Drake And Kendrick Lamar: The Feud That Never Ends

Well, what's the big deal then? This track has intensified the rivalry, with allegations of pedophilia directed at Drake. The legal petition, filed by Drake's Frozen Moments LLC on Monday, accuses UMG of engaging in an illegal "scheme" involving bots and payola to boost Lamar's song numbers.

According to the petition obtained by 'Variety' magazine, UMG allegedly "engaged in conduct designed to artificially inflate the popularity of 'Not Like Us'… including by licensing the song at drastically reduced rates to Spotify." “UMG did not rely on chance, or even ordinary business practices,” the petition continues. “It instead launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves.”

The document further claims that UMG used bots to create a false impression of the song's popularity. The petition also suggests that UMG employed similar tactics with other streaming services, including making payments to Apple Inc. to misdirect users to Lamar's track via Siri.

And so, in response to the allegations, a UMG representative told Variety, "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." Despite these denials, Drake's attorneys assert that UMG's actions violated the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act and New York state laws on deceptive business practices.

The legal action is the latest development in the heated rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Earlier this year, Lamar released a series of diss tracks accusing Drake of inappropriate relationships and addressing personal aspects of his life. Something that now looks to end up being a lifelong bad-blood problem.

Although Drake initially responded with his own tracks, he later removed them from social media. The tension seemed to subside after a shooting incident outside Drake's Toronto home in May, but reignited with Lamar's surprise album release last week. Drake indirectly addressed the situation during a live stream, stating, "You need facts to take me out, fairytales won’t do it."

The Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar feud is one of the most well-known rivalries in modern hip-hop, marked by a blend of competitive tension and lyrical jabs that sparked widespread media attention. The seeds of the conflict can be traced back to 2013, when Kendrick Lamar released his track "Control," which caused a stir in the rap world.

In the song, Kendrick famously declared himself the "king of New York" and called out several prominent rappers, including Drake. While many took Kendrick’s bold proclamation as a challenge to the entire industry, Drake responded more subtly at first, not directly addressing Kendrick's verses but acknowledging the competitive nature of the rap game. However, the tension grew as both rappers continued to release music, with some of their tracks appearing to take aim at one another.

In 2015, the feud escalated with the release of Drake’s "Back to Back," a diss track aimed at Meek Mill. Although the song was primarily directed at Meek, many fans speculated that Drake’s lyrics also contained shots at Kendrick Lamar, particularly in lines about the "king" title and rap dominance.

Kendrick, for his part, did not engage in direct lyrical warfare with Drake during this period, but he continued to establish himself as a top-tier lyricist, receiving praise for his deep and introspective lyrics, especially with his 2015 album ‘To Pimp a Butterfly’. While Drake enjoyed commercial success with catchy hits, Kendrick’s more politically charged and complex narratives set him apart, creating a natural rivalry between their differing styles.