@BussyMerchant's comment on 'Drake sues Universal Music Group over Kendrick Lamar diss track'

I hope you're not so out of touch that you need it, but I'll give you a quick summary of the context surrounding the lawsuit. Drake and Kendrick Lamar are both rappers that occupy vastly different lanes. While Drake has a pop rap sound and has strived for mainstream appeal, Kendrick Lamar is celebrated for his lyrical prowess. The pair have collaborated on songs such as Poetic Justice.

The good blood between the pair did not last, and there have been some subliminal shots sent back and forth. It came to a crescendo this year when they went back and forth releasing diss tracks. The rap battle culminated with the release of Not Like Us by Kendrick which most rap fans agree won the beef. In the song, Kendrick accuses Drake of being a p-dophile and of being a "culture vulture" who doesn't have a genuine claim to a Black identity.

Recently, just when the hype around the song was dying down, Drake decided to file a lawsuit against Universal Music Group and Spotify. As Billboard reports, the lawsuit claims that UMG and Spotify engaged in an illegal scheme to boost the popularity of Kendrick Lamar's song.

"UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices," attorneys for Drake's company write. "It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves."

Drake's attorneys accuse UMG of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, the federal "RICO" statute often used in criminal cases against organized crime. They also allege deceptive business practices and false advertising under New York state law.

https://www.billboard.com/pro/drake-umg-spotify-schemed-boost-kendrick-not-like-us/

UMG responded to Billboard with the following:

The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue. We employ the highest ethical practices in our marketing and promotional campaigns. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.