Tupac Shakur‘s team is threatening Drake with a lawsuit over his new song “Taylor Made Freestyle.”
The 37-year-old rapper shared the track on Friday (April 20). On it, he takes aim at Kendrick Lamar using what seems to be an AI-generated version of Tupac‘s voice. A voice resembling Snoop Dogg‘s was also utilized.
On Wednesday (April 24), the late musician’s team issued a cease-and-desist letter that addressed the release. In it, they accused Drake of “blatant abuse” of Tupac‘s artistry.
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NBC obtained a copy of the letter. In it, the team vowed to “pursue all of its legal remedies” unless Drake responds before Thursday afternoon.
“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 team wrote. “The Estate would never have given its approval for this use.”
The letter adds that Drake‘s use of a voice that sounds like Tupac seemingly implies that the musician cosigns his diss of Kendrick, who is described as “a good friend to the Estate who has given nothing but respect to Tupac and his legacy publicly and privately.”
Tupac‘s team is after “all profits from the record, as well as additional damages for substantial economic and reputational harm caused.”
“Taylor Made Freestyle” has not yet been shared to streaming services.
It is not clear how Drake will respond, but we will update you as we learn more.
Drake dropped another song earlier this month, and it dissed many other artists.
