The music industry has been rocked by the appearance of an AI-generated Kanye West rap verse, which has turned the internet upside-down.
The verse, which was created by tech whizz Roberto Nickson, imitates the style and voice of the controversial rapper, referencing his partnership with Adidas and his notorious anti-Semitic comments. While some industry insiders are hailing the arrival of AI-generated music as a game-changer, others are more sceptical about its impact on creativity and authenticity.
Nick Cave, the iconic Australian singer-songwriter, recently came out against the use of AI in music production, arguing that it undermined the organic, human connection that artists have with their listeners.
In an interview with the BBC, he said: “The whole idea of an algorithm composing a song, for instance, is to me, for want of a better word, creepy. It totally removes us from the equation, which is far too simplistic. I think creativity comes about through engagement and surprise, almost by accident.”
Despite these concerns, there is no denying that AI-generated music has the potential to shake up the industry in a major way. With algorithms now able to generate fully-formed musical pieces with very little human input, it remains to be seen how this will impact the way we think about musical creativity and innovation. Will the future Billboard charts be filled with computer-generated hits, or will there still be a place for human artistry and expression? Only time will tell.
One thing is for sure, however – the Kanye West AI rap verse has demonstrated the incredible power of these new technologies to mimic, imitate, and replicate the styles and sounds of some of the biggest names in music. It’s a brave new world out there, and who knows what the future of music holds. Will we all be listening to computer-generated pop songs by 2040, or will there always be a place for good old-fashioned rock and roll? Only time will tell.
Can you already prompt AI to sing a song?
Yes you can. Just test Beatbot for instance: https://beatbot.fm/
Listen to what Splash Music (the makers of Beatbot) has developed in terms of AI-singing capability.
It’s mind blowing…
Whether you love it or hate it, AI-generated music is here to stay, and it’s only going to get bigger and more sophisticated as time goes on. So buckle up, put on your headphones, and get ready for a wild ride – the future of music is just getting started.
