Spotify is now cracking down on “fraudulent streams” from Kendrick Lamar & other ‘big artists’ following Drake’s winning a legal victory in his ongoing battle against UMG
- HIPHOP CROWN NATION
- 10 hours ago
- 2 min read
Following Drake's defamation lawsuit against UMG, since February 2025, Spotify has been removing streams from various artists' tracks. In a fresh wave of deductions in early April.
Stream cuts continue as Drake has been given the green light to access UMG documents in his ongoing defamation case over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
Spotify cracks down on ‘Botted’ streams but won't reveal which artists they punished.
Earlier this week, a U.S. District Judge Jeannette A. Vargas ruled in favor of Drake being able to get access to Universal Music Group (UMG) contracts and internal, allowing Drizzy's legal team to begin the discovery process, including requesting documents and deposing key executives related to Kendrick Lamar's “Not Like Us.”
This decision denies UMG’s motion to delay discovery, meaning Drake’s team will get access to UMG and Kendrick Lamar's contract agreement.
Additionally, Drake's lawyers want, “documents and communications regarding the decision to continue publishing and to promote the Defamatory Material; documents and communications regarding UMG’s knowledge that the allegations in the Defamatory Material; documents reflecting the revenues and profits UMG has generated and retained as a result of the song; and documents and communications relating to any other works (in the past five years) that UMG has declined to approve or green light on the basis of UMG objections to lyrics or other content.”
Both parties have been ordered to submit a proposed case management plan or file a joint letter if they are unable to agree on a discovery schedule by April 9, 2025.
On Thursday (April 3), it was announced via Chart Data that Spotify has now started to remove bot streams from tracks across all genres.
Similar botting allegations in hip-hop recently attacked artists like Doechii, Kendrick Lamar and even Drake himself.
After filing two pre-action petitions against UMG last November, Drake sued “UMG for defamation, claiming distributing Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" led to multiple threatening incidents at his Toronto residence. He specifically accused UMG of defamation, second-degree harassment, and violation of the New York General Business Law.