Timbaland performs on stage at the “Chime For Change: The Sound Of Change Live” Concert at Twickenham Stadium on June 1, 2013 in London, England. (Photo by Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Gucci)
*Timbaland has created a new track featuring AI-generated vocals of the late Notorious B.I.G.
The super producer shared the track on his Instagram page Wednesday. The song features AI “Biggie” rapping over one of Timbaland’s beats — listen to it via the IG post below.
“So I’m sitting here with my brother Creatr God, and we know that it’s a lot of talk about AI, and we know how the feelings of violating certain things, but let me tell you something,” Timbaland said in the clip.
“I gotta share something I’ve been working on because I always wanted to do this and I never got a chance to,” he added. “I always wanted to work with Big and I never got a chance to… until today. It came out right!”
Rapper Notorious B.I.G., aka Biggie Smalls, aka Chris Wallace rolls a cigar outside his mother’s house in Brooklyn. (Photo by Clarence Davis/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Images)
In the caption, Timbaland tagged Jay-Z’s longtime engineer Young Guru, who’s been vocal in his criticism of the use of AI technology in the music business.
“This rite here👀🚀 🤯 @creatrgod @youngguru763 I had tooo 😱 AI 👑 is timbo🔑 everything original timbo x biggie,” the caption read.
One fan commented under the post, “Nah, this ain’t it. It’s not Big either so what is there to be excited about really.” The user added, “I’m sure Timb wouldn’t like it if someone took his voice, put it on a, track and released it; the double standard will be real all this AI stuff.”
Another IG user wrote, “I really don’t know how to feel about this (as a huge BIG fan). This is hard asf but, all I keep asking myself is…if I was Big would I want people making their own version of me?”
A third person added, “Some of that A.I be heat though … but it steals opportunity for artists / DJ’s / Producers… who work real hard to protect , promote and preserve their art. I could dig it if permission was given and royalties were being paid. But to create new mixes with an artist voice and promo it is tough … 21st Century piracy.”
Watch the full IG clip below to hear Timbo’s remarks and let us know in the comments if you like AI-generated music.
READ MORE: Capitol Records Drops Offensive AI Rapper FN Meka, Apologizes to Black Community
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