They allege the record label "launched a campaign to manipulate and saturate the streaming services and airwaves" with "Not Like Us" "to make that song go viral, including by using “bots” and pay-to-play agreements."
The attorneys allege that UMG gave Spotify, which is also named as a respondent in the petition, a 30% discount on licensing rates in exchange for the music streaming platform recommending "Not Like Us" to listeners searching for "unrelated" songs and artists, according to the filing.
The filing references a podcaster who alleged that Interscope paid them $2,500 through third parties "to use 'bots'" to help Lamar's song reach 30 million streams on Spotify just days after its release. The platform later celebrated Lamar's single reaching a record-breaking 300 million streams in the first 35 days, per the petition.
Drake's company also alleges "at least one UMG employee" paid radio stations to play "Not Like Us" without disclosing that they received compensation. The attorneys point out that the alleged conduct is known as "payola" and is "prohibited by the Communications Act of 1934."
UMG's schemes to artificially inflate the popularity of 'Not Like Us' were motivated, at least in part, by the desire of executives at Interscope to maximize their own profits, the court docs allege.
The attorneys added that Frozen Moments has been informed that UMG is allegedly "taking steps in an apparent effort to conceal its schemes" such as firing employees who show loyalty to Drake.
Per the filing, Drake has tried to speak with UMG about "the ongoing harm he has suffered as a result of UMG's actions," however, the company allegedly "refused to engage in negotiations" and said Drake should take his issues to Lamar instead.
Kendrick Lamar attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating "Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. Arturo Holmes/MG23/Getty
UMG's alleged decision to saturate the market with "Not Like Us" "comes at the expense of other artists" such as Drake, the court papers continue.
In the petition, Frozen Moments is requesting "pre-action discovery" to help the company "identify" the "appropriate" parties to name as defendants in an official complaint.
Although the company says it has "viable cause of action for civil RICO" against UMG with claims like wire fraud, mail fraud, bribery, deceptive business practices and false advertising, it adds that it needs more information from UMG and Spotify before a lawsuit can be filed.
(L-R) Kendrick Lamar performs at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm, Pilton on June 26, 2022 in Glastonbury, England; Drake is seen prior to during Game One of the NBA Finals between the Toronto Raptors and Golden State Warriors on May 30, 2019 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Samir Hussein/WireImage; David Dow/NBAE via Getty
UMG tells PEOPLE in a statement, “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. No amount of contrived and absurd legal arguments in this pre-action submission can mask the fact that fans choose the music they want to hear.”
Not Like Us now has 900 million Spotify streams, making it the most streamed diss track in the platform's history, according to the petition. It also achieved a record-breaking 96 million streams in a seven-day period.
Over the weekend, Cartwright also posted Cruz’s school portrait to his official Instagram account. In the photo, the beaming young student is wearing a green and white checker-patterned T-shirt.
Taylor, 45, then posted a series of photos of their son on Monday, Nov. 25. In the Instagram carousel, he added several photos of playing with Cruz in the grass.
Taylor also added a sweet photo of Cruz sitting on Taylor’s shoulders as the father and son both smiled from ear to ear. Another image included Taylor on the floor as he held Cruz in the air with his legs.
The former couple, who announced their separation in February 2024, have been striving to become friendly co-parents. After their initial separation, Cartwright filed for divorce on Aug. 27, and in her filing, she requested full legal and physical custody of Cruz.
In response to Cartwright's divorce filing, Taylor requested on Sept. 26 that she receive full legal and physical custody of their son Cruz. In regards to child support, Taylor checked the box for "other," according to the document obtained by PEOPLE.
Celeb DatingJax is feeling mixed emotions,” a source told PEOPLE at the time. “He knows this is ultimately the right decision but is sad that things ended up the way they have. It's an emotional month for him and he's trying to stay strong for his son.
He's a great dad. Great dad, terrible husband, Cartwright told PEOPLE. Adding that they “will always put Cruz first and are going to work towards a healthy co-parenting relationship."
It's going to take some time, she said. "Still, things are very raw between us, but for the most part, I do know if I needed something, if Cruz needed something, I could call him and he would be there for us."
Speaking exclusively to Extra about his upcoming role in the live-action version of Disney's Moana, the former pro wrestler, 52, shared that his beefed-up look was part muscles, part custom-made suit.
“That's a suit that took a long time to put on,” Johnson said of the larger-than-usual body seen in on-set photos of him in costume as the demigod Maui. “So, I'm so happy you said, 'You bulked up,' because when you say, 'You bulked up,' that means you couldn't tell."
That is a couple of hours every day of transforming, putting that on. We shot outside and when those pictures surfaced, I was like, ‘S---, we got caught, ’cause we were putting up, like, walls so there was no paparazzi, Johnson told Extra. "But they got into boats and started shooting pictures. So, but I'm happy you liked it. I can't wait. The movie comes out in 2026."
The photos Johnson was referring to showed him dressed in traditional Hawaiian attire while walking on set on Nov. 20 — his bare chest and tribal tattoos were front and center as he wore a grass skirt.
“My daughters, all three of my daughters were there. That was the first time we'd all been together in a public place before,” he told the outlet of having his family present for Moana 2’s premiere in Hawaii.
“That was beautiful. My mom was there. It's our culture. I grew up here, got in trouble here 15 miles up the road. My grandfather's buried here. My grandfather inspired the character of Maui,” Johnson continued. “It all came together.”
The actor added that he and Maui have quite a few things in common, especially them both being "egotistical” and “loud” with a “big mouth."
I have a handle on who Maui is, Johnson added. "I know the voice, I know the man, I know his inspiration. I can access things. I got it."
“The moment I stepped on set … as live-action Maui, I realized right away, ‘Oh, wow, this is different,’ in terms of this is real flesh-and-blood and skin-and-bones,” Johnson said. “It becomes real all of the sudden. It was almost like getting in my grandfather's skin and what that was like.”
Auli'i Cravalho, who voices Moana in animated movies, will serve as an executive producer for the upcoming film. Newcomer Catherine Laga'aia will play the character onscreen in the live-action remake. Thomas Kail, who won Tonys for directing In The Heights and Hamilton on Broadway, directed the live-action film.
Speaking exclusively to Extra about his upcoming role in the live-action version of Disney's Moana, the former pro wrestler, 52, shared that his beefed-up look was part muscles, part custom-made suit.
“That's a suit that took a long time to put on,” Johnson said of the larger-than-usual body seen in on-set photos of him in costume as the demigod Maui. “So, I'm so happy you said, 'You bulked up,' because when you say, 'You bulked up,' that means you couldn't tell."
That is a couple of hours every day of transforming, putting that on. We shot outside and when those pictures surfaced, I was like, ‘S---, we got caught, ’cause we were putting up, like, walls so there was no paparazzi, Johnson told Extra. "But they got into boats and started shooting pictures. So, but I'm happy you liked it. I can't wait. The movie comes out in 2026."