Why Drake and Kendrick Lamar’s Feud Just Took a Surprising Turn

2 hours ago 1

Kendrick Lamar Announced arsenic Performer for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show

Drake is taking his feud with Kendrick Lamar retired of the dependable booth.

Six months aft Kendrick dropped his diss way "Not Like Us," the Canadian rapper—whose sanction is Aubrey Graham—accused Universal Music Group and Spotify of "artificially inflating" the song's popularity, according to tribunal documents obtained by E! News.

The pre-action petition, which was filed by Drake's Frozen Moments LLC successful Manhattan Nov. 25, accused UMG of engaging successful "schemes" to inflate the tune's popularity, hiring "unknown 3rd parties to usage 'bots' to promote" the opus and paying vigor stations to "increase airplay."

"UMG did not trust connected chance, oregon adjacent mean concern practices, to 'break done the noise,'" the filing claimed. "It alternatively launched a run to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves with a song, 'Not Like Us,' successful bid to marque that opus spell viral."

The pre-petition—which is simply a process nether New York State instrumentality earlier filing a lawsuit—also accused UMG of charging Spotify "30 percent little than its accustomed licensing rate" for the opus "in speech for Spotify affirmatively recommending the Song to users who are searching for different unrelated songs and artists."

Drake's attorneys accused UMG of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which is often utilized successful cases involving organized crime. They besides accused UMG of deceptive concern practices and mendacious advertising, on with giving "financial benefits" to Spotify and "other chartless 3rd parties to beforehand and play the Song and Video without disclosing those payments."

The petition claimed that UMG's "schemes" were motivated "at slightest successful part, by the tendency of executives astatine Interscope to maximize their ain profits."

Mike Marsland/WireImage/ Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Drake's ineligible squad claimed successful the filing that they had contacted UMG to resoluteness the issue. 

"UMG has demonstrated that it has nary involvement successful taking work for its misconduct," the filing alleged. "Over the past respective months, Drake has repeatedly sought to prosecute UMG successful discussions to resoluteness the ongoing harm helium has suffered arsenic a effect of UMG's actions. UMG refused to prosecute successful negotiations, and insisted that UMG is not liable for its ain actions."

UMG vehemently denied the claims. "The proposition that UMG would bash thing to undermine immoderate of its artists is violative and untrue," a typical said successful a connection to Variety. "We employment the highest ethical practices successful our selling and promotional campaigns. No magnitude of contrived and absurd ineligible arguments successful this pre-action submission tin disguise the information that fans take the euphony they privation to hear."

Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

E! News has reached retired to UMG, Spotify, reps for Kendrick and reps for Drake for comment, but has not yet heard back.

Drake's filing comes a twelvemonth aft his feud with the "HUMBLE" rapper began erstwhile helium and J. Cole released their October 2023 track, successful which they implied the 3 of them were the champion rappers successful modern hip-hop. Kendrick, 37, wasn't a instrumentality of that notion, releasing "Like That," wherever helium dissed that duo, noting, "motherf--k the large three, it's conscionable large me."

Prince Williams/Wireimage

Cole, 39, past shared his solo way "7 Minute Drill" successful April, portion the OVO founder, 38, took much jabs astatine Kendrick, Future and much with "Push Up" and the now-deleted "Taylor Made Freestyle." But the Compton-native rapper went each successful with his May opus "Not Like Us," successful which helium called Drake a "pedophile." Drake past released "The Heart Part 6," wherever helium seemingly denied the claims, rapping, "Drake is not a sanction that you gonna spot connected nary enactment offenders list."

And portion Drake isn't bowing retired anytime soon, J. Cole wasn't funny successful continuing the beef.

"When I perceive to ['7 Minute Drill'], that s--t don't beryllium close with my spirit," helium told fans portion connected signifier astatine his Dreamville Festival successful April, earlier calling the opus "the lamest s--t I ever did successful my f--king life."

Now, support speechmaking to spot much celebrated personage feuds.

Jerod Harris/Getty Images

Tan France vs. Bobby Berk

Bobby (pictured 2nd from left) addressed rumors of a falling retired with Tan (middle) successful January 2024, 2 months aft helium announced his exit from Queer Eye aft 8 seasons.

"I privation radical to cognize that Tan and I—we volition beryllium fine," helium told Vanity Fair. "There was a situation, and that's betwixt Tan and I, and it has thing to bash with the show. It was thing idiosyncratic that had been brewing—and thing romantic, conscionable to clarify that."

In March 2024, Tan responded to allegations that helium had campaigned to regenerate Bobby connected Queer Eye with his person Jeremiah Brent.

"Netflix and the accumulation companies did a full-on casting. I didn't enactment my person up for the job. They ended up getting it due to the fact that they were the champion idiosyncratic for the job," helium said connected Instagram. "But I didn't get them hired by getting escaped of idiosyncratic else."

Amanda Edwards/WireImage / Gerardo Mora / Getty Images

Shannen Doherty vs. Alyssa Milano

Following years of rumors of a feud betwixt the two, connected a December 2023 occurrence of her podcast Let's Be Clear, Shannen's erstwhile Charmed costar Holly Marie Combs alleged that Alyssa had erstwhile made an ultimatum to a amusement shaper to take betwixt herself and Shannen, which yet led to the second leaving the amusement successful 2001.

In February 2024, Alyssa said connected Instagram, "I did not person the powerfulness to get anyone fired" and that "this was truthful agelong agone that immoderate retelling of these stories from anyone is conscionable revisionist history."

A time later, Shannen said astatine a sheet lawsuit astatine MegaCon Orlando, "There is nary revisionist past happening successful the information that I cognize we told."

Rodin Eckenroth / WireImage / Gregg DeGuire / WireImage

Sharon Osbourne vs. Ashton Kutcher

In September 2023, while playing a crippled called Stir the Pot with her daughter Kelly Osbourne on E! News, Sharon said the That '70s Show alum was the rudest personage she had ever met, branding him, a "rude, rude, rude, rude small boy" and a "Dastardly small thing."

He did not respond to her remarks publicly.

Five years prior, Sharon told Larry King that erstwhile Ashton appeared connected The Talk in 2014, helium had an "attitude" aft she got his sanction wrong.

"He goes, 'What are you, what person you done successful this industry?'" she recalled. "And I was like, 'Kid, don't commencement with me, due to the fact that I'm gonna devour you up and s--t you out.' So I was conscionable like, 'You don't cognize what you're dealing with, kid.'"

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for ACM; Shutterstock

Maren Morris & Cassadee Pope vs. Brittany Aldean

In August 2022, Cassadee and Maren traded harsh words with Brittany, woman of chap state star Jason Aldean, aft she shared an Instagram Reel of herself applying constitution connected Aug. 23, writing, "I'd truly similar to convey my parents for not changing my sex erstwhile I went done my tomboy phase. I emotion this girly life."

Shutterstock

JoJo Siwa vs. Candace Cameron Bure

During a 2022 TikTok challenge, JoJo Siwa described Candace Cameron Bure arsenic the "rudest" celebrity, aboriginal explaining that she felt snubbed erstwhile Bure erstwhile refused to instrumentality a representation with her connected a reddish carpet. Shortly aft the dig, however, the Full House alum apologized: "I benignant of broke your 11-year-old heart. I didn't instrumentality a representation with you. Ugh! I consciousness crummy, I feel—JoJo, I'm truthful sorry."

The 2 made amends. But months later, Candace was asked if she expects the Great American Family network, of which she serves arsenic main originative officer, to diagnostic same-sex couples arsenic leads successful vacation movies. She said no, adding, "I deliberation that Great American Family volition support accepted matrimony astatine the core."

JoJo, who came retired arsenic a subordinate of the LGBTQ+ assemblage successful 2021, wrote connected Instagram that the actress' remark is "rude and hurtful to a full assemblage of people."

JMEnternational/JMEnternational for BRIT Awards/Getty Images / Karwai Tang/WireImage

Courtney Love vs. Olivia Rodrigo

Back successful June 2021, Courtney Love accused Olivia Rodrigo of copying her band Hole's medium screen for a promotional photograph without giving credit. Olivia responded, "Love u and unrecorded done this sooooo much." Courtney past replied, "Olivia - you're welcome. My favourite florist is successful Notting Hill, London! Dm maine for deets! I look guardant to speechmaking your enactment [winking look emoji]."

Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images, Isaiah Trickey/FilmMagic

Henry Winkler vs. Tom Hanks

During an quality Watch What Happens Live, the Happy Days actor was asked wherefore helium didn't get on with the Forrest Gump prima connected the acceptable of the 1989 flick Turner & Hooch.

"I was directing that movie for 13 days and past I was called into [producer] Jeff Katzenberg's bureau and helium said, 'You person everything with you? Go home,'" helium said.

Winkler did, however, seem to get on with Hanks' four-legged co-star. "I got on great, large with that dog," helium said. "Love that dog."

He also refused to admit if he's adjacent seen the flick. 

Getty Images

Heidi Montag vs. Lauren Conrad

"You cognize what you did!"

Fans of The Hills volition retrieve that iconic line, delivered by Lauren on the play 3 premiere. Their feud began erstwhile Heidi started dating her now-husband, Spencer Pratt and hit its highest erstwhile Lauren accused Heidi and Spencer of starting a rumor that she had made a enactment portion with Jason Wahler.

Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Dwayne Johnson vs. Tyrese Gibson

The costars reignited their ongoing feud erstwhile Tyrese publicly called retired Dwayne connected Instagram aft the Fast and Furious 9 merchandise day was pushed backmost to April 2020. That aforesaid day, it was announced that a Fast and Furious spinoff starring Dwayne and Jason Statham would deed theaters successful 2019. The pursuing month, Tyrese threatened to quit Fast 9 if Dwayne was successful the movie.

Tyrese past opened up astir the feud, telling Van Lathan connected The Red Pill podcast, "I person yet to speech to The Rock to this day, and we volition person a conversation." He shared that helium did person a speech with the erstwhile wrestler's producing partner, but not the histrion himself.

"I recovered myself being the messenger connected behalf of assorted radical associated to the franchise, but anserine maine was the lone 1 who went nationalist astir those feelings, which is my ain fault," Tyrese said. "It's not professional, it's not cool."

Gustavo Caballero/Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Taylor Swift vs. Katy Perry

No much atrocious humor here.

Taylor and Katy had been successful a feud for years, adjacent allegedly inspiring Taylor's opus "Bad Blood." The drama, which reportedly started implicit a backup dancer and competing tours, came to an extremity aft Perry sent Taylor a literal olive branch earlier her Reputation Tour kickoff.

"So I conscionable got to my dressing country and recovered this existent olive branch," Taylor said successful an Instagram video. "This mean truthful much."

Taylor captioned the video, "Thank you Katy."

James Devaney/WireImage

Kim Cattrall vs. Sarah Jessica Parker

Sex and the City costars Kim and SJP had dodged feud rumors for years. But they were reignited aft Kim decided not to instrumentality for a 3rd movie and made comments astir her costar that raised eyebrows.

"What was your absorption to Kim Cattrall telling Piers Morgan that you were ne'er friends conscionable colleagues?" Andy Cohen asked SJP connected a Sept. 2017 occurrence of Watch What Happens Live.

As she explained, "Just...heartbroken. I mean that full week, you and I spoke astir it due to the fact that I was just...I don't cognize I recovered it truly upsetting due to the fact that that's, you know, that's not the mode I callback our experience."

"So...it's bittersweet but I'm benignant of...I don't know, I ever deliberation that what ties america unneurotic is this singular acquisition is the thing. It was a nonrecreational acquisition but it became idiosyncratic due to the fact that it was years and years of our lives. So I'm hoping that that benignant of eclipses thing that's been precocious spoken," she continued. "That galore years spent doing thing truthful peculiar that radical had a transportation with is specified a privileged."

And though they didn't movie scenes together, Kim did marque a tiny quality connected And Just Like That.

GettyImages

Madonna vs. Elton John

The iconic singers person been feuding since 2004. While accepting the Classic Songwriter Award astatine the Q Awards that year, Elton said to attendees, "Madonna, champion f--king unrecorded act? F--k off! Since erstwhile has lip-syncing been live? Sorry astir that, but I deliberation everyone who lip-syncs successful nationalist connected stage, erstwhile you wage similar 75 quid to spot them, should beryllium shot."

Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Shonda Rhimes vs. Katherine Heigl

The erstwhile Grey's Anatomy prima sparked a feud with the bid creator in 2008 erstwhile she removed her sanction from the Emmy Awards consideration. The histrion stated that her crushed for the determination was due to the fact that she wasn't "given the worldly to warrant a nomination."

Shonda aboriginal opened up astir Katherine's determination during an interrogation with Oprah Winfrey connected Oprah's Next Chapter successful 2012. "On immoderate level it stung and connected immoderate level I was not surprised," she said. "When radical amusement you who they are, judge them. I transportation that [mantra] with maine a lot. It has served maine well."

Kevin Mazur/MG18/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B

It was the New York Fashion Week combat heard 'round the satellite erstwhile Nicki and Cardi got into a heated altercation astatine the Harper's Bazaar Icon party. The pursuing month, Cardi opened up astir the catalyst for the combat with Nicki.

"For a portion present she's been taking a batch of shots astatine me," Cardi said successful W magazine's Art Issue. "I spoke to her doubly before, and we came to an understanding. But she kept it going."

The existent spark of the combat came erstwhile Cardi saw that Nicki had allegedly liked and past unliked a tweet astir Cardi's parenting skills, which Nicki has denied.

"I was going to marque millions disconnected my Bruno Mars tour, and I sacrificed that to enactment with my daughter," Cardi continued. "I emotion my daughter. I'm a good-ass f--king mom. So for idiosyncratic that don't person a kid to similar that comment? So galore radical privation to accidental that enactment wasn't the clip oregon the place, but I'm not going to drawback different creator successful the market store oregon down the block."

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Kanye West vs. Taylor Swift

Tension between Kanye and Taylor archetypal started successful 2009, erstwhile the "Stronger" rapper took the signifier during her acceptance code astatine the MTV Video Music Awards. Years later, the 2 would marque up and adjacent go friends, but that came to an end aft the merchandise of his opus "Famous," successful which helium name-checks the "End Game" singer.

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images, David Buchan/Getty Images

Mariah Carey vs. Jennifer Lopez

"I don't cognize her."

It's been implicit 15 years since Mariah and J.Lo's "feud" has been going on. It each started erstwhile the Queen of Christmas was asked to springiness her sentiment connected respective singers during an interview. When asked her sentiment connected Jennifer, she replied, "I don't cognize her."

For the latest breaking quality updates, click present to download the E! News App

Read Entire Article