--- title: "Major Record Labels Signs Virtual Rapper Who Is An AI" description: "Capitol Records signs FN Meka, a virtual rapper with over ten million followers on TikTok. It's a move that's not been received well." date: "2022-08-23" modified: "2022-08-23" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/major-record-ai-rapper" categories: - "Future Society" tags: - "ai art" - "artificial intelligence" - "the digest" - "virtual influencers" --- # Major Record Labels Signs Virtual Rapper Who Is An AI ![Capitol Records signs FN Meka, a virtual rapper with over ten million followers on TikTok. It's a move that's not been received well.]() *\Image: FN Meka\* ## Rap VOD Major record label Capitol Records has added another artist to its lineup of heavyweights — but this one is a little less, shall we say, tangible, than the others. Known as FN Meka, the artist is an AI-powered rapper, and has already garnered over ten million followers [on TikTok](), where it posts videos of its 3D avatar imposed in the real world doing everything from [grilling in a Rolls Royce]() to flexing its [Bugatti Chiron shaped jet](). The virtual celebrity [is reported]() to be the first AI artist to sign with a major label, and has collaborated with the certified platinum rapper Gunna in a new single called "Florida Water." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTCl1Ge8yEo ## Type Beat The virtual rapper's songwriting process isn't entirely transparent, but its creators claim that all its music — from lyrics to chord progressions — is "based on AI," while the vocals are performed by a human studio musician. What is transparent, however, is its creator’s intentions. In [an interview]() with *Music Business Worldwide* last year, Anthony Martini, who co-founded the label Factory New which created FN Meka, said that the "old model of finding talent is inefficient and unreliable." "Now we can literally custom-create artists using elements proven to work," Martini continued, "greatly increasing the odds of success. Even if we can get to 2% success rate then we’ve doubled the industry standard." Many [aren't thrilled]() with FN Meka's signing, with some [taking to social media]() to call it "an attack on artists," and criticizing the AI's use of the n-word. One Twitter sleuth dug up an [old post]() on FN Meka's Instagram, which tastelessly depicts the rapper being beat up by a prison guard. "An AI rapper that says the n-word fabricating police brutality," they wrote. "Literally every single thing about this is so off-key." "A white dude really made an AI that can rap then made a brown skin sprite for it called it FN Meka and it got signed to \[Capitol Records\]," another user [tweeted](). It all stinks of cultural appropriation and a cynical attempt of manufacturing a bankable "star" out of nowhere. But whatever we may think of the move, Capitol clearly sees dollar signs. **More on virtual influencers:** [*This CGI Influencer Is Shilling For More Than 100 Brands*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()