Jermaine Dupri is raising a major question about the future of music authenticity in the age of artificial intelligence. The producer and songwriter recently took to X to share his concern about the growing acceptance of AI-generated artists and songs that use synthetic voices.
“So let me get this right,” he wrote. “Years ago, the industry found out that Milli Vanilli weren’t really the voices on their Grammy-winning record, and they were stripped of their Grammy, but now we’re getting ready to accept people who can’t even sing, creating songs for a fake person? How is this any different than Milli Vanilli?”
Dupri’s comments struck a chord with fans and peers in the industry, many of whom agreed that music’s increasing reliance on technology risks erasing what makes artistry human. His comparison to the infamous Milli Vanilli scandal highlights his fear that AI could bring a new era of deception to pop culture.
For context, Milli Vanilli became international superstars in the late 1980s with hits like “Girl You Know It’s True.” But the duo’s success came crashing down when it was revealed they had not sung a note on their recordings. Their Grammy for Best New Artist was later revoked, marking one of the most notorious moments in music history.
Now, decades later, Dupri sees echoes of that scandal in the rise of AI performers. Recently, virtual artist Xania Monet made history as the first digital performer to chart on Billboard’s Adult R&B Airplay list with the song “How Was I Supposed to Know?” Created by Mississippi poet Telisha “Nikki” Jones, Xania represents what Jones calls an evolution of artistic expression. “Technology’s evolving,” Jones told CBS Mornings. “Everyone has different ways of putting in work to get to where they’re at. I don’t feel a way about it.”
While some celebrate AI as a tool for creativity, Dupri’s warning cuts deeper. His message calls on the industry to decide whether the future of music will still have a human heartbeat or become fully synthetic.