Botting has been one of the most contentious practices in the entertainment industry, especially within music and streaming. Artists and creators can easily make themselves appear to be bigger than they actually are, though it does come at a cost. According to rapper RBX, this practice allows major artists to inflate their music while cutting down the royalties of other artists.
Per All Hip Hop, he initially filed a lawsuit against Spotify in 2025, but the complaint was dismissed. However, the judge allowed him to file an amended complaint against the company. In the first complaint, RBX specifically cited Drake as an artist who benefited from botting, though he didn't name the Canadian rapper as a defendant. RBX’s amended complaint then alleged that Spotify implemented stricter fraud controls that impacted smaller artists without holding bigger artists to the same standard.
Unfortunately for him, the judge did not agree with his argument. The latest response from the court told RBX that he didn’t actually identify a specific rule that indicated that a double standard existed. Apparently, RBX used the minimum streams and listener requirements that impact smaller artists as an attempt to push his case through.
RBX's Amended Complaint Denied
“That streaming activity on Spotify’s platform may impact [RBX’s] career and status does not transform Spotify’s role into one of a protector,” Judge Staton wrote, claiming that Spotify doesn’t have a special duty to prevent third-party bots from impacting smaller artists, nor does their relationship with major labels and the industry at large make them obliged to protect smaller artists.
Moreover, RBX’s claim that Spotify did hold that responsibility through its anti-fraud initiatives was also rejected by the court. The judge also pointed to the fact that RBX didn’t show that Spotify’s consumers or competitors were harmed, as he claimed he suffered losses as a music rights holder. We will continue to keep you posted on any further updates here.
