Los Angeles, Ca
Drake's lawyers again claim bots, payola helped Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' top the charts
Despite widespread mockery, Drake appears to be serious in his claims that Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” received help from payola and bots on its way to being a No. 1 hit.
The Canadian rapper’s attorneys have filed a second petition alleging that Universal Music Group paid for the diss track to be successful, only this time, it was iHeartRadio, not Spotify, that allegedly joined in on the scheme, Forbes reports. While the first filing was made in New York, this second claim was filed in Texas.
The rappers born Aubrey Drake Graham and Kendrick Lamar Duckworth attacked each other in a series of songs earlier this year, with “Not Like Us” serving as the knockout blow in Lamar’s victory in the eyes of many.
Instead of accepting a loss and moving on, Drake has instead alleged UMG actively worked to slander one of their artists at the expense of another, as both rappers have their music distributed by the company. UMG has denied the claims.
“The suggestion that UMG would do anything to undermine any of its artists is offensive and untrue,” the record label said in a statement. “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.”
Lamar has not publicly responded to the claims, though he’s traditionally used his songs to make his case, including on Friday’s surprise album “GNX,” where he claimed he “just strangled me a GOAT,” the “greatest of all time” title that Drake frequently claimed.
Hip-hop fans on the internet, however, did not wait to get their jokes off.
Twitter personality Dragonfly Jonez said he’d “never seen a bigger L in rap history” and pointed out that this lawsuit attacks streaming numbers, but not Lamar’s claims that Drake is a “certified pedophile” whose friends are also sexual predators.
“You are being called a pedophile who hangs with and harbors other pedophiles in his own home and even has these pedophiles on your payroll on the biggest rap single of the year,” Jones wrote, with an imaginary Drake responding, “Excuse me?!?! Biggest rap single of the year?????? We’ll see about that!”
New York Times opinion writer Jane Coaston also weighed in, paraphrasing one of Lamar’s more prominent lines on “Not Like Us” when supporting the logic of UMG’s claims.
“The audience ain’t dumb, Drake,” she tweeted.
A former Riverside County man was found guilty of sex trafficking a female victim and forcing her to engage in commercial sex acts along L.A.’s notorious Figueroa Corridor.
Elias Abdul Shabazz, 34, formerly of Perris, was found guilty by a jury following a five-day trial, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said.
Prosecutors said Shabazz had led the victim to believe they were in a romantic relationship before he turned physically and sexually violent. He began demanding that the victim engage in commercial sex acts from May to October of 2021, court documents said.
He carried a handgun with him and, on occasion, was accused of using it to pistol-whip the victim. He also fired the gun at her feet while threatening to kill her, prosecutors said.
At trial, the victim said Shabazz demanded that she meet a daily quota of commercial sex proceeds and that she was terrified of the consequences of not meeting that quota.
She testified that Shabazz compelled her to work in the notorious Figueroa Corridor in South L.A., a dangerous area known for human trafficking and prostitution.
Shabazz had confiscated her identification card, Social Security card and birth certificate. He constantly monitored her cell phone to stop her from communicating with any friends or family.
“He also introduced her to addictive narcotics and controlled every aspect of her life, including when she ate, slept and showered,” prosecutors said.
In May 2025, Shabazz was arrested and has remained in federal custody. His last known address at the time was in Washington, D.C.
On June 26, 2026, Shabazz was found guilty of one count of coercing or enticing interstate transportation for purposes of prostitution.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Oct. 6, where he faces 15 years to life in prison.
“Sex trafficking matters rank among the most tragic cases our office prosecutes,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. “This defendant will now face many years in a federal prison cell for his sick, disgusting, and disturbing behavior.”
“Elias Shabazz preyed on a vulnerable victim using physical and sexual violence and cruel psychological coercion to compel commercial sex acts for his own profit,” said Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “There is no place for this type of conduct in civilized society. We deeply respect the victim’s courage to face her trafficker in court. The Criminal Division will continue to bring these cases and try them.”
Anyone with information about human trafficking can report tips to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888
The star-studded feel-good giveback event of the summer has returned. KTLA 5 is teaming up once again with Project Angel Food for the annual “Lead with Love: Going the Distance” telethon to raise critical funds for medically tailored meals delivered to people living with serious illnesses throughout Los Angeles County. The seventh annual telethon airs […]
A woman was hospitalized with serious injuries after she was violently attacked by a robber in downtown Long Beach. On June 18, Jennifer Silva, 34, was attending a World Cup watch party at a Hooters restaurant at 90 Aquarium Way. After the game ended, she left the restaurant just before 11 p.m. As she walked […]
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