Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us" Hit by Bot Streaming Scandal
- culturenowhiphop
- Nov 30, 2025
- 5 min read
The Unfolding Bot Streaming Scandal Surrounding Kendrick Lamar's "Not Like Us"
The scandal erupted in the wake of the high-profile 2024 rap feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake, where Lamar's diss track "Not Like Us" (released May 4, 2024) became a cultural juggernaut, topping the Billboard Hot 100 for multiple weeks, amassing over 1 billion Spotify streams, and breaking records as the most-streamed hip-hop song in a single day (12.8 million on Spotify). The track's explosive success—fueled by viral TikTok dances, radio airplay, and live performances like Lamar's Juneteenth "Pop Out" concert—drew immediate scrutiny from Drake's camp and online skeptics, who alleged artificial inflation via streaming bots. These automated scripts simulate human plays to boost metrics, a practice that's illegal under platform policies and can violate RICO statutes if orchestrated systematically.
Initial rumors surfaced in June 2024 during a DJ Akademiks livestream, where an anonymous underage caller (claiming to be "Anthony Saleh," though unverified) alleged he was hired by Lamar's team to deploy bots, providing purported payment receipts as "proof." Akademiks amplified this, speculating bots explained the song's rapid ascent, dismissing organic hype as implausible for a "niche diss track." Spotify quickly refuted the claims in July 2024, with an insider telling Akademiks the streams were "real," leading to fan backlash against the podcaster for lacking evidence. Despite this, the narrative persisted on X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, with Drake fans pointing to sudden listener spikes and "suspicious" comment patterns (e.g., repetitive "they not like us" phrases) as bot indicators. Kendrick supporters countered that the song's ubiquity—at NBA games, clubs, and protests—proved genuine demand, calling accusations sour grapes from a "lost" beef.
The scandal escalated legally in late 2024 when Drake's company, Frozen Moments LLC, filed petitions accusing Universal Music Group (UMG)—which distributes both artists—of orchestrating the botting to sabotage Drake amid their feud. UMG denied involvement, calling the claims "absurd" and emphasizing fan-driven success. By August 2025, Drake subpoenaed witnesses like streamer Asamoah for bot-related documents, but the case faltered. In October 2025, a federal judge dismissed it, ruling Lamar's lyrics were "rhetorical hyperbole" (protected opinion, not defamation) and that "a small sample of user experiences... fails to establish a plausible inference that UMG manipulated listeners." Spotify's VP affirmed in December 2024 filings that no bot evidence existed, citing robust detection systems that remove artificial streams from charts. As of December 2025, the allegations remain unproven, with ongoing X debates (e.g., Akademiks alleging "Indian bot farms" posing as Compton locals) keeping the fire alive, though courts and platforms have effectively debunked widespread manipulation.
The "UMG Manipulation Petition"
This refers to the November 25, 2024, pre-action petition filed by Frozen Moments LLC in New York Supreme Court against UMG and Spotify, alleging a "scheme" to artificially boost "Not Like Us" at Drake's expense. The 100+ page document claimed UMG, motivated by "corporate greed" to profit from Lamar's Interscope deal (vs. Drake's Republic imprint), used:
Bots and payola: Illegal payments to radio promoters for airplay and bot farms to inflate streams (e.g., licensing the track to Spotify at a 30% discount for algorithmic prioritization).
Tech collusion: Paying Apple to rig Siri to redirect Drake searches to Lamar's song.
Suppression tactics: Firing Drake-loyal employees and ignoring his pleas to halt promotion.
Drake sought discovery (documents, communications) to prove RICO violations, arguing the scheme cost him millions in lost streams and reputation (e.g., the song's pedophilia accusations). UMG countered that fans "choose the music they want," dismissing it as a "misguided attempt to salve [Drake's] wounds" from losing the beef. Spotify called claims "far-fetched" in December 2024, investing "heavily" in anti-bot tech like stream removal and royalty penalties.
The petition was voluntarily withdrawn in January 2025 after a "meet and confer" with parties, evolving into a full defamation suit against UMG (filed January 2025). UMG moved to dismiss in March 2025, arguing diss tracks thrive on "outrageous insults" and that Drake's own bars (e.g., unproven domestic violence claims against Lamar) undermined his case. The suit was dismissed in October 2025 for lack of evidence, with Judge Vargas noting no "plausible inference" of manipulation. A separate Texas petition alleging defamation in the song's release persists but has seen no major developments by December 2025. The filing spotlighted broader industry payola issues but ultimately reinforced that "Not Like Us" success was organic.
The Unique "Compton Jury Twist"
This phrase appears to blend two symbolic elements from the scandal's cultural and legal layers, evoking a "trial by public jury" in Compton (Lamar's hometown) with a ironic, biased "twist." It stems from the July 4, 2024, music video shoot for "Not Like Us," filmed at Compton landmarks like the courthouse and City Hall. Over 1,000 locals joined as extras, turning it into a block-party "victory lap" celebrating West Coast culture—complete with krump dancers, Tommy the Clown, and murals rejecting "colonizers" (a Drake jab). The video broke YouTube's hip-hop debut record (37 million views in 24 hours) but sparked a "twist": Local businesses (e.g., Alma's Place soul food spot) lost thousands in revenue from unnotified street closures, leading to city backlash and Akademiks' amplification as "Kendrick chaos." Owners defended Lamar, accusing media of "twisting words," but it fueled bot narratives—e.g., Akademiks claiming "fake Compton fans" (alleged Indian bots) propped up the hype.
Legally, the "jury" evokes the 2025 defamation trial's dismissal, where the court acted as an impartial "jury" rejecting Drake's claims. The "Compton twist" uniquely ties to fan discourse: X users mocked Drake stans as outsiders "judging" from afar, while Lamar's video positioned Compton as a cultural "jury" vindicating him (e.g., empty chair symbolizing gender imbalance in hip-hop, per fan breakdowns). By 2025, it became shorthand for the irony—Drake's Toronto-based suit vs. Lamar's grassroots "Compton court" of fans and history—highlighting authenticity debates in the feud.
The Heated "Chart Debate" and Questions Over Streaming Integrity
The scandal ignited a fierce 2025 debate on streaming's legitimacy, pitting "organic vs. manipulated" camps and exposing hip-hop's reliance on metrics amid corporate influence. Fans and insiders clashed on X and Reddit: Drake supporters (e.g., Akademiks) argued bots explained "Not Like Us" outpacing Drake's "Family Matters" (230 million fewer streams despite simultaneous drops), calling it a UMG "hit job" to deny Drake a $1B deal. Kendrick fans dismissed this as cope, citing visible ubiquity (e.g., Celtics championship chants, Super Bowl performance drawing record TV viewers) and Spotify's audits. Industry voices like RBX's class-action suit against Spotify (alleging 37 billion fraudulent Drake streams from 2022–2025) broadened it, questioning VPN-masked bots and opaque algorithms.
Aspect | Pro-Botting Argument (Drake Side) | Anti-Botting Counter (Kendrick Side) | Industry Impact |
Evidence | Sudden spikes (e.g., 900M Spotify streams); "bot-like" comments; Akademiks' "whistleblower." | Court dismissal (no "plausible inference"); Spotify's real-time detection; organic virality (TikTok, radio). | Exposed payola risks; platforms like Spotify withholding royalties for fakes. |
Cultural Angle | "Forced" popularity; foreign bots posing as Compton locals undermines hip-hop gatekeeping. | Beef hype + cultural resonance (Compton video, West Coast unity) drove real engagement. | Debates authenticity: Diss tracks as "hyperbole" vs. corporate sabotage. |
Metrics Fallout | Listener drops post-allegations (e.g., Kendrick's monthlys fell 500K in Sept 2025, blamed on bot purges). | "Not Like Us" held #1 for 13 weeks; GNX album (2025) charted 12 tracks without promo. | Streaming payouts questioned—artists like Corrochano lost visibility to untraceable bots. |
Fan Divide | "UMG rigged charts for profits"; irony in Kendrick's "culture vulture" bars if botted. | "Sour grapes"—Drake provoked beef, lost fairly; bots narrative ignores pre-feud averages. | Polarized hip-hop: Trust eroded, with calls for transparent audits. |
The debate questions streaming's soul: Are charts fan votes or corporate plays? By December 2025, it lingers as a cautionary tale—Lamar's track won five Grammys (including Song of the Year over Lady Gaga's "Die With a Smile"), but skeptics decry "bot-boosted" wins. UMG's dismissal as "offensive" underscores tensions, while fans grapple with whether metrics truly measure merit or just money.
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