The controversy began after a whistleblower made some serious allegations. A stream botter, allegedly connected to “Not Like Us,” received a down payment of $2500 for 30 million streams. This has colored the situation with intrigue and suspicion, mainly since the whistleblower claims there were threats from anonymous individuals. This element of danger and apparent urgency is what fans the public interest and the guessing of whether or not the streams for that track are genuine.
DJ Akademiks, one of those influential in the world of hip-hop and a valued commentator, spoke to someone close to Spotify about the botting allegations. Where, according to him, the source has said that the streaming numbers have been valid for the song “Not Like Us”. This came as a huge twist in the story considering Akademiks’ clout and credibility in such matters against the whistleblower allegations.
Nevertheless, “Not Like Us” did have a milestone. The diss track broke Spotify’s single-day streaming record, having more than 6.59 million streams in the USA compared to Drake’s previous record. This, of course, isn’t surprising since there was a back-and-forth exchange with Kendrick Lamar and Drake, both releasing diss tracks. These record-breaking streams will only enhance that glow on Kendrick, another notch in the storied rivalry of two titans of rap.
With such happenings, some of the fans have speculated that these very high numbers in streaming could have been exaggerated. Speculations have been made on the basis of the dramatic nature of allegations alongside the competitive atmosphere between Kendrick and Drake. Confirmation from Spotify through DJ Akademiks has, however, been used to ensure that the streaming numbers are valid. This is important, especially with Spotify trying to prove to its users about its credibility in the metrics on the platform.
Akademiks says Spotify denied his ‘Not Like Us’ botting rumors 👀
“I talked to my man from Spotify. […] Them Kendrick streams is real.” PIC.TWITTER.COM/R4RZVDGAP3
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) JULY 8, 2024
So, to a greater understanding of what the streaming numbers and botting accusations mean, one needs to place the whole thing under a broad context of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake beef. In that case, this is the older sibling rivalry between the two, where both released diss tracks and then some public spats as recent as last week. Kendrick’s “Not Like Us” and responses by Drake started the beef up again, getting much attention from fans and media alike. Against this background of competition and conflict, what we have here is a very rich narrative framework for the current controversy.
The controversy over Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” is all history with accusations, denials, and record-breaking successes. Stream botting, as an issue that encircles the music industry in a state of dynamism, will likely be pocketed in the future with the validity of the streaming numbers of Kendrick Lamar’s piece. For now, Kendrick Lamar’s track remains a statement on his sway and how he elicits such strong responses from both fans and detractors.
