On Friday, December 20, Spotify’s legal team responded to Drake’s pre-action petition, dismissing his claims as false. In the filing, Spotify’s lawyers argued that Drake’s assertions are baseless, stating:
“The foundation of Petitioner’s request for discovery from Spotify is false—there is no such agreement. Furthermore, the Petition is legally deficient and should be denied.”
The response criticized Drake’s petition for relying on speculation rather than concrete evidence, adding, “Petitioner offers only information-and-belief speculation rather than well-pled facts. The Petition fails to establish the elements of the civil RICO, deceptive business practices, and false advertising claims it seeks to assert.”
A Spotify spokesperson told XXL: “Spotify has no economic incentive to promote ‘Not Like Us’ over Drake’s tracks. The only promotional tool used for the song, Marquee, was purchased for €500 to advertise the track in France. Marquee is a visual ad clearly disclosed as a Sponsored Recommendation.”
Drake had filed two pre-action petitions against UMG in New York and Texas Supreme Courts on November 25. The New York petition alleges that UMG and Spotify manipulated streaming data using bots and payola to inflate the success of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track aimed at Drake, claiming violations of the RICO Act, New York’s Deceptive Business Practices Act, and False Advertising Act.
In the Texas petition, Drake accuses UMG and iHeartRadio of similar schemes and adds defamation claims. The lawsuits have drawn criticism from some fans who speculate that Drake is reacting bitterly to losing his rap battle with Kendrick Lamar.
Both cases are scheduled to be heard in January.
