Rapper, Drake has found himself in legal hot water after reportedly receiving a cease and desist letter from Tupac’s estate regarding his unauthorized use of the late rapper’s voice in a diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar.
The song, titled “Taylor Made Freestyle,” featured an AI-generated voice of Tupac, a move that has sparked controversy and legal action.
In response to the letter, Drake swiftly removed the track from his social media platforms, signaling his compliance with Tupac’s estate.
It’s reported that Drake’s team is now engaging with the estate to address the issue.
The cease and desist letter from Tupac’s estate expressed deep concern over the unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice, stating that such usage would never have been approved by the estate.
The letter stated;
The unauthorized, equally dismaying use of Tupac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, a good friend to the Estate who has given nothing but respect to Tupac and his legacy publicly and privately, compounds the insult,
It is hard to believe that [Tupac’s record label]’s intellectual property was not scraped to create the fake Tupac AI on the Record,
The estate raised suspicions that Tupac’s recordings may have been used to create a sound-alike AI, suggesting potential copyright infringement and questioning the methods used to generate the AI voice.
They are demanding an explanation from Drake regarding the creation of the sound-alike and the individuals or company involved in its production, including any data or recordings utilized.
Tupac’s estate also argued that the unauthorized use of Tupac’s likeness in the song may have violated laws designed to protect individuals’ likeness rights.