Funk Flex believes Drake is “100% right” regarding UMG claims
Funkmaster Flex has shared his opinion on Drake taking legal action against Universal Music Group. Earlier this week, Drizzy’s Frozen Moments company claimed that streams for Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’, the number one single that dissed the Toronto rapper, were illegally boosted.
In the pre-action disclosure, Drake alleged that UMG and unidentified co-conspirators “violated payola laws,” which is the practice of bribing someone in return for the unofficial promotion of a product in the media. The filing claims that UMG “funnelled payments to iHeartRadio and its radio stations as part of a pay-to-play scheme.”
According to the lawsuit, Drake believes he has “sufficient” evidence to pursue a defamation claim but “currently lacks factual support necessary to determine whether he may bring claims of civil fraud and racketeering against UMG.”
Funk Flex, the longtime Hot 97 DJ, has spoken out about payola in the music industry, claiming Drake is “100% right” regarding artists paying for radio play. Flex added that he’s never accepted a payment from an artist to promote their music or certify a song with his iconic bomb.
“Drake is 100% right!” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “National play! (Per song) Drake don’t $ for play! Pop / CHR radio: $350k. Urban radio: $250K. Mix Show: $100K. Local Mix Show director: $40K. Local DJ: $3K-5K per song! (DJs on the radio 5 days a week). This is why independent artists don’t rise to the top! All you artist know I ain’t never take a dime from you, your manager or your labels! (Bomb has no price).”
Funk Flex has no specific loyalty to Drake. In 2016, Drizzy accused Hot 97 of “telling lies” and told the radio station to “fire Funk Flex” during a freestyle at Madison Square Garden.
“First of all, Drake, I’m not really worried about you making me lose my job,” Flex said on his show. “70% of your fans wear high heels. The other 30% are guys who wear sandals. I’m not concerned about you. I don’t know if you noticed, but everything is built on top 5 … If you have help on your music and on your bars to compete for that top 5 movement, that is an issue to me.”