Whelp, we now know where Jim Jones stands in the Drake UMG conversation. The Harlem native is on record backing Drake’s recent legal maneuvers against Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, calling them a strategic “power move.” Boom.
The We Fly High rapper and businessman shared his thoughts during an appearance on Respectfully: The Justin Laboy Show, offering a fresh perspective on Drake’s petitions that have been mistaken by many for lawsuits.
Drake, the most streamed artist ever, filed petitions in November against UMG and Spotify, accusing the two media giants of orchestrating a scheme to “artificially inflate” the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s diss track, “Not Like Us.” The petition alleges that UMG and Spotify used tactics like “bots” and “payola” to boost the song’s success, which Drake views as an underhanded move to elevate Lamar’s career. The situation escalated further when Drake filed a second petition, accusing UMG of defamation after Lamar’s claim that Drake and his OVO crew are “certified pdphil*s.”
Despite the controversy surrounding the case, if you want to call it that, Jim Jones doesn’t view Drake’s actions as an attack on his credibility, particularly in the street rap scene. On the show, Jones explained that filing these petitions was a calculated business decision, not a reflection of Drake’s image as a “street person.” “There’s a lot of things that go on with somebody doing a power move like that,” Jones said. “Any time a person like that does some sh*t that he knows…it ain’t just small fries.” He added that on social media, things often appear smaller than they truly are. “When you dealing with social media, people make everything seem smaller than what it is…they quick to say whatever.”
Get this, Jones went on to emphasize that Drake has never portrayed himself as a street figure, so his legal actions shouldn’t be linked to street credibility. “Him doing that with business is no reflection of the streets, and he doesn’t feel, to me, like he is a street person like that,” Jones said. “But I think that’s two different things. That’s straight business and sh*t like that.”
He further clarified that he didn’t see the legal filings as any different from the numerous lawsuits other celebrities or businesses pursue. THAT PART.
“I didn’t hear him saying he was suing Kendrick Lamar,” Jones pointed out, adding that suing major corporations like AT&T or Pepsi is common practice in the business world. “I seen people sue AT&T and Pepsi and get a bag for it! People win lawsuits all the time against companies and nobody hold that against them… is it any different than him suing Wal-Mart? I really don’t care either or, but thinking about what it is, like c’mon man, ni**as sue people for dollars all the time.”
Obviously, Drake’s petitions have stirred up a great deal of conversation in the hip-hop community. Some industry figures, like DJ Funkmaster Flex, have expressed support for Drake, claiming he is “100% right” in his stance against industry payola. However, others believe the legal actions stem from Drake’s frustration over losing the battle to Lamar, especially in light of the success of “Not Like Us.”
Drake’s case against UMG and Spotify has become a significant talking point in the music world, raising questions about the lengths to which artists will go to protect their brand, especially in the face of competition and perceived industry manipulation.
Let’s see if anyone else wants to weigh in with their two cents because the Capo has spoken.
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