In a recent development regarding Drake’s ongoing legal dispute with Universal Music Group (UMG) over Kendrick Lamar’s track “Not Like Us,” the court hearing in Texas has been delayed. Originally scheduled for December 20, the hearing aimed to address whether Drake could summon individuals from iHeartRadio and UMG to inquire about potential illegal activities linked to the controversial diss record.
According to journalist Bryson Paul, who was present at the courthouse, the hearing has now been rescheduled for January 13. He noted that the delay stemmed from a miscommunication regarding the schedule, following a request from Drake’s attorney to push the hearing to the new date. The clerks acknowledged the error and confirmed that the petition has not been dismissed but merely rescheduled.
This Texas filing marks the second legal action Drake initiated concerning “Not Like Us” in November; this particular case also implicates iHeartRadio, suggesting that the company may have accepted payola from UMG to ensure the song’s airtime. Furthermore, Drake contends that UMG released Kendrick’s Grammy-nominated track while being aware that it contained false accusations against him, specifically labeling him as a sex offender. The petition indicates that Drake now possesses sufficient evidence to pursue a defamation lawsuit against UMG.
The first petition, submitted in a Manhattan court just days prior, alleges that UMG employed fraudulent tactics, including bots and payola, to artificially boost the song’s performance. It also claims that the label made payments to Spotify to promote “Not Like Us” to users searching for unrelated content.
A judge is expected to rule on this matter on January 16, 2025.
The postponement follows Spotify’s formal response to Drake’s allegations. In a statement filed in Manhattan court, Spotify firmly denied the accusations, labeling them as “far-fetched” and questioning the rationale behind Spotify’s involvement in the ongoing dispute between the two rappers. The streaming platform’s legal team asserted that there is no evidence supporting Drake’s claims of streaming manipulation or any illicit agreements between Spotify and UMG.
Spotify’s filing further criticized Drake for opting to file a pre-action petition rather than a formal lawsuit, arguing that his allegations lack substantive evidence and would likely be dismissed if pursued as a lawsuit. The company called for rejection of what it described as a deviation from standard judicial processes.
For ongoing updates on this unfolding legal battle, stay tuned to hiphopraisedmetheblog.com.
