In an interview with Billboard to celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, Lil Wayne suggested he's not worried about artificial intelligence replacing him anytime soon.
Weezy was questioned about the potential impact AI could have on music and he said it's something he's already given some thought. "Someone asked me about that recently. And they were trying to tell me that AI could make a voice that sounds just like me," he replied. "But it’s not me, because I’m amazing. I’m like, is this AI thing going to be amazing too? Because I am naturally, organically amazing. I’m one of a kind. So actually, I would love to see that thing try to duplicate this motherfucker."
While some artists have controversially embraced the use of AI—including Grimes and more recently, Beanie Sigel—the general attitude towards the use of the technology, especially in hip-hop, appears to be negative. Thankfully, it appears as though the incredibly prolific Lil Wayne won't be adopting AI, at least not yet. Ice Cube, for one, has suggested that he plans to sue anyone who uses AI to emulate his voice.
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Elsewhere in Wayne's extensive interview with Billboard, the legendary Louisiana rapper was asked if there's a secret to his longevity. "I don’t have a secret. I just work. I just keep going," he shared. "It’s just the work ethic, plain and simple. No more, no less; I don’t do nothing but my music. And also, in my mind, every single time I say the word 'work,' I ask God to forgive me. Cuz I know this has never been a job. It’s just a dream come true. So that’s why I’ve never stopped."
He also touched upon the changing perception of what a "mixtape" truly means in the days of streaming services. "The terminology or definition has changed, that’s all. Mixtapes can mean an album mix or anything now," he said. "But when it comes to Lil Wayne, everybody knows how I approach mixtapes. So my mixtapes won’t ever change."
Wayne's comments on AI come not long after he spoke with The New York Times for the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, in which he said he was intimidated by the prospect of working with Eminem for the first time.
"I was scared, actually, when I called Eminem for a song," said Wayne, who first appeared on a track with Em on Drake's 2009 song "Forever," although they later teamed up the following year for "Drop the World" and "No Love." "That is a monster. He must have the same thing I have with words. Like, we can’t get them out of our heads. Every meaning, every aspect of them. Things that rhyme, we hear it. I already know the gift and the curse that he has. And I love to hear the way he puts it together."
