MUSIC
Timbaland makes AI rendition of new song with late Biggie Smalls’ voice
The rapper used the technology to make the song sound like a replica of The Notorious B.I.G.
Timbaland has added his voice to the AI in music debate — or rather, the voice of Biggie Smalls, his late friend and fellow rapper.
Timbaland used artificial intelligence to generate a new song that sounds like Biggie Smalls, and is proud of it. Timbaland said he has “a solution” to the concerns and “violations” surrounding AI, but for now he is just going to release a song that sounds exactly like the late The Notorious B.I.G.
The song begs the question: the AI replication sounds like Biggie, but is there any soul to it?
Timbaland’s Biggie Smalls track
On Wednesday, Timbaland posted to his Instagram stories to comment on AI and demonstrate how he has taken the initiative to produce a track that sounds like the voice of his late friend.
Wearing a black tee shirt and dark sunglasses, the rapper leans in to the camera as to demonstrate he has something serious to talk about.
“We know there’s a lot of talk about AI, and we’re afraid of it violating certain things, but let me tell you something,” Timbaland said at the beginning of the video. “I got a solution. I got a solution, I’m working on it. It’s going to be beneficial to everybody.”
“But in the meantime,” he continued, “I gotta share something I’ve been working on, ‘cause I’ve always wanted to do this, and I never got a chance to.”
“I always wanted to work with Big, and I never got a chance to,” the rapper reiterated.
“Until today,” Timbaland rasps, zeroing in on the camera, and instructing his friend to hit the play button on the track.
“This rite here,” Timbaland wrote in the caption, “I had tooo. AI is timbo everything original timbo x biggie.”
How did social media react?
Timbaland’s fans don’t seem too taken by the new song, or the rapper’s idea to attempt to replicate Biggie Smalls.
“Disgusting,” said one Insta user.
“You should be ashamed,” someone else chimed in.
“NOPE!!!! How they give BIG a Drake flow,” said another. “you was tryna see something real quick huh?”
“Not at all Big’s flow and we know he would never say “it’s giving”” another person said. “somebody put @ariesspears in that booth he might be the only one that could capture his flow / writing style besides HOV.”