Rapper RBX Says Bots Boosted Drake’s Plays in New Spotify Lawsuit
- Class action accuses Spotify of overlooking bot-generated Drake streams from 2022-2025.
- Complaint says inflated counts raised advertising revenue and cut into other artists’ royalties.
- Spotify states its fraud-detection tools remove illegitimate plays and that it gains no benefit.
The Allegations
According to a filing in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, unnamed actors allegedly operated fake Spotify accounts that repeatedly streamed tracks by Canadian rapper Drake. RBX, a veteran West Coast artist known for collaborations with Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre, claims the automated activity generated billions of plays between 2022 and 2025.
The complaint does not accuse Drake of any misconduct. Instead, it alleges Spotify was aware of the artificial streams, allowed them to continue, and ultimately benefited because higher listener figures can attract additional advertising dollars and bolster platform metrics.
Impact on Royalties
Spotify distributes revenue from a shared royalty pool, allocating payments according to each track’s share of total streams. RBX argues that the bot-inflated numbers distorted this calculation, diverting what he estimates as “hundreds of millions of dollars” away from smaller artists and labels.
Spotify’s Response
Statements cited in the lawsuit indicate Spotify “does not benefit from fake streams” and uses in-house systems to identify and remove fraudulent activity. As of publication, the company has yet to submit its formal response to the court.
Next Steps
The proposed class action seeks damages for all affected rights holders and asks the court to require stronger anti-fraud measures. Observers note the case could influence how streaming platforms verify play counts and calculate royalties across the industry.