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DJ Akademiks claims UMG, Sony Music and other major record labels in Turkey have been raided over accusations of bribery
.Media personality DJ Akademiks recently claimed that the offices of various major record labels, including Universal Music Group (UMG) and Sony Music, have been raided in Turkey over accusations of bribery.
The allegations stem from claims that major record labels were paying individuals to secure Spotify playlist placement, thereby boosting the artists on their labels.
On September 2, 2025, DJ Akademiks took to his alternate X account @AkademiksTV to post about these claims, writing:
“Offices of Universal Music Group and Sony Music as well as other major record labels in Turkey have been raided for accusations of bribery regarding labels paying individuals for Spotify playlist placements. A certain North American artist from the west coast is also being investigated.”
Offices of Universal Music Group and Sony Music as well as other major record labels in Turkey have been raided for accusations of bribery regarding labels paying individuals for Spotify playlist placements. A certain North American artist from the west coast is also being investigated
Notably, these accusations followed Canadian rapper Drake’s defamation lawsuit against UMG, filed in January 2025. In the lawsuit, the rapper claimed that the record label made several “illegal payments” or “payola” to boost Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us on radio stations such as iHeartMedia, amid their rap beef in 2024.
Drake first brought attention to the alleged payola when he filed two petitions against UMG, Spotify, and iHeartMedia in November 2024, accusing the three of colluding to “artificially inflate” the streams and plays for Not Like Us.
The petition stated that UMG allegedly:
“Engaged in conduct designed to artificially inflate the popularity of ‘Not Like Us’…including by licensing the song at drastically reduced rates to Spotify and using ‘bots’ to generate the false impression that the song was more popular than it was in reality.”
Drake withdrew the petitions in January 2025, only to file the defamation lawsuit against UMG days later.
Loren Lorosa also reported on the alleged raids at UMG and Sony Music’s offices in Turkey
There have been no official reports about the alleged raids at UMG and Sony Music’s offices in Turkey. However, The Breakfast Club‘s Loren Lorosa also reported on the same in her recent X post, claiming that she received information from a source about the alleged raids.
In her X post, she alleged that the FBI was investigating a similar issue in North America, writing:
“Just spoke to a source who confirmed to me— that the offices of Universal, Sony and other major record labels were recently raided in Turkey as a result of bribery allegations regarding artists on those labels paying off individuals for Spotify playlist placement. All of this has led to an investigation in North America about artists using similar tactics. I’m told the FBI is investigating.”
Just spoke to a source who confirmed to me— that the offices of Universal, Sony and other major record labels were recently raided in Turkey as a result of bribery allegations regarding artists on those labels paying off individuals for Spotify playlist placement. All of this has led to an investigation in North America about artists using similar tactics. I’m told the FBI is investigating.
Meanwhile, a Digital Music News article dated August 12, 2025, reported that Spotify had launched an investigation into playlist bribery allegations in Turkey.
The investigation began after several independent Turkish artists allegedly complained about “unfair visibility” on Spotify playlists for certain artists in return for bribes. Additionally, the complaint also included allegations of using “bots” to boost streams.
Furthermore, it was reported that Spotify has launched an internal inquiry into its editors in Turkey to determine whether some artists are being boosted in exchange for bribes. The inquiry is also investigating accusations of discrimination against independent artists and unfair royalties distribution. The report did not mention any record label or artists by name.
The Turkish Competition Authority launched an official investigation into the issue on July 4, 2025. Meanwhile, a Spotify spokesperson stated that all company operations “comply with legal requirements,” adding:
“We are cooperating with the investigation, are actively seeking to understand it, and will work toward a swift, constructive resolution with the Turkish Competition Authority.”
In other news, Drake’s lawyers recently alleged that UMG’s chief executive, Lucian Grainge, had a “role in and knowledge of the scheme to defame and harass” the Canadian rapper following the release of Not Like Us.
In the motion filed on August 12, 2025, Drake’s legal team stated that the rapper:
“Now also has reason to believe that Grainge was personally involved in decisions made regarding the marketing and promotion of [Not Like Us] around its release … Given that plaintiff has alleged Grainge to be one of the individuals at UMG who acted with actual malice, plaintiff is entitled to seek discovery into Grainge’s files for the purpose of proving Grainge’s actual malice.”
The motion requested that the judge order UMG to “collect, review, and produce” all documents relevant to Grainge.
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