Timbaland is under fire after a viral video accused him of using a young producer’s beat without permission to create an AI-generated track.
The footage shows the legendary producer uploading a TikTok beat by KFresh into Suno’s AI platform. That beat, including KFresh’s signature producer tag, was transformed into a new version featuring rapper C-Red, under Timbaland’s “Baby Timbo” AI prompt.
Curtiss King, an independent rapper and YouTuber, condemned both Timbaland and Suno on X, claiming they repurposed KFresh’s material without consent. He emphasized the ethical breach, highlighting how Suno’s system not only reproduced the original beat but kept the tag intact—a clear signal of authorship.
Timbaland defended the move, calling it a remix and claiming it created a new opportunity. He said Ghostface Killah had previously expressed interest in the beat and the AI version was crafted for him. But KFresh says no one contacted him, despite Timbaland’s history of sharing content from rising producers.
The incident has reignited debate about AI’s place in hip-hop. Some argue Timbaland’s move fits into rap’s long tradition of sampling and remixing.
Others insist AI complicates that legacy. They argue consent and ownership must evolve in a space where machines can recreate human creativity with ease.
In a video posted by Curtiss King, KFresh responded: “Talk to me. You have a responsibility to us younger artists. You can lead the way. It doesn’t have to be this broken system.”
Suno is no stranger to legal scrutiny. Earlier this year, German agency GEMA sued the AI platform for copyright infringement. Suno and competitor Udio also face lawsuits from major record labels for allegedly training on copyrighted recordings.
Despite those challenges, Suno recently partnered with Amazon to help power its AI-enhanced Alexa and continues working with Timbaland, who recently launched a virtual AI artist named TaTa.
As AI reshapes music creation, the controversy raises a pressing question: who holds the rights—not just to a beat—but to its future?
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