Tupac Shakur’s estate has issued a threat to sue Drake over his recent Kendrick Lamar diss track, claiming that the alleged use of an artificial intelligence-generated version of the late rapper’s voice is a significant misuse of his legacy.
Drake debuted the track, Taylor Made Freestyle, on his Instagram page, using AI software to create verses mimicking both Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg.
Howard King, a lawyer representing Shakur’s estate, sent a cease-and-desist letter demanding that Drake remove the track from all public platforms, citing a violation of Shakur’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights.
The letter emphasized that the estate would never have consented to this use, emphasizing that the track’s release without authorization violates Shakur’s right to publicity.
Shakur’s estate is seeking damages, including all profits from the record, claiming that Drake’s actions have caused substantial economic and reputational harm.
The track’s lyrics, performed by AI-generated voices resembling Shakur and Snoop Dogg, take jabs at Kendrick Lamar, sparking controversy within the hip-hop community.
Drake’s response to Lamar’s initial diss track, Like That, included Push Ups followed by Taylor Made Freestyle, escalating the ongoing feud.
The use of AI tools in music creation has raised ethical concerns, prompting over 200 artists to demand a pledge against undermining human artistry in songwriting and production.
This incident involving Drake and Tupac Shakur’s estate highlights the growing challenges in the music industry regarding the use of AI-generated content and intellectual property rights.
