The estate of Tupac Shakur has taken legal action against Drake for using an AI-generated version of Tupac’s voice in his song “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
According to court documents obtained by Complex, Drake has been served with a cease-and-desist letter by litigator Howard King, giving him 24 hours to remove the track or face legal consequences.
In the letter, the estate expresses disappointment over the unauthorised use of Tupac’s voice, labelling it a violation of Tupac’s publicity and legal rights, as well as an abuse of his legacy.
“The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by your unauthorised use of Tupac’s voice and personality,” the cease-and-desist letter allegedly reads.
“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. The Estate would never have given its approval for this use.”
The estate also criticises the use of Tupac’s voice to target Kendrick Lamar, a friend of the estate, in the song.
“The unauthorised, equally dismaying use of Tupac’s voice against Kendrick Lamar, a good friend to the Estate who has given nothing but respect to Tupac and his legacy publicly and privately, compounds the insult,” the letter continues.
Furthermore, the estate argues that the song has caused economic and reputational harm by misleading listeners into thinking Tupac endorses the lyrics.
Drake has been asked to provide details on how the AI-generated voice was created and the individuals or company responsible for its creation.
“If you do not comply, our client has authorized this firm to pursue all of its legal remedies including, but not limited to, an action for violation of … the estate’s copyright, publicity and personality rights and the resulting damages, injunctive relief, and punitive damages and attorneys’ fees,” the letter concludes.
As of now, Drake still has the song available on his Instagram but has not released it on streaming platforms.
The estate is open to informal negotiations if Drake meets their demands; otherwise, they are prepared to pursue legal remedies.
The song also features an AI-generated voice of Snoop Dogg, although Snoop has not announced plans for legal action and has reacted casually to the situation on social media.