Tupac Shakur’s estate has issued a stern warning to rapper Drake, threatening to take him to court for using an AI-generated version of the late rapper’s voice on a diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar, TMZ reports.
Howard King, the attorney for Tupac’s estate, criticized Drake for the AI verse on “Taylor Made Freestyle” in a cease-and-desist letter that TMZ obtained, saying, “Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.”
The estate stressed that they would never have approved the use of Tupac’s voice in this way and threatened Drake with legal action unless he removed the track within 24 hours and provided an explanation of its creation.
If an amicable resolution is not possible, Tupac’s lawyers have the authority to “pursue all of its legal remedies”.
In Drake’s controversial track, an AI-generated Tupac can be heard rapping, “Kendrick, we need you, the West Coast savior. Engraving your name in some hip-hop history. If you deal with this viciously, You seem a little nervous about all the publicity.”
The diss track also featured AI-generated vocals from Snoop Dogg, who reacted to the song on Instagram, quipping, “They did what? When? How? Are you sure? Y’all have a good night.”
Tupac’s brother, Mopreme Shakur, also expressed his disapproval, telling TMZ that Drake’s use of Tupac’s voice as a weapon in a rap battle did not sit well with him.
Credit: TMZ
