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Artificial intelligence is turning throwback hip-hop cuts into reworked versions. In late March an AI version of the late Notorious B.I.G. rapping Nas’ 1994 classic “N.Y. State of Mind” went viral, with the vocals from the Brooklyn rapper effortlessly replicating Nas’ flow.
The original “N.Y. State of Mind” appeared on Nas’ debut album Illmatic, which was added to the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress in 2021. Nas is guaranteed to perform “N.Y. State of Mind” during his upcoming global tour with Wu-Tang Clan, which begins this month.
The song caught mixed reactions on social media, including praise from DJ Muggs. “say what the fuck you like but it’s only gonna get better an better,” Muggs wrote on Instagram.
\u201cthis AI produced version of Biggie rapping NY State of Mind may have just changed my mind on entire artificial intelligence argument. MAMA MIA!\n\n\u201d— Dante (@Dante) 1682790963
\u201cThe BIG x NY State Of Mind AI song is spooky as F. AI is gonna put a lot of people out of work\u201d— Dante Ross (@Dante Ross) 1682922872
\u201cJust listened to a Biggie AI version of Nas' \u201cN.Y. State of Mind\u201d \n\nMade me realise Nas has the greatest flow of any rapper ever\u201d— Beats, Rhymes & Lists (@Beats, Rhymes & Lists) 1682639476
Although hip-hop fans have been divided over the track, “N.Y. State of Mind” is the latest online AI craze, following faux songs and ‘remixes’ by Drake, Rihanna, Michael Jackson, The Weeknd, and more. In April, Universal Music Group shut down a viral AI Drake and The Weeknd collaboration titled “Heart On My Sleeve,” stating that they have “a moral and commercial responsibility to our artists to work to prevent the unauthorized use of their music and to stop platforms from ingesting content that violates the rights of artists and other creators.”
In other Biggie news, the lyricist will be honored in the inaugural season of the new Angie Martinez-hosted podcast, Iconic Records. Exploring Biggie’s second and final album Life After Death, the WMX-produced podcast will feature guests like Lil Cease, Fat Joe, Pusha T, Rick Ross, and Too $hort, who will discuss the cultural impact of the 1997 album.
