The estate of Tupac Shakur has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Drake, threatening legal action over the use of an AI-generated version of Pac’s voice on his track “Taylor Made Freestyle.” In the letter, litigator Howard King gave Drake 24 hours to remove the track or face legal consequences.
The estate expressed disappointment over the unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice, stating that it violates his publicity and legal rights and disrespects his legacy. They emphasized that they did not approve of this use and condemned the abuse of one of the greatest hip-hop artists’ legacy.
The track, which is aimed at Kendrick Lamar, has caused controversy as it uses Tupac’s likeness to target Lamar, a friend of the estate who has always shown respect for Tupac and his legacy. The estate argued that the track has caused economic and reputational harm by giving the false impression that Tupac endorses the lyrics for the AI-generated voice.
Drake has been asked to disclose how the AI-generated voice was created and who was involved in its production. The estate has stated that they are open to informal negotiations to resolve the issue, but they are prepared to pursue legal action if Drake does not comply.
The song also features an AI-generated voice of Snoop Dogg, who has not announced plans to take legal action but expressed confusion and surprise on social media about the use of his voice in the track.
