artificial-intelligence

More A.I. Drake Songs Surface Amid UMG’s Attempted Takedown

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More A.I. songs using Drake’s vocals are surfacing online after Universal Music Group called for them to be taken down. One new song is titled “winters cold,” as caught by TMZ, while another is labeled “Not a Game.” Their release comes after a viral A.I. song featuring Drake and The Weeknd went viral on social media, earlier this week.

As for UMG’s stance on the matter, the company wrote in a statement released on Tuesday that they are typically in favor of innovation in the arts. This case, however, is different. “With that said, however, the training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law) as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs, begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation,” the statement reads.

Drake At The Grammys

LOS ANGELES, CA – FEBRUARY 10: Drake accepts the Best Rap Song award for ‘God’s Plan’ onstage backstage during the 61st. Annual GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on February 10, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

The statement continues: “These instances demonstrate why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists. We’re encouraged by the engagement of our platform partners on these issues–as they recognize they need to be part of the solution.”

Copyright law on the matter is still tricky. There are currently no regulations to dictate what AI can legally train. The US Copyright Office has, however, released a statement of guidance on the matter. As noted by CNN, they wrote: “In the case of works containing AI-generated material, the Office will consider whether the AI contributions are the result of ‘mechanical reproduction’ or instead of an author’s ‘own original mental conception, to which [the author] gave visible form.’”

It appears that, for now, the floodgates are opening for more A.I. songs being released using artists’ likenesses. While “Heart on my Sleeve,” came from an anonymous TikTok user named Ghostwriter977, the origin of the new songs is unclear. Check out “winters cold” below.

Another A.I. Drake Song

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UMG Addresses Viral Drake & The Weeknd A.I. Song

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Universal Music Group has responded to the viral A.I.-generated song by Drake and The Weeknd that has been blowing up on social media. The company labeled the use of their artists’ vocals for A.I. music “fraud” and called on streaming platforms to ban the technology. The A.I. song is titled “heart on my sleeve” and has reached over 230,000 plays on YouTube and more than 630,000 streams on Spotify.

In its statement released this week, UMG explained that it has made a living by embracing new technology, but this is a step too far. “UMG’s success has been, in part, due to embracing new technology and putting it to work for our artists–as we have been doing with our own innovation around AI for some time already,” the statement begins.

Drake & The Weeknd

NOTTINGHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 16: Drake and The Weeknd perform onstage during a date of Drakes “Nothing Was the Same” 2014 World Tour at Nottingham Capital FM Arena on March 16, 2014 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Ollie Millington/WireImage)

The company continues: “With that said, however, the training of generative AI using our artists’ music (which represents both a breach of our agreements and a violation of copyright law) as well as the availability of infringing content created with generative AI on DSPs, begs the question as to which side of history all stakeholders in the music ecosystem want to be on: the side of artists, fans and human creative expression, or on the side of deep fakes, fraud and denying artists their due compensation. These instances demonstrate why platforms have a fundamental legal and ethical responsibility to prevent the use of their services in ways that harm artists. We’re encouraged by the engagement of our platform partners on these issues–as they recognize they need to be part of the solution.”

In response to the backlash, several platforms, including Apple Music, Deezer, and TIDAL, have already pulled “heart on my sleeve.” Drake has also commented on the use of his likeness for A.I., writing on Instagram, “This is the final straw AI.” No regulations currently exist to dictate what AI can legally train. The US Copyright Office has, however, released a statement of guidance on the matter. As noted by CNN, they wrote: “In the case of works containing AI-generated material, the Office will consider whether the AI contributions are the result of ‘mechanical reproduction’ or instead of an author’s ‘own original mental conception, to which [the author] gave visible form.’”

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Pete Rock Slams A.I. Music: “It’s Mad Disrespectful”

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Pete Rock labeled A.I.-generated music “mad disrespectful” on Twitter, Sunday morning. The post came after a song created by artificial intelligence that mimicked Drake and The Weeknd went viral on social media. The iconic hip-hop producer clearly isn’t a fan.

“AI is mad disrespectful and if y’all dont see that but think this AI stuff is dope then you are a part of the problem,” he wrote in the post. “They cant beat Black culture, so what do they do when they cant measure natural talent? Silly shit like AI! AI is such a cowardly act that bears no real soul or feeling.”

Pete Rock Performing At SXSW

AUSTIN, TX – MARCH 14: Pete Rock performs during Salaam Remi Presents: Louder Than Life at Remedy during SXSW 2014 on March 14, 2014 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Rahav Segev/Getty Images)

Fans had mixed responses to Rock’s post. One disagreed while still praising his talents as a producer: “I don’t get why @peterock is so hot about AI. Do you think AI can really dig into crates like you and sample and remix songs that haven’t even been digitized. I understand why vocalist would be hot. But no AI could ever match Pete Rock and @REALDJPREMIER. Why you salty?” Another was in full agreement with Rock: “I agree with you 100% @PeteRock. If Artificial Intelligence existed in the 1970s there would be no Hip Hop today.”

Rock is far from the only artist to criticize the use of A.I. in music creation. Drake also complained after the fake song of his went viral. “This is the final straw AI,” Drake wrote online. Universal Music Group also shared a statement to the Financial Times revealing that they plan to take legal action. “We have a moral and commercial responsibility to our artists to work to prevent the unauthorized use of their music and to stop platforms from ingesting content that violates the rights of artists and other creators,” the company said. “We have become aware that certain AI systems might have been trained on copyrighted content without obtaining the required consents from, or paying compensation to, the rightsholders who own or produce the content.”

Pete Rock’s Take On A.I.

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Drake & The Weeknd’s Artificial Intelligence Collab Includes Bars About Selena Gomez

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Usually, rappers only have their contemporaries to worry about as competition. Now, they’re facing the threat of artificial intelligence more fiercely than ever before. In recent weeks, a slew of videos have surfaced online, unveiling what our favourite artists would sound like singing songs from other people’s discographies thanks to the power of computer technology. Some programs are even penning new lyrics and putting vocals from artists like Drake and The Weeknd behind them to generate authentic-sounding fake singles that have been generating plenty of buzz online.

As HipHopDX notes, Friday (April 14), saw a YouTube account called ghostwriter upload a track called “heart on my sleeve.” They described it as a “Drake AI song featuring The Weeknd.” Over the beat, we hear a voice eerily similar to Drizzy’s name-dropping a fellow Canadian and his beauty guru ex-girlfriend. “I came in with my ex like Selena to flex / Bumping Justin Bieber the fever ain’t left / She know all she need, I need her she blessed, giving her my best,” the lyrics begin. “I got my heart on my sleeve with a knife in my back what’s with that? / (Aye) 21, I love him that my brother that’s my slatt,” Drake’s verse continues.

The Weeknd and Drake Come Together via AI

For The Weeknd’s part, he also sings about Selena Gomez, who he previously dated. “Got these pearls on my neck, got these girls on my check like Selena baby / Oh my genie maybe yeah, she taking the Lambo for a drive using the fancy door,” The Idol star’s AI voice rings out. “When she went out the store, I throw my heart on my sleeve.” For many artists, hearing their source of revenue recreated so effortlessly online is certainly jarring, to say the least.

The Scorpion hitmaker experienced it earlier this week as well. At the time, he heard himself rapping Ice Spice’s “Munch (Feelin’ U)” thanks to modern technology. Champagne Papi shared it on his Instagram Story, giving many of his millions of followers a laugh. If hearing The Weeknd and Drake on a song together has you feeling nostalgic for their past collaborations, revisit fan favourites like “The Zone” or “Crew Love” below.

Revisit the Canadian Artists’ Real Collaborative Efforts Below

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Scientists Claim You Could Upload Dead Loved Ones To Computers By End Of 2023

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Dr. Pratik Desai, a Silicon Valley computer scientist, says that you may be able to upload your dead loved ones onto your computer by the end of the year. In a post on Twitter, Friday, Desai predicted that a human being’s “consciousness” could be uploaded onto digital devices using videos, voice recordings, documents, and photos of the person. They could then create an A.I. system to recreate that person.

“Start regularly recording your parents, elders and loved ones,” Desai advised in his post, as noted by the New York Post. “With enough transcript data, new voice synthesis and video models, there is a 100% chance that they will live with you forever after leaving physical body. This should be even possible by end of the year.”

The 2022 World Robot Conference In Beijing

BEIJING, CHINA – AUGUST 18: A boy points to the AI robot Poster during the 2022 World Robot Conference at Beijing Etrong International Exhibition on August 18, 2022 in Beijing, China. The 2022 World Robot Conference kicked off on Thursday in Beijing. (Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images)

Desai wasn’t the only voice to echo this theory. A company called Somnium Space is offering an AI-based “live forever” mode that will require massive amounts of personal data. “Literally, if I die — and I have this data collected — people can come or my kids, they can come in, and they can have a conversation with my avatar, with my movements, with my voice,” founder and CEO Artur Sychov told Vice. “You will meet the person. And you would maybe for the first 10 minutes while talking to that person, you would not know that it’s actually A.I. That’s the goal.”

One A.I. platform called Deepcake has also created a “digital twin” of Bruce Willis. They hope that the actor’s likeness will be able to appear on-screen despite his retirement from acting. Willis retired after being diagnosed with aphasia, a brain disorder that affects his ability to communicate. Earlier this year, he was also diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia. In Willis’ case, his estate will have final say on the projects the artificial version will appear in.

Pratik Desai’s Prediction On Twitter

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Hit-Boy Shares Wild Kanye West AI Version Of “2 Certified” From “SURF OR DROWN” Album

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Thanks to the ever-increasing powers of artificial intelligence, music lovers will no longer have to imagine what their favourite artist would sound like singing a song outside of their discography. Instead, computers are becoming able to mimic the vocals of some of the industry’s biggest names and use them to recreate other popular tracks. While the technology obviously isn’t widely available at this time, Hit-Boy was able to use it on Monday (April 10) to create a Kanye West AI version of his and Avelino’s “2 Certified” collaboration.

The catchy song arrived on last month’s SURF OR DROWN, which finds the producer also wearing his rapper hat. Besides his foreign guest feature, Hit-Boy also tapped names like Nas, Dom Kennedy, Curren$y, Jay 305, and more to work with him on the 11-track effort. Now that it’s had some time to digest with fans, the multi-talent put a twist on one of our favourite titles. “AI is getting insane,” he declared via Instagram yesterday. “@kanyewest rapping ‘2 Certified’ sounds too [crazy] 🤯.” In the accompanying video, we see Hit-Boy sitting in the studio, nodding along as West’s computer-generated voice spits out the lyrics.

Hit-Boy Puts Ye’s Vocals on “2 Certified”

“I’ma need all the amenities / You made a lil’ pape, I went at their neck and made history / Dumbin’ out on my own beats / Hot like I threw ’em in grease,” he rhymes without missing a beat. “The one, not the two or the three / I’m watchin’ the numbers increase.” As the father of four raps “2 Certified,” Hit-Boy can be heard saying, “That shit is wild!” Elsewhere in the studio, others gave a similar reaction, obviously amazed by the technological process taking place in front of them.

In the original post’s comment section, viewers seem torn between begging for another collaboration between West and the producer and pointing out the realities of how chilling AI is becoming. “Dope but it’s scary times,” one person wrote. “AI too cold,” another chimed in. “Lol and all these [videos] making me want Kanye on so much more music😅.” Revisit the original cut of “2 Certified” featuring Avelino below, and tell us which version you prefer in the comments.

Revisit the Surf or Drown Fan Favourite

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Lil Durk Says A.I. Could Never Replace Him

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One of tech’s most significant recent developments in music either motivates fans for the future or scares artists due to its potential dangers. While A.I. deepfakes (involving pictures, voices, statements, and beyond) are more prevalent than ever, many artists spoke out against its malpractice. The most recent to do so is Lil Durk, who spoke with HipHopDX about artificial intelligence that can replicate parts of the creative process. One day, some believe, A.I. will be able to fully replicate an artist’s sound. Just look at the recent controversial A.I.-generated Jay-Z verse that had fans, small artists, and the industry at large concerned.

Despite those legitimate fears and the threats artificial intelligence replicas pose to copyright and artists’ livelihood, The Voice says a fake voice could never replace him. Not only that, but the Chicago storyteller treated the issue as a tool to use wisely, not as a definite benefit or plight to the music world. “I heard them AI deep fakes usin’ my voice, it’s wild what tech be doin’,” he expressed to the publication. “I think AI gon’ change how we make music, but ain’t nothin’ gonna replace the real deal, them raw vibes and emotions we bring. Just gotta make sure we use it right, ya know? Keep our essence alive.”

Lil Durk Talks A.I. Amid NFT-Sneaker Hybrid Collection

Interestingly enough, Durkio knows a thing or two about these new waves of tech. For example, he also spoke to HipHopDX about his NFT-centered “phygital” sneaker collection, NXTG3NZ. Basically, the concept revolves around purchasing a digital NFT, which then allows for a customized experience in copping a physical model of the product. During his conversation with the hip-hop news org, he also chose which moment of his career he’d like to immortalize in NFT form if given the chance.

“I’d pick the time I sold out United Center in my hometown [in 2022], the energy was unreal,” the 30-year-old stated. “That night was somethin’ else, and I’d love to share that vibe with the fans, let ’em feel what I felt on that stage.” Sure, NFTs aren’t any less controversial than this A.I. tech in some circles, but Durk clearly cares more about the righteous execution of these innovations rather than their proliferation at face value. Regardless, stick around on HNHH for the latest news and updates on Lil Durk.

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