The legal battle is over—at least for now.

Drake, who faced backlash from much of the hip-hop community for his legal action against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, has officially withdrawn his petition. The rapper initially accused the companies of “inflating” streaming numbers for Kendrick Lamar’s diss track “Not Like Us,” alleging a conspiracy to ensure the song topped the charts. Speculation over the legitimacy of Drake’s claims and the likelihood of the case proceeding in court has been widespread. However, the saga reached an unexpected conclusion on Tuesday.

On January 14, Drake formally withdrew his petition against UMG and Spotify in New York after a meeting between his legal team and representatives from both companies. The withdrawal reportedly comes without financial penalties for any party. However, it’s worth noting that Drake had also filed a similar petition in Texas, which remains active and unaddressed by his legal team—for now. The decision to drop the New York case has left many fans and industry observers speculating about the reasons behind the move.

No Costs or Penalties for Drake

Drake has withdrawn his petition against UMG & Spotify after they sat down and came to an agreement today in court pic.twitter.com/aL9Iko6HHn

— Akademiks TV (@AkademiksTV) January 15, 2025

Some fans believe Drake may have lacked sufficient evidence to support his claims, while others speculate that an undisclosed agreement was reached to avoid further public scrutiny. The terms of the agreement, if any, have not been disclosed. The sudden resolution is surprising, especially given Drake’s apparent determination to pursue the matter as recently as December.

Spotify previously issued a strong statement denying all allegations made by Drake. “The predicate of Petitioner’s entire request for discovery from Spotify is false,” the company stated. “Spotify and UMG have never had any such arrangement.”

In response, Drake’s legal team pushed back, accusing Spotify of deflection and reaffirming their allegations. “It is not surprising that Spotify is trying to distance themselves from UMG’s allegedly manipulative practices,” they wrote. “If Spotify and UMG have nothing to hide, they should have no issue complying with this basic discovery request.”

With the New York petition withdrawn and the Texas case still unresolved, it remains unclear whether further details about the controversy will come to light. Fans and critics alike are left wondering what truly transpired behind closed doors.

🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨

Suonosphere Exclusive:
Drake withdrew his petition and dismissed the case against UMG and Spotify in the state of New York. The withdrawal says that they met today and have come to an agreement. The Texas case is still pending.

Thoughts?

(credit:… pic.twitter.com/7IZpxpqdXS

— Suonosphere (@suonosphere) January 15, 2025