Canadian rapper Drake released a song using a fake Tupac vocal. He did the same with Snoop Dogg. Under the threat of legal reprisals, he ended up withdrawing his title, which attacked his rival Kendrick Lamar.
It’s an artistic initiative that didn’t last very long. The song Taylor Made Freestyle by Canadian rapper Drake just disappeared of his social networks. However, it was published very recently, on April 20. Four days later, the song is no longer officially available.
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The reason ? Taylor Made Freestyle contains voices of two rappers generated by artificial intelligence — in this case, those of two hip-hop legends, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur. A technological manipulation which obviously took place without any authorization from either party.
On Instagram, Snoop Dogg had shared his surprise on April 20, without however suggesting that he was going to take legal action Taylor Made Freestyle. On the other hand, reported Billboardthe legal structure responsible for looking after the interests of Tupac – who died in 1996 – sent a formal notice to Drake to withdraw this title.
“ Not only is this record a blatant violation of Tupac's notoriety and the estate's legal rights, but it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. time. The estate would never have given its consent for this use », It is written in the letter.
Saying “ deeply dismayed and disappointed by the unauthorized use of Tupac's voice and personality », However, the legal structure won its case. However, there remains the question of copies of the song, which are now circulating more widely on the Internet. Obtaining its total withdrawal will undoubtedly be in vain.
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Musical rivalry between Drake and Kendrick Lamar
The publication of the song comes amid a heated feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar. Moreover, we call Taylor Made Freestyle a ” diss song » (or “diss track”). This is a song that has the sole purpose of attacking another rapper. The rivalries are indeed virulent sometimes, like tensions between East Coast and West Coast.
Kendrick Lamar is described as being a big fan of Tupac and Snoop Dogg. “The unauthorized and equally appalling use of Tupac's voice against Kendrick Lamar, a good friend of the estate who has had nothing but respect for Tupac and his legacy, publicly and privately, compounds the insult,” we read in the missive.
Using fake voices from Tupac and Snoop Dogg would have been a way for Drake to reach Kendrick Lamar in their feud. More broadly, the lyrics attack Kendrick Lamar himself, but also the singer Taylor Swift – it is not established whether the title is also a reference to the American.
Drake's attitude in this matter is however perceived as hypocritical, points out The Byte. A year ago, a fake AI-made Drake song surfaced and the rapper clearly didn't like it at all. “ This is the straw that breaks AI’s camel’s back “, wrote the singer in a message accompanying a video.