Drake Responds to Alleged AI Track 'Push Ups,' With a Deepfake

Aldohn Domingo, Tech Times 16 April 2024, 08:04 pm

Drake reportedly blurs his alleged AI diss track's 'Push Ups' legitimacy with the prominent rapper's latest posts. Drake seemingly referenced the "leaked" diss track on several Instagram stories, including releasing an AI deepfake of rapper Metro Boomin as Nick Cannon in a scene from the 2002 movie Drumline.

Rap fans went into a frenzy over the weekend after hearing the song "Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)" and believing that Drizzy had taken matters into his own hands over his purported rivalry with Kendrick Lamar and new partner Metro Boomin.

Gucci and Friends Homecoming Concert

(Photo : Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Atlantic Records) ATLANTA, GA - JULY 22: Rapper Drake performs on stage at Gucci and Friends Homecoming Concert at Fox Theatre on July 22, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.

According to reports, Drake's song was leaked on Saturday without being made public on any of his official websites, including Spotify and Instagram.

Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)" became viral very fast on X (previously Twitter) as fans analyzed lyrics that seemed to be about the musicians from "Like That." A voice similar to Drake's can be heard mocking Kendrick Lamar's workout regimen, his size, and Metro Boomin over a freestyle trap rhythm. The song also made fun of The Weeknd by mentioning his real name, Abel Tesfaye.

Drake acknowledged the Metro Boomin line in several Instagram posts in response to the track's validity, one of which was a deepfake video. In the video, star Nick Cannon's face was superimposed by the producer while performing for a panel of judges.

AI Drake Allegations

Even while the criticism is sharp, some hip-hop enthusiasts were worried that artificial intelligence may have produced the new song. In a video posted on X, former "Pump It Up" rapper and podcaster Joe Budden asserted that no Drake fan did not believe the diss track was produced by artificial intelligence.

As of Tuesday morning (Apr. 16), Drake's official streaming pages were still missing "Push Ups (Drop and Give Me 50)". According to an LA Times article, a Drake representative did not immediately confirm the track's validity.

Drake and AI

Drake is accustomed to having his voice used in AI tracks; just last year, a TikTok video featuring The Weeknd and Drake's voices in a track dubbed "Heart on my Sleeve" went viral. A person going by the handle "Ghostwriter977" created all of the song's vocals using deepfake and AI.

The song had a huge following and was considered one of the hottest songs released at the time by Spotify and TikTok users. However, it was later discovered that it was a deepfake track.

Even more, many users downloaded the song in all its artificial intelligence splendor from TikTok to YouTube, where its vocals would fool anyone into believing actual musicians performed it.

The song's creator also added a personal touch by discussing their past relationships, specifically mentioning The Weeknd's rumored ex-partner, Selena Gomez, who was also once connected to Justin Bieber.

Drake's voice was also used in a few AI voice clone songs that became popular last year. One of his tracks was taken down from streaming services after his company, Universal Media Group, responded with a strongly worded statement criticizing artificial intelligence and takedown requests. Drake also said on Instagram, "This is the final straw AI," as if he was upset over one of the songs.

Written by Aldohn Domingo