Drake is refusing to back down in his ongoing legal battle with Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, sending a defiant message during a Christmas giveaway stream with Adin Ross on Thursday, December 26. The “6 God” addressed his accusations that UMG gave Kendrick Lamar an unfair and illegal advantage in their public beef.
After introducing his mother, Sandra Graham, Drake declared: “That’s my mother, by the way. Any of you guys think you can finish me—whether it’s one man or the biggest corporation—you guys will never done me. Are you crazy? The most powerful force you’ve ever seen in your life is me and her together. We can finish anything.”
Drake filed two pre-action petitions against UMG last month, accusing them of using streaming bots and payola to artificially boost Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, Not Like Us. He also alleged defamation over the release of a song labeling him a pedophile.
A court hearing to decide whether Drake can depose representatives from UMG and iHeartMedia regarding illegal radio payments was delayed from December 20 to January 13, 2025, in Bexar County, Texas. A separate hearing related to his filing against UMG and Spotify is set for January 16 in New York.
Spotify has strongly denied Drake’s claims, stating there’s “zero evidence” of a conspiracy between the platform and UMG to promote Kendrick’s hit track. In their legal filing, Spotify’s attorneys called the allegations speculative and baseless, criticizing Drake for filing a pre-action petition instead of an official lawsuit.
Spotify’s legal team argued: “The predicate of Petitioner’s entire request for discovery from Spotify is false. Spotify and UMG have never had any such arrangement.” They also added that the petition relied on “speculation” and anonymous online claims.
Drake’s attorneys responded, challenging Spotify’s denial and maintaining their stance: “It is not surprising that Spotify is trying to distance themselves from UMG’s allegedly manipulative practices. If Spotify and UMG have nothing to hide, they should comply with this basic discovery request.”
As the court battles intensify, the spotlight remains on Drake’s bold accusations and his resolve to stand firm against two of the music industry’s biggest players.
