--- title: "Internet Fooled by AI-Generated Kendrick Lamar Diss Track" description: "AI Diss Track A diss track featuring the vocals of rapper Kendrick Lamar made its rounds on social media earlier this week, escalating an apparent beef between him and Aubrey \"Drake\" Graham. But as it turns out, the track titled \"Hi Whitney,\" in which Drake allegedly took aim at Lamar's fiancee Whitney, a response to […]" date: "2024-04-20" modified: "2024-04-20" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/internet-fooled-ai-generated-kendrick-lamar-diss-track" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" tags: - "clone" - "generative ai" - "rappers" - "the digest" --- # Internet Fooled by AI-Generated Kendrick Lamar Diss Track ![A diss track featuring the apparent vocals of rapper Kendrick Lamar made its rounds on social media earlier this week.]() *\Image: Christopher Polk/Billboard via Getty Images\* ## Good Kid, Mad AI A diss track featuring the apparent vocals of rapper Kendrick Lamar made its rounds on social media earlier this week, escalating the beef between him and Aubrey "Drake" Graham. Now a 23-year-old musician who goes by the moniker Sly the Rapper has come forward, alleging he's behind the [viral track, which was titled simply "Freestyle]()." And guess what? He says it was AI-generated. That's impressive, because it fooled plenty of people into believing it was the real thing. "I thought people were going to know that it was AI," Sly [told *Complex*](). "Although it did sound real, it sounded like an old version of Kendrick Lamar." "The style sounded kind of dated, so I just thought that would be a giveaway, but apparently it wasn't," he added. ## To Pimp a ButterflAI The use of AI in the music industry has sparked a heated debate over copyright, music piracy, and musicians' rights. The news comes after a song that used AI-generated vocals to imitate Drake and Abel Makkonen "the Weeknd" Tesfaye [went viral last year](). Incensed by the song's success, record label Universal Music Group forced Spotify, Apple Music, and other music streamers to [take the song down](). The latest AI-generated diss track adds plenty of confusion to an already messy beef between Lamar and Drake. On Friday, Drake [officially released the studio version]() of "Push Us," in which he took aim at Lamar. The latest diss track also highlights just how easy it has become to generate believable-sounding vocals of famous musicians. Sly told *Complex* that he used an AI software called Jammable — formerly known as Voicify AI — for his latest track, which allows users to create AI covers "in seconds." A quick [search]() on the company's website reveals several user-submitted AI models that can be used to imitate Lamar's vocals. Even YouTube has [teased a new feature]() called "Dream Features" that's designed to allow users to create AI-generated songs using the licensed voices of famous artists including Demi Lovato, John Legend, and Troye Sivan. Despite initial skepticism over Sly's claims, the rapper provided *Complex* with proof in the form of timestamped videos and audio, including isolated audio tracks. The musician, though, has some mixed feelings when it comes to the tech. "A lot of people are scared of AI, rightfully so," he told *Complex*. " I understand where the fear comes from, but AI isn't as advanced as people think that it is." "There’s a lot that AI can't do," Sly added. "It still can't mimic cadences. It can't mimic emotions." **More on AI in music:** *[YouTube Launching AI Tool That Clones Singers' Voices]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()