Drake files legal notices in feud with Lamar

Rapper Drake has escalated his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar by filing legal notices against major music companies. The Canadian rapper, using his legal name Aubrey Drake Graham, filed petitions in both Texas and New York, targeting Universal Music Group (UMG), iHeartMedia, and Spotify over the promotion of Lamar's controversial track "Not Like Us."

The disputed song, which has achieved record-breaking success, contains provocative lyrics suggesting Drake is a sex offender, including direct accusations and references to predatory behavior. Drake's legal actions allege that these companies, particularly UMG, engaged in manipulative practices to promote the track at his expense, despite him being a UMG artist himself.

In the New York Supreme Court filing, Drake's company Frozen Moments accused Universal of using various tactics, including bots and pay-to-play agreements, to artificially boost the song's popularity on streaming platforms. The Texas petition, filed in Bexar County District Court, makes similar allegations against UMG and iHeartMedia.

Drake's legal team argues that streaming and licensing is a "zero-sum game," where the success of one artist necessarily comes at the expense of others. They contend that UMG's aggressive promotion of "Not Like Us" deliberately undermined Drake's market position.

Universal Music Group has strongly denied these allegations, calling them "offensive and untrue" and defending their marketing practices as ethical. In a statement, UMG dismissed Drake's claims as "contrived and absurd legal arguments," asserting that fan choice ultimately determines a song's success.

While neither filing constitutes a formal lawsuit yet, they serve as notices of potential legal action to come. Spotify and iHeartMedia have not yet responded to requests for comment on these allegations.

This legal development marks the latest escalation in a feud that has already produced multiple diss tracks between the two artists earlier this year.