The ongoing rap beef between Drake and Kendrick Lamar has taken an unprecedented turn, with the Canadian superstar employing artificial intelligence (AI) technology to generate vocal performances from late rapper Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg on his latest diss track aimed at Lamar.
The controversial move sees Drake pushing the boundaries of music creation and reigniting one of hip-hop’s most high-profile feuds.
What is the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar Beef About?
The conflict between the two rap titans began last month when Kendrick Lamar took aim at Drake on the song “Like That” by Future and Metro Boomin. On his guest verse, Lamar appeared to dismiss Drake’s inclusion among rap’s “big three” alongside himself and J. Cole, as mentioned in a previous Drake song.
Drake fired back with “Push Ups,” a scathing diss track laced with personal insults about Lamar’s appearance and stature. The feud has since drawn in J. Cole, who briefly responded to Lamar before removing his retort from streaming platforms.
Doubling Down with “Taylor Made Freestyle”
Just hours after officially releasing “Push Ups” on streaming services, Drake shared another fiery diss track through social media on Friday night. Titled “Taylor Made Freestyle,” the song takes its name from a none-too-subtle reference to pop star Taylor Swift’s newly released album.
But the real jaw-dropper is Drake’s incorporation of AI-generated vocals purportedly mimicking the voices of late rap legend Tupac Shakur and iconic West Coast rapper Snoop Dogg.
Artificial Voices Take Aim at Kendrick
The AI-powered “Tupac” opens the track, addressing Lamar directly: “Kendrick, we need ya, the West Coast savior / Engraving your name in some hip-hop history… Call him a b—h for me.”
It then advises Lamar to hit back at Drake over long-standing rumors of his alleged interest in underage girls: “Talk about him liking young girls, that’s a gift from me / Heard it on the Budden Podcast, it’s gotta be true.”
An artificial “Snoop Dogg” follows suit in the second verse, questioning Lamar’s ability to respond effectively: “World is watching this chess game, but are you out of moves? / Dot, you know that the D-O-G never f—ing doubted you / But right now it seem like you posted up without a clue of what the f— you ’bout to do.”
AI’s Role in Music Creation Debated
While Drake hasn’t explicitly confirmed using AI to construct the Tupac and Snoop verses, it’s widely assumed he rapped their parts and then used advanced voice modeling technology to make the vocals sound like the iconic rappers.
The ethical implications of using AI to recreate deceased artists’ voices and personas have sparked heated debate, with some praising the creative innovation and others decrying it as a step too far.
Drake Taunts Kendrick Over Taylor Swift’s New Release
Drake himself takes the third verse, taunting Lamar over his perceived silence following “Push Ups” and suggesting it’s due to the overwhelming media attention on Taylor Swift’s new album release last Friday.
“But now we gotta wait a f—ing week ’cause Taylor Swift is your new Top / And if you ’bout to drop, she gotta approve,” Drake raps, appearing to imply that Lamar is prioritizing the pop star’s massive media blitz over responding to his diss.
He closes by claiming “the next one is really ’bout to bring out the coward in you,” suggesting he has another salvo ready if Lamar doesn’t hit back soon.
Rap’s Biggest Feud Rages On
“Taylor Made Freestyle” is the latest volley in what has become one of hip-hop’s biggest and most controversial rap beefs in recent memory. As tensions escalate, all eyes are on Kendrick Lamar to see how, or if, he’ll respond to Drake’s bold and boundary-pushing diss track.
While innovative in its use of AI vocals, the track has reignited debates around ethics in music creation and whether certain lines should not be crossed. Regardless, it seems this high-stakes feud is only growing more heated with each successive diss.