Tyga Confirms He Used AI on New Album $tarface: "I Don't Care"
American rapper Tyga has confirmed he used AI in the making of his ninth studio album, $tarface, released July 31. The record leans heavily on 1980s synthpop and introduces a new "$tarface" persona. Fans had already speculated that some of the album's electronic textures were AI-generated; Tyga addressed the rumor directly in an interview with Vibe, saying he doesn't care whether listeners object. According to NME, it's the first time he's spoken publicly about it.
Where the AI was used
Tyga said he'd never discussed this before because "it's like a magician explaining how he did the trick." He said listeners can judge for themselves whether the music is good — "I don't care," he said — what matters is that the work delivers an experience and a feeling.
He then confirmed it plainly: "We definitely use AI as a tool." He expects the admission to draw backlash but argues that's simply where technology is headed, comparing the moment to the early controversy around Auto-Tune — which also had detractors before real artists adopted it.
Asked exactly where AI came in, Tyga said it was used for specific passages requiring 1980s synthesizer tones, or when he urgently needed a guitar solo. He was clear, though, that the album's arrangements and production, and "all the vocals," were not AI-generated.
A split music industry
AI remains one of the most contentious issues in music right now. Earlier this week, Empire Of The Sun's Luke Steele said he would "of course" use AI in his music, calling it "just another tool," like "a really smart guitar pedal," and warning artists who oppose it to be careful. Boy George has admitted to using AI to help write the song "We Will Dance Again," which was later removed from Bandcamp for violating its AI policy.
The opposing camp is just as vocal. Mac DeMarco, SZA, and Lorde have all criticized AI's growing influence, while producer Jack Antonoff has sharply criticized musicians who use it; Daft Punk's Thomas Bangalter recently described AI as a way of "bypassing the creative process."
How platforms are responding
- Apple Music has announced plans to label AI-made music so users can identify it
- Deezer says AI-generated music now accounts for more than 50% of daily uploads to the platform
- TIDAL confirmed in June that it will not pay royalties for music that is entirely AI-generated
- A study from last year found that 97% of people couldn't tell the difference between human and AI-made music
This summer, music industry groups worldwide issued an open letter calling on artists and songwriters to obtain consent before entering any AI-related agreements. Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Dua Lipa, and Elton John have previously launched campaigns urging governments to protect musicians' rights over their work.