Lots of people who’ve never heard of Lil Durk are discovering that Spotify has identified him as their preferred musical artist

Every year, Spotify Wrapped offers users a nostalgic look back at their musical journey, showcasing their most-listened-to artists and songs. However, this year’s Wrapped experience took an unexpected turn for some users who found their lists dominated by Lil Durk, a Chicago-based drill rapper, raising suspicions of a hacking campaign.

The confusion originated from a reported hacking incident in May, coinciding with the release of Lil Durk’s eighth album, “Almost Healed.” While the album received mixed reviews, it secured a notable third position on the Billboard charts, with an impressive 167 million streams, surpassing other chart-toppers.

 

Around the same time, users reported unauthorized access to their Spotify accounts, with Lil Durk’s music taking over their playlists. Complaints flooded platforms like Reddit and Spotify’s community forums, where users expressed concern about the sudden prominence of Lil Durk in their listening history.

One user on Spotify’s forum shared their experience, suspecting a hack and expressing frustration: “I think someone might have hacked into my account or there was a glitch, but now all I see is Lil Durk on my profile. I changed my password and logged out of all devices, but that still doesn’t change the fact that he is still everywhere.”

 

Jackson Garrett, host of Off$hore and VICE’s actual accountant, also fell victim to the apparent hack. Garrett recounted the unsettling discovery: “I went to start some music one morning in May and noticed all my most recent listens were Lil Durk. I knew it wasn’t me, and it freaked me out.”

Despite Garrett’s efforts to secure his account, the hacker managed to accumulate significant Lil Durk plays in a short time, ultimately influencing Garrett’s 2023 Wrapped results.

The peculiar aspect of this alleged hack lies in its subtlety, as it operated under the radar without obvious signs of social engineering. Spotify has yet to respond to inquiries about the incident, leaving users puzzled and seeking clarification.

For affected users like Garrett, the unexpected dominance of Lil Durk in their Spotify Wrapped summaries brought disappointment and frustration. The incident serves as a reminder of the potential vulnerabilities in online platforms, prompting concerns about the security of personal accounts and data.