Recording artist RBX, once a member of Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and Death Row Records, has filed a class-action lawsuit against streaming giant Spotify, accusing the platform of knowingly allowing “billions of fraudulent streams” that allegedly benefited Canadian rapper Drake.

According to Pitchfork, the lawsuit, filed with RBX listed as the lead plaintiff, claims that Spotify ignored widespread manipulation by streaming bots that artificially inflated stream counts. The legal filing alleges that the company profited from the inflated numbers while depriving smaller and independent artists of fair compensation.

The lawsuit contends that Spotify turned a blind eye to unethical practices in order to maintain relationships with top-charting artists and record labels. By doing so, the platform allegedly participated in “a pattern of deceptive and unfair conduct” that undermines the integrity of the music industry and the fairness of artist payouts.

RBX, best known for his work on Dr. Dre’s The Chronic and Snoop Dogg’s Doggystyle, has long been a respected figure in West Coast hip-hop. His decision to take legal action underscores growing frustration among artists who feel streaming services prioritize profits over fairness and transparency.

The lawsuit comes at a time when Spotify and other streaming platforms are under intense scrutiny for their royalty structures and data integrity. While the company has not yet commented on RBX’s claims, the case could have far-reaching implications for the future of digital music and the ongoing debate over artist rights in the streaming era.

If proven true, the allegations could shake the foundation of how music performance metrics are tracked and monetized across the industry, and potentially redefine accountability for platforms that dominate today’s music landscape.