DJ Akademiks exposes Spotify-UMG deal behind Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’ in search results

DJ Akademiks, a well-known figure in music and media, has ignited a new controversy regarding Spotify's business practices with Universal Music Group (UMG).

On November 27, 2024, DJ Akademiks posted a tweet on X, which included screenshots provided by fans. The images showcased an unusual situation on Spotify, where users searching for various artists' names were unexpectedly shown Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" in the search results. 

DJ Akademiks questioned the occurrence, asking how much Spotify was paid by UMG to manipulate these search outcomes. "Why is not like us showing up when pop smoke, Kanye, 2 pac and Dr Dre searched 🤔 how much was Spotify paid from universal," he wrote.

This tweet came after Drake filed a petition on November 25, 2024, alleging that UMG and Spotify had used unethical methods to promote Kendrick Lamar's song "Not Like Us" to listeners.

On Wednesday, DJ Akademiks shared additional screenshots from a fan, @Underrated_Dom, on his X account. The four images showed fans searching for artists like Dr. Dre, 2Pac, Pop Smoke, and Kanye West on Spotify. In an unexpected turn, alongside the songs of these artists, the search results also displayed "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar. "Fans catch Spotify placing 'not like us' in the search results when searching for different artists unrelated to Kendrick Lamar," DJ Akademiks wrote.

DJ Akademiks' tweet followed the two petitions filed by Drake. The first petition, filed in Manhattan on November 25, 2024, accused UMG and Spotify of using bots, payola, and other dubious tactics to artificially promote the song's reach.

According to The Verge, the petition filed by Drake’s company, Frozen Moments LLC, claims that UMG charged Spotify 30 percent less for licensing "Not Like Us" and did not disclose the payment received for promoting the song in search results. "UMG charged Spotify licensing rates 30 percent lower than its usual licensing rates for 'Not Like Us' in exchange for Spotify affirmatively recommending the Song to users who are searching for other unrelated songs and artists," Drake's lawyer stated.

The second petition, submitted to a Texas court on November 26, 2024, accuses UMG of defamation. As reported by The Guardian, this petition, like the first, is not a formal lawsuit but rather a request for relevant information ahead of a potential lawsuit.