Russ, the outspoken, independent artist, has once again shared his candid thoughts on the music industry, this time addressing fraudulent streaming practices. With Drake’s ongoing legal battle involving Universal Music Group (UMG) and Spotify, Russ weighed in on how major labels and streaming platforms navigate this contentious issue.
On Friday (Dec. 20), Russ took to Twitter, writing, “Spotify knows who’s faking their streams, but they’ll never [in my opinion] publicly call out major labels. The potential backlash could be severe. Labels might pull their biggest artists from Spotify, which would hurt Spotify’s value and appeal to subscribers.”
He elaborated, suggesting that Spotify opts for quieter measures to address the issue.
“They punish offenders behind the scenes—removing fake streams and taking songs off playlists—because they prioritize maintaining relationships with major labels. Publicly outing labels would backfire, leaving Spotify at the mercy of those same labels. It’s a lose-lose situation for everyone involved.”
Russ’s remarks came amid statements from Spotify and UMG about their legal proceedings with Drake. On the same day, Spotify refuted allegations of preferential treatment, denying any agreements with UMG to lower licensing rates in exchange for boosting specific tracks. A representative stated, “UMG and Spotify have never had any arrangement involving discounted rates for ‘Not Like Us’ or its promotion to users searching for other songs or artists.”
Fraudulent streaming has become a hot topic, particularly after Drake filed legal petitions addressing these practices. While Russ’s critiques often polarize fans, many seem to agree with his take on the strained dynamics between streaming platforms and record labels.
Meanwhile, Drake’s legal challenges appear to have stalled his musical output. Following his much-publicized rap battle with Kendrick Lamar, Drake has remained largely silent on new releases.
Among the delayed projects is his anticipated collaborative album with OVO labelmate PARTYNEXTDOOR. The R&B-inspired record, which has been teased for months, still lacks a release date, leaving fans eager but uncertain about what’s next.
As discussions about stream manipulation and industry accountability continue, Russ remains a vocal advocate for transparency, challenging the norms of an industry that often favors silence over scrutiny.
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