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Back in November 2024, Drake shocked the hip-hop community after be filed a pre-action case against UMG and Spotify. Drake’s accusation of payola and colluding to “artificially inflate” the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us” was not taken lightly. Both UMG and Spotify released statement denying Drake’s claims.
Shortly after, the “Family Matters” rapper issued a separate case against the giants for defamation over lines made by Lamar on the track. However, in a bizarre turn of events, today (January 14), Drake has voluntarily withdrawn his pre-action filing.
In documents filed with the New York Supreme Court (viewable here), Drake’s legal team revealed that are putting their pre-action disclosure documents pursuit to rest. The same can not yet be said of the pending defamation case.
Drake’s withdrawal has users online confused as the parties were expected to make an appearance on January 16 regarding the matter. In addition to that, Drake’s attorneys recently doubled down on their allegations against the parties.
Read the full statement listed in the filing below.
Please take notice that petitioner and movant Frozen Moments, LLC, By its attorneys Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, hereby withdraws its order to show cause seeking pre-action disclosure and preservation of certain documents and communications from respondent UMG Recordings, Inc. and pre-action disclosure of certain documents and communications from respondent Spotify USA Inc., with exhibits originally filed in New York Supreme Court On November 25, 2024.
Please take further notice that petitioner hereby voluntarily discontinues. This special proceeding as to all respondents without costs to any party. Plaintiffs met and Conferred with respondents on January 14, 2025, regarding this filing. Respondent Spotify, which has filed an opposition to the order to show cause, responded that Spotify has no objection to the Withdrawal and discontinuance. Respondent UMG, which has not yet filed an opposition to the Order to show cause, has reserved its position.
Representatives for UMG nor Spotify have issued a public response regarding the filing.