American Hip Hop legend Tupac's estate has threatened to sue Drake for using the AI-generated version of the late rapper's voice in his recent diss track against fellow rapper Kendrick Lamar.
Pac's brother, Mopreme Shakur, asked Drake to withdraw the diss in less than 24 hours or the estate would “pursue all of its legal remedies” against him.
In a cease and desist letter sent to the 'Worst Behavior' hitmaker via estate litigator Howard King, he alleges the unauthorized use of Tupac's AI-generated voice on the track, currently available on Drake's Instagram, but not yet on streaming platforms.
Billboard reports that Howard King is demanding that Drake remove his track “Taylor Made Freestyle” within 24 hours to avoid legal action.
The letter says; “The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by the unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality.
“Not only is the record a blatant violation of Tupac's publicity and estate's legal rights, but it is also a blatant abuse of the legacy of one of the greatest hip-hop artists of all time. The State would never have given its approval for this use.
“The unauthorized and equally disheartening use of 2Pac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, a good friend of the State who has given nothing but respect to 2Pac and his legacy publicly and privately, compounds the insult.”
Drake sparked controversy last Friday when he released 'Taylor Made Freestyle' and used AI-generated versions of the late 2Pac and Snoop Dogg's voices.
Tupac's estate emphasized that even if he had asked for permission, he would never have given approval for this use. Drake has yet to respond or remove the song as of this writing.
