Young Guru is confronting Timbaland over his bold embrace of AI following the producer’s company’s announcement of a new AI “artist.” The artificial performer, named Tata, will drop music created through a blend of human creativity and artificial intelligence.
Guru joined numerous Instagram users this week in delivering sharp criticism toward the iconic producer and his latest ventures.
“I’m going to say it again,” Guru posted. “I swear I love you bro but this ain’t it. Do you not realize what is going on in the world.
“Your voice is powerful and way too important to do anything like this,” Guru went on. “I have students who worship you. They are going to say ‘if Tim can do it, then it is ok for me to do it.’ These are the times, right here, that history is defined .. Human expression can never be reduced to this!!! This is way bigger than music!!! I say this all in love.”
Timbaland fired back on Saturday with an AI-generated video targeting his critics who believe “AI is ruining music.”
“Y’all crying about AI taking your spot, but your songs barely mix,” an AI-created character in the clip declares. “Why would we train it on that?”
Music industry figures including rapper Rexx Life Raj and Lauren Speed-Hamilton quickly slammed Timbaland’s insistence that AI represents the future of music.
“Unc went out sad,” Raj posted.
On June 5, Timbaland revealed that his company, Stage Zero, was debuting TaTa in an effort to introduce a fresh music genre called artificial pop, or A-pop. The producer faced instant criticism for the announcement, leading him to post a video featuring music executive Ray Daniels defending why it deserves praise.
“Why the fuck wouldn’t you?” Daniels asks, discussing the creation of an AI artist. “Mickey Mouse is an AI character. Donald Duck is an AI character. Bugs Bunny is an AI character.
“You guys are looking at it wrong,” Daniels went on. “He’s gonna make a character that he can have sing songs and sell products. That’s all these cartoonists and young kid TV shows are doing anyway, so why are y’all mad at him?”
Timbaland also expressed his own perspective on the criticism.
“I know I’m trolling but let’s have real conversation,” Timbaland posted. “I love my independent artists. This doesn’t mean I’m not working with real artists anymore.
“And nah I don’t train ai off y’all music,” he added. “This just means more creativity for creators.”
