Tupac Shakur’s estate has issued a cease-and-desist letter to Drake, threatening legal action over his recent Kendrick Lamar diss track, which features AI-generated vocals from the late rapper.
According to Billboard, the estate considers it a “flagrant violation” of the law and a “blatant abuse” of Tupac’s legacy.
In the letter sent to Drake, the estate’s litigator, Howard King, demanded the removal of Drake’s track “Taylor Made Freestyle” from social media within 24 hours or face legal consequences. The estate expressed deep dismay and disappointment over the unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality, emphasizing that they would never have approved such use.
“The Estate is deeply dismayed and disappointed by your unauthorized use of Tupac’s voice and personality,” the letter 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.”
Drake’s diss track, aimed at Kendrick Lamar, utilized artificial intelligence technology to create fake verses from Tupac and Snoop Dogg. In the song, the AI-generated Tupac raps, “Kendrick, we need ya, the West Coast savior / Engraving your name in hip-hop history / If you deal with this viciously / You seem a little nervous about all the publicity.”
The estate particularly objected to using Tupac’s voice to take shots at Lamar, who has publicly and privately respected Tupac’s legacy.
“The unauthorized, 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.”
Snoop Dogg, whose voice was also featured on “Taylor Made,” has yet to raise similar legal objections to Drake’s track. In a social media video, Snoop expressed surprise: “They did what? When? How? Are you sure?”
Tupac’s former label boss, Suge Knight, also criticized Drake over his usage of Pac’s likeness. In a teaser for an upcoming episode of his Collect Call podcast, the incarcerated rap mogul called it disrespectful.
“Young people do what young people do. It’s your turn, but regarding the homie Pac, he wasn’t no chump. Putting him on a song and dissing Kendrick for everybody’s entertainment — that ain’t how it goes.”
Drake is yet to comment on the demands of the Shakur estate.
