Recently, I was coaching one of my students Philip asked me during our coaching session if I thought Ai was going to make rappers obsolete. And I thought it would be cool to make this video to share my thoughts and include you all in this conversation as well because I really do want to hear what you think about this, so please drop your 2 cents in the comments section below!
POLL
I recently took a poll that asked the following “Would you rap/release a song written by AI?
16% said Heck yeah, if the lyrics are dope!
70% said Naw, I’d rather write my stuff, no one can do it like me.
5% said For sho, a writer is a writer! I’d spit some AI bars!
9% said Let me think about this a minute!
Now here’s where I currently stand in the whole Ai taking rappers jobs debate.
Change Is Certain
Throughout time, new technology has constantly been developed that changes the way that things are done.
[1] Between 1760-1840 The Industrial Age replaced alot of farmers and manual labor jobs with machines which lead to more jobs being created in factories.
[2] in 1885 Carl Benz invented the first automobile making horses and buggies obsolete as a main source of transportation.
[3] Self Checkout which eliminates the need for cashiers.
[4] Self-serve movie rental kiosks and on-demand movie rentals put Blockbuster out of business.
[5] There are far fewer malls because of online shopping and Amazon.
The direction things are going in
[6] self-driving cars that could replace, truck drivers, uber and delivery drivers etc.
[7] automated customer service over the phone, restaurant ordering systems etc..
[8] eventually, they want to make checking out of a store obsolete with automatic checkout.
And all of these points are barely scratching the surface of how technology has changed the way that we do currently things, but my main point here is that change is inevitable.
Ai and IP
Speaking of change I wanted to quickly touch on how laws will likely need to change.
There are already laws in place where people can’t use your likeness without permission but this is mainly protecting your name and your image.
There will likely be new laws that have to be passed to protect people’s voices because Ai has gotten crazy good at using people’s voice. If you get a chance search for Jay-Z Ai and you’ll see what I’m talking about. Ai has rappers out here rapping lyrics that they’ve never actually rapped before which is pretty crazy.
It’s Deeper Than Music
What we rappers bring to the table is deeper than music.
We create music from our soul, from our emotions. past experiences, beliefs, convictions, fears, dreams and aspirations, and humor.
I’ve never let another human being write the lyrics I rap and I certainly would not let Ai because no one can express my own personal experiences and view on things better than me.
I’m not just a fan of rappers’ music but who they are as people
The Human Connection
Would you rather go to a restaurant completely ran by robots or would you prefer to have human interactions?
Where do your ideas come from?
Ai mimics what’s already been done – we create what Ai mimics
We also are the sum of all of our influences which is how we have evolved. Nothing is 100% original in and of itself as we build upon what’s already been established.
I talk about this in my video “a case for biting rappers, pioneers, innovators, and Thieves” which shares the history on the evolution of rap. I highly recommend it!
Uses For Ai
I personally don’t feel like Ai is a replacement for rappers but more like an assistant for those who wish to use it.
I could see it being helpful with coming up with ideas, and delegating time-consuming tasks.
For example, I don’t always use a rhyming dictionary but sometimes I do when I’m working under a time crunch and I need a list of rhymes quickly.
I don’t feel like Ai is a replacement for rappers because I think there’s something inherently special and distinct about the artist’s that we are fans of. Artists can connect with us in a deep and profound way that I don’t think Ai can replicate because it’s not a human, it doesn’t share the human experience, struggles and triumphs which is what makes our favorite artists so relatable to us.
The reason I always tune into some of my favorite comedian’s specials like Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, or Kat Williams is because I think they are brilliant and interesting and I want their specific take on the world and what’s going on. I can’t see Ai being able to replicate the magic that they create, and for the same reason, I certainly can’t see it replacing rappers.
I think the best form of job security is to be the best you can possibly be at what you do and use that talent to serve and add value to others. And also don’t be stubborn and complacent. You should always be learning and be willing to adapt to the times so that you don’t get left behind by all the change that is inevitable. If you do that I think you will always be in demand and you won’t be replaceable.
Questions
But a few questions I want to leave you with.
Could you see yourself using Ai for your raps? If so, how would you use it?
Cold you see yourself being a fan of an Ai rapper?
Do you think Ai may end up making rappers obsolete? If so, why?
And speaking of adding value and serving others, be sure to check out my 1 on 1 coaching service, my quick guide series to rapping, my beat store and merch store where you can pick up a t-shirt like the one I’m wearing now!
If you’re new here, my name is Cole Mize with colemizestudios.com where I strive to make you a better rapper now! Be sure to get yourself a free copy of my eBook the #1 fundamental to rapping which also includes 6 free practice instrumentals and bar sheets all for FREE via the form below.
