- Tupac Shakur’s estate issues a warning to Drake over unauthorized use of the late rapper’s voice in a diss track targeting Kendrick Lamar.
- Legal action looms as the estate demands removal of Drake’s track, citing infringement of Tupac’s rights and legacy.
- Controversy erupts over Drake’s use of AI-generated vocals in the song, raising questions about intellectual property and publicity rights.
Tensions escalate in the hip-hop world as Tupac Shakur’s estate confronts Drake over his latest diss track. In an exclusive report by Billboard, the estate’s litigator, Howard King, condemns Drake’s use of Tupac’s voice in the track “Taylor Made Freestyle” as a “flagrant violation” and “blatant abuse” of Tupac’s legacy. The estate demands immediate removal of the track, threatening legal action against Drake for his unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality.
Drake’s diss track, released last Friday, has stirred controversy for not only its lyrical content aimed at Kendrick Lamar but also for its use of AI technology to simulate verses from Tupac and Snoop Dogg. The estate’s legal team argues that Drake’s actions infringe upon Tupac’s publicity and legal rights, tarnishing the legacy of one of hip-hop’s greatest artists. Moreover, concerns arise regarding potential copyright infringement related to the AI model used to replicate Tupac’s voice, hinting at a broader legal battle over intellectual property rights.
As the dispute unfolds, attention turns to Snoop Dogg’s stance on the matter, given his voice was also featured in the contentious track. The situation underscores debates within the music industry about the unauthorized use of voice cloning technology and the need for legislative action to address such issues. In California, where Tupac’s estate is based, existing publicity rights laws may provide legal grounds for challenging Drake’s use of Tupac’s voice, highlighting the complexities of protecting artists’ legacies in the digital age.
