The Rise of AI Rap Songs | How New Technology will change the music ecosystem

If you've been on social media lately, you've likely heard a song or two claiming to have been made by AI. The only problem is, it sounds just like your favorite rapper.

AI Generated vocals are becoming more and more realistic, and now, skilled producers can mix their own AI song that sounds nearly identical to some of the biggest artists in the game.

In this blog post, we will discuss how new technologies are challenging the status quo in the music industry, introducing a new legal battle surrounding copyright, and if this shift can and will harm artists and creativity as a whole.

The Emergence of AI-Generated Vocals

As technology continues to advance, we are seeing more and more industries transform, and the music industry is no exception. The emergence of AI rap songs is a testament to this fact. These AI-generated vocals are so realistic that it's hard to differentiate them from actual human voices.

The technology behind AI-generated vocals works by using a dataset of human voices to train the AI to learn and mimic the sounds, tones, and nuances of human speech. Once trained, the AI can then generate new sounds and sentences that sound like they were spoken or sung by a human voice.

Plus, generative AI can work by adjusting the sound of previously recorded vocals to the voice of some of the most famous musicians in the game.

The final touch is merely a talented producer who can properly mix and master the track, and remove any abnormalities, and bam. You have an AI rap song, often only identifiable as such when properly credited as made with AI.

Popular AI Rap Songs

Although an AI rap song is a relatively new concept, even in it's infancy there are borderline hit songs that generative AI is helping to create.

Examples of popular AI-generated songs and artists include songs like Heart On My Sleeve (AI Drake & AI The Weeknd), Bankroll Thick (AI Juice WRLD & AI Lil Uzi Vert), Ivory & Gold (AI Travis Scott & AI Baby Keem), and Winter's Cold (AI Drake).

Heart On My Sleeve (AI Drake & AI The Weeknd)

This Drake AI song was the first to go viral, as the song managed to quickly gain traction on TikTok after a near identical Drake replica vocal take surfaced. Fans mistook the song for a leak, and after learning the song was created using technology, the song quickly went viral.

Notably, The Weeknd's verse is clearly created with generative AI technology, as at time the vocals don't sound perfect. However, the Drake section is eerily accurate to Drizzy himself.

The AI song racked up over 15 million streams before being pulled from streaming platforms. Although being constantly monitored and removed by Universal Music Group, reuploads can likely be found on YouTube or SoundCloud.

Bankroll Thick (AI Juice WRLD & AI Lil Uzi Vert)

Oddly enough, this could be considered a underground AI rap song. With impressive rap lyrics and mixing, this sounds like an authentic vintage Juice WRLD track. Just crazy.

Ivory & Gold (AI Travis Scott & AI Baby Keem)

There's nothing like finding artists music that sounds good enough to make an album. This song might be the final straw AI is taking over, simple as that. Another rap song that sounds incredible, from start to finish.

Winter's Cold (AI Drake)

Lastly, my personal favorite of the AI rap songs, Winter's Cold. The writer, or rap lyrics generation used, killed it. Period. This sounds like an old Drake song with his signature flow and braggadocious rap lyrics.

Dare I say it, I think this track sounds better than Drake's recent single "Search & Rescue." It's really that good.

Legal and Ethical Implications

This new wave of AI-generated music has brought up several ethical and legal questions.

For instance, who owns the copyright to these songs? Is it the AI that generated the vocals, the artist who is being imitated, or the producer who mixed and mastered the song?

These are questions that will need to be answered as the music industry continues to grapple with the emergence of AI-generated music. For now, it appears record labels will continue to fight for the artists who are being imitated.

Impact on Music Industry and Creativity

Let's quickly examine the issues and benefits of such a groundbreaking technology.

The Negatives

The shift towards AI-generated music could potentially harm artists and creativity as a whole.

With AI-generated songs sounding so similar to human voices, it's possible that in the future, some record labels and music producers may favor the cost-effective and time-efficient option of AI-generated music over working with actual human artists.

This could lead to a lack of diversity and originality in the music industry, and stifle the growth of new talent.

The Positives

However, there are also some potential benefits to the use of AI-generated music in the music industry.

For example, AI technology can help music producers and artists to experiment with new sounds and styles that they may not have otherwise considered.

Additionally, AI technology can help to speed up the music production process, allowing for faster creation and distribution of new music.

Future of AI Rap Songs

As technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more advances in AI-generated music. In the future, we may see AI technology being used to create entire albums or even entire genres of music.

Generative AI could become an essential staple in the music creation process to brainstorm song concepts and flows. Or, it could become a vessel for producers to gain access to a plethora of new possibilities.

Regardless, music fans will likely enjoy the new capabilities, allowing them to hear more music from their "favorite artists", whether that be AI generated or not.

Ultimately, the future of AI rap songs and the music industry as a whole will depend on how we choose to use this technology.

If we approach it with a sense of creativity and experimentation, AI-generated music has the potential to revolutionize the way we think about music production and open up new possibilities for artists and listeners alike.

However, if we rely too heavily on this technology and prioritize efficiency and cost over artistic innovation and diversity, we risk stifling the growth of new talent and undermining the very qualities that make the music industry so dynamic and exciting.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, the emergence of AI rap songs is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the impact that new technology will have on the music industry.

While it presents exciting new possibilities for music producers and listeners alike, we must also be aware of the ethical and legal implications that come with this shift, and strive to maintain the diversity and originality that makes the music industry so dynamic and exciting.

Plus, be sure to follow our playlist of AI rap songs on Spotify or YouTube! Although, the songs are constantly being removed from streaming services, we will try to keep the playlist up-to-date with all the best AI music!

Click here to listen on Spotify.

Click here to listen on YouTube.

What do you think about AI rap songs? Do you think this will limit human creative expression, or expand upon it? Do you think this will hurt or help the music industry?

Let us know in the comments below. Until next time!