Drake’s recent dissident track aimed at Kendrick Lamar has landed the rapper in trouble. Tupac Shakur’s estate is threatening legal action over the unauthorized use of an AI-generated version of the late rapper’s voice.
In a cease-and-desist letter obtained by various media outlets, Howard King, a litigator representing Tupac’s estate, called Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” a “flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights.” The letter asks Drake to remove the trace within 24 hours or face legal consequences.
“Obvious abuse of inheritance,” the letter says. The letter says the estate is “deeply dismayed and disappointed” by Drake’s unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality, calling it a “blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the world’s greatest hip-hop artists.” all the time.”
“The estate would never have approved of this use,” King wrote, adding that the use of Tupac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, whom the estate considers a friend who respected Tupac’s legacy, “adds insult to injury.”
Drake’s diss about Kendrick Lamar featured AI-generated vocals from Tupac and Snoop Dogg. “Taylor Made Freestyle,” released April 19, was Drake’s latest salvo in his ongoing feud with Kendrick Lamar. The track featured AI-generated vocals designed to sound like Tupac and Snoop Dogg shooting Lamar.
In addition to possible violations of publicity rights, King’s letter also suggests that the AI model used to create the Tupac chants may have violated copyrights by “training” on existing recordings of the rapper’s music.
Although Snoop Dogg has not publicly commented on the issue, the Tupac estate’s response suggests that unauthorized use of an artist’s likeness could have legal consequences.
Drake’s history with AIAI has repeatedly imitated the voices of deceased artists such as Tupac and Freddie Mercury, and even the living artists such as Taylor Swift and Kanye have spoken out against interpreting other artists’ songs.
Ironically, Drake has spoken out against AI-generated music before, most notably in the case of the viral song “Heart on My Sleeve,” which featured an AI-generated version of his voice. However, his use of AI-generated vocals on “Taylor Made Freestyle” seems at odds with his previous stance.
In a cease-and-desist letter obtained by various media outlets, Howard King, a litigator representing Tupac’s estate, called Drake’s “Taylor Made Freestyle” a “flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights.” The letter asks Drake to remove the trace within 24 hours or face legal consequences.
“Obvious abuse of inheritance,” the letter says. The letter says the estate is “deeply dismayed and disappointed” by Drake’s unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality, calling it a “blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the world’s greatest hip-hop artists.” all the time.”
“The estate would never have approved of this use,” King wrote, adding that the use of Tupac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, whom the estate considers a friend who respected Tupac’s legacy, “adds insult to injury.”
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In addition to possible violations of publicity rights, King’s letter also suggests that the AI model used to create the Tupac chants may have violated copyrights by “training” on existing recordings of the rapper’s music.
Although Snoop Dogg has not publicly commented on the issue, the Tupac estate’s response suggests that unauthorized use of an artist’s likeness could have legal consequences.
Drake’s history with AIAI has repeatedly imitated the voices of deceased artists such as Tupac and Freddie Mercury, and even the living artists such as Taylor Swift and Kanye have spoken out against interpreting other artists’ songs.
Ironically, Drake has spoken out against AI-generated music before, most notably in the case of the viral song “Heart on My Sleeve,” which featured an AI-generated version of his voice. However, his use of AI-generated vocals on “Taylor Made Freestyle” seems at odds with his previous stance.
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