As record labels and streaming services team up to combat AI, there’s a polarizing reaction from artists and fans alike. Artists like Drake, Kanye West, Rihanna, and many others have had their voices sampled to processed through AI generators. We can’t lie, these Kanye AI covers are refreshing. However, it still breeds concerns surrounding the future of music. Industry experts, artists, and executives expressed the need to address the issues surrounding ethics. Meanwhile, it also spurs questions surrounding how musicians will further generate revenue when technology can seemingly replace them within seconds. Some might embrace the future of technology but others feel like this could lead to the worse.
Of course, the most popular artists have become the easiest to duplicate. One guy went viral for using AI to create his own Kendrick Lamar song. Another person uploaded AI covers of Rihanna performing renditions of songs from Maroon 5 and Beyoncé. However, a recently viral cover of an AI Drake performing Ice Spice’s “Munch” got the internet in a chokehold. Fans have been stunned by the uncanny resemblance to his voice and the uber-sassy bars coming from Drizzy.
Drake Reacts To AI “Munch”
Universal Music, who reportedly inked Drake to a “Lebron-sized deal,” recently put in a request to streaming services to prevent AI-generated covers from landing on their platforms. This later caught the attention of Drake, who finally responded to the cover of Ice Spice’s “Munch.” Drizzy appears to be baffled by the whole thing, writing, “This the final straw AI.” He clearly isn’t amused by hearing his own voice calling another man a munch, even if he was an early supporter of the Bronx Baddie’s breakout record.
The Financial Times first reported Universal Music’s request to Spotify and Apple to prevent AI covers from emerging on DSPs. Universal said they have a “moral and commercial responsibility to our artists.” With the proliferation of AI, they said they have to stop DSPs from “ingesting content that violates the rights of artists and other creators.” “We expect our platform partners will want to prevent their services from being used in ways that harm artists,” their rep added. Check out Drake’s response to the AI cover of Ice Spice’s “Munch” above.