengths to promote Kendrick’s track while not using similar tactics for other artists, including Drake himself.
The question on everyone’s mind is whether there’s something more to this legal move than just proving streaming manipulation. Kevin suggests that this could be a strategic move on Drake’s part, possibly to escape his recording contract or even prevent Kendrick from performing Not Like Us at major events, such as the Super Bowl. It’s clear that this battle may not be solely about the legal claims, but also about gaining an upper hand in the public relations and business side of the music industry.
Another interesting angle is the accusations Kendrick made against Drake’s character in Not Like Us. Brian wonders why Drake didn’t pursue a defamation claim instead of the current petition. He speculates that Drake may believe the allegations are true, which would weaken any defamation case, or he may simply not want to engage in the legal drama of a defamation lawsuit. Additionally, in the rap community, legal battles over insults and lyrics are often avoided, as they can hurt an artist’s street credibility.
Finally, Kevin raises the question of whether this legal action could harm Drake’s reputation. While the rapper has an incredibly strong fan base and continues to rack up massive streaming numbers, the public relations aspect of this case could impact his image. A defamation case might make him appear like he’s “whining” rather than taking action against legitimate grievances.
As this legal drama continues, both the music world and the public will be watching to see where it leads. Will Drake be able to prove his claims of manipulated streams, or is this just another chapter in an ongoing feud between two of rap’s biggest names? Only time will tell, but the stakes are high for both artists.
