Tyga’s AI-assisted album receives zero-star Pitchfork review, lowest score in 19 years

Tyga’s ninth studio album, $TARFACE, has received a zero-star review from Pitchfork, marking the publication’s first rating of its kind in nearly two decades.

The album received the rare score in a review by Drew Millard, who delivered a strongly negative assessment of the project. The review marks the lowest possible rating from the music publication.

Millard described $TARFACE as a “piece of sh*t” that “places the listener in their own personal [David] Cronenberg film.” He also characterised the album as “smug and complacent”.

In a post on X, Millard later wrote, “All I can say is: Tyga, you really earned it.”

Tyga has previously confirmed that artificial intelligence was used during the album’s production.

In an interview with VIBE’s Mikey Fresh, the rapper said he and his team “definitely used” AI on the project.

Tyga also compared the technology to Auto-Tune, although the comparison has drawn wider attention as debate continues over the use of generative AI in music.

The issue has divided artists and music industry figures, with some performers opposing the growing use of AI-generated material.

SZA has previously criticised musicians who support the technology after learning that hundreds of her songs had been used to train AI models.

SZA called the practice “disgusting” and said, “There’s nothing you could ever say to me to make this okay.”

As of the report, Tyga had not publicly responded to Pitchfork’s zero-star review. The rating places $TARFACE in an unusual position in the publication’s reviewing history, while also adding to the ongoing discussion surrounding AI’s role in contemporary music.