Drake’s Latest Track: A Bold Challenge to Kendrick Lamar with AI-Assisted Verses
In his new release, “Taylor Made Freestyle,” Drake stirs the pot in the hip-hop community by leveraging artificial intelligence to mimic iconic rappers 2Pac and Snoop Dogg. The track, which surfaced on social media platforms, begins with a provocative verse from the AI-generated 2Pac, openly taunting Kendrick Lamar and calling for him to uphold the West Coast’s legacy in rap. The verse states, “Kendrick, we need ya, the West Coast savior/Engraving your name in some hip-hop history.” Listen below.
Following the AI 2Pac, an AI-generated Snoop Dogg takes the mic, questioning Lamar’s authenticity and urging him to confront Drake: “I know you never been to jail, or wore jumpsuits and shower shoes/Never shot nobody, never stabbed nobody.” Learn more about the beef here.
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Drake’s Verse: A Double-Edged Sword
Drake rounds off the song with a verse that continues his critique of Lamar while praising pop megastar Taylor Swift. He comments on the timing of their album releases, humorously suggesting Swift’s approval is needed before Lamar can drop new music: “But now we gotta wait a fucking week ’cause Taylor Swift is your new Top/And if you ’bout to drop, she gotta approve.” Drake also acknowledges Swift’s influential status in the music industry, calling her “the biggest gangster in the music game right now.”
Industry Reactions
The track has already elicited responses from various corners of the music world. Notably, the real Snoop Dogg addressed the use of his likeness with AI technology in a social media video, showing a mix of surprise and amusement: “They did what? When? How? Are you sure?” This reaction highlights the complex issues surrounding the use of AI in music, particularly when it involves living artists.
Kendrick Lamar, who previously utilized archival audio of 2Pac for a posthumous dialogue in his acclaimed album “To Pimp a Butterfly,” has yet to respond to Drake’s latest musical maneuver. This ongoing exchange of artistic barbs continues to captivate fans and commentators alike, adding another chapter to the storied rivalries of hip-hop.
