Tupac’s estate is laying down the law on Drake, threatening to drag him to court for using an AI-generated version of the late rapper’s voice for a diss track aimed at Kendrick Lamar, TMZ reports.
TMZ obtained the cease-and-desist letter fired off by the attorney for Tupac’s estate, Howard King, and it calls out Drake for the AI verse on “Taylor Made Freestyle” … saying, “Not only is the record a flagrant violation of Tupac’s publicity and the estate’s legal rights, it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time.”
Tupac’s estate goes on to say it would never have given approval for this — and it issues an ultimatum: take down the track in less than 24 hours, and explain how it was made or else.
Team Tupac’s lawyers say they’ve been authorized to “pursue all of its legal remedies” if they can’t resolve the matter amicably.
In Drake’s track, AI Pac raps, “Kendrick, we need ya, the West Coast savior. Engraving your name in some hip hop history. If you deal with this viciously. You seem a little nervous about all the publicity.”
As well as Tupac, Drake’s diss track also included vocals from Snoop Dogg, all through the power of AI. The real Snoop reacted to the track, quipping on IG, “They did what? When? How? Are you sure? Y’all have a good night.”
The song even ruffled feathers with Tupac’s brother, Mopreme Shakur … who told TMZ that Drake weaponizing Tupac’s voice just for a rap battle didn’t fly with him.