Tupac Shakur’s estate threatens to sue Drake over AI vocals
The estate of Tupac Shakur has issued a cease and desist letter to Drake, demanding the removal of "Taylor Made Freestyle," a diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar that includes a verse from an AI-generated version of Tupac.
Rolling Stone reported it had obtained the letter, sent by the estate's lawyer Howard King on Wednesday. It claims that Drake's use of AI Tupac was unauthorised and violates Tupac's publicity and the estate's legal rights.
The letter also states that the use of AI Tupac is disrespectful to Shakur's legacy and threatens legal action if the song is not removed within 24 hours.
The lawyer noted that the song received over one million streams and sparked daily media coverage across major national press outlets and entertainment websites.
King also expressed the estate's disapproval of using Tupac's vocals to disrespect Kendrick Lamar, who is described as a close friend to the estate and someone who has consistently shown respect for Tupac and his legacy.
Snoop Dogg, whose AI-generated vocals are also included in the track, shared a lighthearted response on Instagram, expressing his surprise at hearing himself in the song.