Drake has quietly pulled his latest diss track against fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar on social media amid threats of a lawsuit for using AI-generated vocals of Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg in the song.
As of writing, his track "Taylor Made Freestyle," which Drake first released on April 19, is currently unavailable on all of the rapper's social media accounts.
The Canadian rapper has yet to make a statement regarding the lawsuit.
The removal of the song follows after Billboard reported that Drake received a cease-and-desist letter from Tupac's estate, telling the rapper to pull down the AI-heavy track within 24 hours or the state would "pursue all of its legal remedies" against him.
Tupac's Estate Blasts Drake for AI-Heavy Track
The estate has earlier called out against Drake's use of AI vocals, asserting that unauthorized use of the late rapper's vocals to the track was a "blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time."
Howard King, the attorney representing Tupac's estate, clarified that they would "never have given its approval for this use."
It remains unclear if both parties have finally reached an agreement regarding both the potential lawsuit and the possibility of having the song back on social media again.
Drake initially released "Taylor Made Freestyle" as a diss towards Lamar, who admitted to being a fan of both Tupac and Snoop Dogg, amid their ongoing online feud.
Generated AI Becomes a Growing Pain in Music Industry
As the technology becomes more accessible with each innovation, many prominent figures in the music industry have started looking into the potential threat of generative AI to artists and musicians.
Ironically, Drake was among the usual targets of these AI impersonations with thousands of digital replicas of his voice used in tracks across most digital platforms.
Many of these AI-powered tracks have since been removed by the platforms following reports of copyright violation, either by users or someone from Drake's management team.
Over 200 major musicians and their estates have already come forward against the use of "predatory" AI to replicate their likenesses, depriving many people of their privacy and livelihood.
The concerted effort was led by digital advocacy group Artist Rights Alliance.
Related Article: Hollywood Musicians Call for Protection from 'Predatory' AI
