Timbaland is doubling down after going through intense backlash over his newest AI-powered music challenge, dropping a surreal video on Friday (June 6) that featured animated animals mocking critics and defending his controversial new digital artist. Simply someday after launching his AI music enterprise Stage Zero and unveiling its first digital performer, TaTa, the legendary […]
Timbaland is doubling down after going through intense backlash over his newest AI-powered music challenge, dropping a surreal video on Friday (June 6) that featured animated animals mocking critics and defending his controversial new digital artist.
Simply someday after launching his AI music enterprise Stage Zero and unveiling its first digital performer, TaTa, the legendary producer fired off a weird, AI-generated response video.
In it, a giraffe-like character at a mic scoffs, “AI is ruining music. No matter. Go forward and cry me a river since Timbo’s stamp is on that, too.”
One other creature took intention on the high quality of human-made music, saying, “Y’all cry about AI taking your spot, however your track’s barely blended. Why would we practice it on that?”
The video continued with extra animated jabs, together with one character saying, “Timbaland ain’t the villain, he simply ain’t babysitting y’all no extra,” and one other including, “You fearful about AI stealing your sound? Bro, you ain’t bought one.”
The message was loud, bizarre and clear—but it surely didn’t land the way in which Timbaland could have hoped.
The remark part on his social media lit up with criticism, with many accusing him of disrespecting actual artists and dismissing considerations about AI’s impression on creativity.
“You’re a legend man however this isn’t it, hearken to the folks,” one consumer wrote. “Artwork is human expression, doesn’t matter if the ‘songs’ are good, it’s not artwork, it’s vapid. there are absolutely higher makes use of for AI.”
One other added, “This was an especially dangerous transfer – telling your followers they don’t have any expertise that may be worthy of AI stealing and to cease crying about it. Mad.”
A 3rd chimed in, “Lmao why u gotta diss actual artists to advertise your AI, simply do your AI.”
Timbaland Introduces AI Artist TaTa
The backlash started Thursday (June 5), when Timbaland launched Stage Zero, a platform centered on AI-generated music, and its first act, TaTa. The announcement drew rapid pushback from artists and listeners alike, many accusing the producer of abandoning the essence of Hip-Hop and diminishing human creativity.
Veteran producer Younger Guru publicly urged him to rethink the transfer, writing, “Your voice is highly effective and means too necessary to do something like this… Human expression can by no means be decreased to this!!! That is means greater than music!!! I say this in all love.”
Including gas to the controversy, the AI platform used for Stage Zero—Suno—is at present being sued by the RIAA for alleged copyright infringement.
Regardless of the criticism, Timbaland has proven no indicators of backing down from his AI ambitions.
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