The estate of the late rapper Tupac Shakur is suing rapper Drake for using an AI-generated voice of 2Pac in his diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar. In a letter to Drake, the estate’s lawyer alleges the use of the AI voice is a major infringement of the artist’s rights and has demanded Drake remove the song from social media where he posted it last week.
Drake’s song, titled “Deep Fakes,” uses an AI replica of 2Pac’s voice to rap against Kendrick Lamar. The song has been met with mixed reactions, with some fans praising Drake’s creativity while others criticize the use of the AI voice as disrespectful to Tupac’s memory.
Tupac Shakur’s estate claims they were not granted permission to use 2Pac’s voice in the song and argue its use was done without their authorization. They further argue that the use of the AI voice is misleading and constitutes a violation of the artist’s rights.
Drake has not yet responded to the allegations. It’s possible this lawsuit could raise difficult questions about the use of artificial intelligence in music and artist rights. Is it okay to use an AI replica of a deceased artist’s voice to create new music? Who owns the rights to an artist’s voice? These are just some of the questions a court would have to address in this case.
This lawsuit highlights the new challenges emerging in the age of artificial intelligence. As AI technology continues to develop, it will be crucial to establish clear boundaries around how it can be used, especially when it comes to creative rights and copyright ownership.
