Artists For And Against Artificial Intelligence In Hip-Hop
Artificial intelligence has taken Hip-Hop by storm, and has the community divided.
Since the amplification of technology like voice A.I., speechify, and more to the genre, Hip-Hop has seen a rise in A.I. works mimicking the genre’s brightest stars. Fake songs released by The Weeknd, Kanye West, and Jay-Z have found their way online, confusing people about their authenticity. Drake was also a victim of the tool, as his likeness was used in a fake collaboration alongside The Weeknd. While he never made his stance on the matter clear, he seemingly has given his stamp of approval.
Drizzy employed A.I. to mimic 2Pac and Snoop Dogg‘s voices in his “Taylor Made” diss against Kendrick Lamar. The move (and the song) received mixed reviews upon release on Friday (April 19). Most of the criticism was lodged at Drake’s use of A.I. to resurrect a deceased artist and to fake Snoop’s voice, who is still alive. Interestingly enough, “Taylor Made” has brought forth a new debate on ethics in music.
Some OVO stans deflected and argued that it wasn’t any different than Kendrick using deepfake technology in his video for “The Heart Part V.” In the song, Dot raps from various perspectives of Black icons, empathizing with their plights and shortcomings in and around the community. To bring the message home, Lamar assumed the identity of Nipsey Hussle, Will Smith, Kanye West, Kobe Bryant, Jussie Smollet, and OJ Simpson. Lamar stans argued that this use of A.I. was ethical, as he paid homage to misunderstood Black men instead of tearing another man down. It should be noted that throughout the two rap stars’ feud, many fake songs have involved both of their likenesses. But Kendrick and Drake’s beef is just one chapter in the ongoing A.I., Hip-Hop debate.
Artificial intelligence is here, and, much like Drizzy’s A.I., Hip-Hop has mixed reviews. Here is a list of artists for and against artificial intelligence in the genre.
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Capitol Records
Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot. Back in August 2022, Capitol Records did the unimaginable: they created and signed the first A.I. “rapper.” Dubbed FN Meka, the A.I. was coded as a fully digital artist. Meka was a fully 3D, racially ambiguous avatar powered by artificial intelligence. Capitol Records considered this avatar their foray into the metaverse and A.I.
The lines between entertainment and digital Blackface blurred as FN began rolling out music using the N-word. Everything came crashing down after multiple posts were uploaded showing how stereotypical they intended for the A.I. figure to operate. Capitol Records received a multitude of backlash, as fans claimed that FN Meka was a caricature of the Black experience. After numerous petitions, the record label finally “dropped” Meka, discontinuing the A.I. “rapper.”
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Timbaland
Image Credit: Jennings/Getty Images for Revd Timbaland gave a resounding yes to the technology. In May 2023, the iconic producer shared his journey in getting comfortable using A.I. Timbo shared that he was still getting his feet wet with the tech, but had managed to create a new song featuring The Notorious B.I.G. He explained how he used A.I. to finally get that Biggie feature he’s always wanted.
“Alright so, I’m sitting here with my brother, Creatr God, and we know that it’s a lot of talk about AI and we know how the feelings of violating certain things,” Tim explained in the Instagram post. “But let me tell you something: I got a solution, I’m working on it. It’s gon’ be beneficial to everybody…But, in the meantime, I gotta share something I’ve been working on because I always wanted to do this and I never got a chance to. I always wanted to work with Big and I never got a chance to — until today. It came out right! Play!”
The song featured a thumping 808 with a rattling drum sequence that was neither modern nor old school. A.I. Biggie wasn’t using his signature flow. Instead, he was programmed to deliver a modern flow akin to someone like Rick Ross.
Additionally, Timbo told Forbes around this time that he had plans to “commercialize artificial intelligence software.” The legendary producer explained that his goal was to revolutionize the song-making process. He also stated that he wanted to facilitate making money without creators having to dole out as many upfront costs as they currently do to make songs. And, of course, giving artists the opportunity to work with deceased artists.
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Young Guru
Image Credit: YouTube Screenshot. However, Young Guru ain’t feeling A.I.’s Hip-Hop presence.
The same month, Guru responded to Timbo’s love for the software and his plans, calling it “dangerous and corny.” “I love you my brother. You know I do,” the respected engineer wrote. “But this ain’t it!!! This is dangerous and at a basic level it’s corny!! I will be on the side of the Luddites.”
Earlier that year, Guru defiantly stood against A.I. after an artificial Kendrick Lamar song was released. The Roc-A-Fella alum explained that it wasn’t the tech that he was mad at, but of “the evil that men do with the tech.”
“Of course my mind goes to the ethical and legal aspects of what can be done with programs like Tacotron 2. […] It’s not the tech, it’s the evil that men do with the tech. There are legal aspects because at this present moment you can’t copyright a voice.”
“You can copyright a song, or a speech but not the voice itself!!! You can literally create a song or an album in the voice of your favorite musician. And this is just music. The ability to create a Manchurian Candidate scares me. Think about that in every industry. There are still states that don’t even have a law against revenge porn.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CsZ1XLNsxIU
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Tyler The Creator
Image Credit: Segretain/Getty Images Tyler the Creator stated that A.I. should be used for mundane things instead of copying an artist’s likeness. In March 2024, Tyler spoke to De La Soul about the ever-evolving technology. “I think A.I. needs to do the mundane sh*t like figure out the robot to fix these f**king potholes or get this damn smog…Adding snares and drawing? Like, no,” he asserted. “That’s the superpower that we have that keeps things unique and moving forward. Why have a computer do that special power that us as humans have?”
He then opined that focusing on removing cancer from human bodies would be better for A.I. The IGOR artist detailed that people hungry for A.I. in music probably make “generic music that just gets the thumbs-up from everyone who’s in Starbucks.”
“Like, make this ni**a clean up the ground [or] get the cancer cells out of us. Making a beat? Like, no. Stop,” he said. “It might have its perks. And also, I’m always ahead of even myself so the A.I. will never catch up to me creatively. It’ll only have a reference point of what I’ve already did, not where I’m going, because it’s not me. I’m not scared of that.”
Yeah, go ahead and put Tyler down as against A.I.
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Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, And Missy Elliott
Image Credit: McIntyre/Getty Images; Gray-Pool/Getty Images; McCarthy/Getty Images In February 2024, Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Missy Elliott, and almost 300 more artists voiced support for the No AI FRAUD Act. USA Today reported that the new bipartisan Congressional bill, introduced to the U.S. House in January, would help regulate the use of artificial intelligence to clone likenesses and voices. The bill would serve as the initial framework for protecting voices as IP.
The bill gained momentum after the viral fake Drake track, “Heart On My Sleeve” started picking up momentum. The act would bar the use of A.I. to copy the voices of public figures without their consent or approval.
“The No AI FRAUD Act would defend your fundamental human right to your voice & likeness, protecting everyone from nonconsensual deepfakes,” the paper ad reads. “Protect your individuality. Support HR 6943.”
Along with the three ladies, the bill was signed by icons like Q-Tip, Questlove, Jimmy Jam, Jill Scott, Busta Rhymes, Common, Chuck D, Boyz II Men, The Roots, Black Thought, and more.
Courtesy of USA Today
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Beanie Sigel
Image Credit: Turner/Getty Images for A Manny Halley Production Beanie Sigel is all for the technology if it means restoring his original voice.
During an interview with DJ VLAD, the Philadelphia emcee spoke highly of A.I. He viewed it as a tool to assist the vocally impaired like himself. “New project coming soon,” he told the outlet while speaking on his future plans. “I think I found a good friend with this A.I. thing,” he said. “A lot of people frown on A.I., but I think that’s gonna work for me… I’ve had a colorful life, so I’ve been through things that hindered my [voice]… It’s definitely for me.”
“I was talking to somebody and they told me how you program the AI—you run the vocals through this…” he added before noting that his skills as an emcee are still intact. “Y’all want, what they say, the ‘old Beans’ back? ‘Cause the pen’s still there. It’s just the voice. If y’all want that, I’m a shoot y’all something. So I’m gonna use A.I. on myself.”
Beanie suffered from vocal damage shortly after being shot. After his release from prison, The Broad Street Bully was shot in a Pleasantville, New Jersey drive-by in December 2014. He was hit twice in his back during the incident. As a result, he suffered from a collapsed lung.
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Ice Cube
Image Credit: Fewings/Getty Images Ice Cube, on the other hand, does not want any parts in A.I. After hearing the fake Drake and Weeknd track, Cube offered his thoughts on the tech. He explained that he would sue someone if they were to use his voice “illegally.” Cube also insisted that Drizzy sue whoever made the track.
“I don’t wanna hear an A.I. Drake song,” the veteran told the Full Send podcast. “Yeah, I don’t wanna hear that bullsh*t. He should sue whoever made it.”
After the host told him that A.I. was coming for him, the West Coast veteran stated that a lawsuit would be on the way. “And I’m a sue the muthaf**ka who made it and the people and the platform who play it. It’s like a sample. Somebody can’t take your original voice and manipulate it without having to pay…I think A.I. is demonic [and] I think A.I. is going to get a backlash from organic people.”
