By then, concerns around the powers of AI in music hit a fever pitch, with many questioning the future implications for artistic creativity and music distribution. But amid the scandal, something else deeply concerning about AI in music went overlooked: its target on Black artists. In addition to Drake and The Weeknd, the likeness of other Black artists appeared on a slew of original AI songs and covers that surfaced online over the last year — including Beyoncé, 2Pac, The Notorious B.I.G., Rihanna, and Kanye West They aren’t the only examples of Black artists being reference points for AI creations. FN Meka, the “world’s first” AI-powered rapper, was signed to and dropped by Capitol Records in 2022 following intense backlash for appropriation and digital blackface, as his appearance of face tattoos, flashy jewelry, a green braided mohawk, and dark skin mocked stereotypes of Black rappers.

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Perkins, J. (2024, February 20). When Artificial Intelligence Makes Black Music, Who Really Wins? Refinery29. https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/ai-music-copyright-black-artists