The estate of Tupac Shakur has threatened to sue Drake over his recent Kendrick Lamar diss track, which features an artificial intelligence-generated version of Shakur’s voice. In a cease-and-desist letter, the estate’s attorney requested that Drake remove the track from all platforms where it is publicly available. The letter states that the use of Shakur’s likeness without consent violates his right to publicity and represents a blatant abuse of the late rapper’s legacy. Shakur’s estate is seeking damages for the economic and reputational harm caused by the track.
The track, titled “Taylor Made Freestyle,” is Drake’s latest diss track against Kendrick Lamar, following a feud between the two rappers. The release of the track has sparked controversy and raised ethical questions regarding the use of AI tools in the music industry. More than 200 artists have signed an open letter calling for AI developers, tech companies, and digital music services to pledge not to undermine or replace the human artistry of songwriters and artists through the use of AI-generated music. The letter also references a previous incident where a song featuring unauthorized AI emulations of Drake was taken down from streaming services.
The cease-and-desist letter from Shakur’s estate highlights the unauthorized use of Shakur’s voice in the track against Kendrick Lamar, who has publicly shown respect for Shakur’s legacy. The estate stresses that it would not have approved the use of Shakur’s likeness in this manner and seeks to hold Drake accountable for the infringement on Shakur’s intellectual property rights. The estate has given Drake until noon on Thursday to confirm his cooperation in removing the track, or else they will pursue legal action against him.
The diss track features AI-generated verses emulating both Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, taking jabs at Kendrick Lamar in response to his previous diss track against Drake and fellow rapper J. Cole. The lyrics, performed by AI-generated voices, reference Lamar’s hesitance to respond to the controversy and question his strategic moves in the ongoing feud. The use of AI technology to replicate the voices of real artists has facilitated the creation of new music, but it also raises concerns about the integrity of human artistry in the industry.
The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has escalated with the release of diss tracks targeting each other. Drake’s use of AI technology in “Taylor Made Freestyle” has drawn backlash from Shakur’s estate for exploiting the late rapper’s legacy without authorization. The implications of AI-generated music on original artist rights and creative ownership continue to be a subject of debate in the music industry. As the estate of Tupac Shakur takes legal action against Drake for the unauthorized use of Shakur’s voice, the controversy highlights the need for ethical guidelines and boundaries in the use of AI technology in music production.
