Tupac's stepbrother expresses no concerns about the legality of the matter, approving of Rod Stewart's AI creation honoring Ozzy Osbourne and other deceased celebrities.
In an unexpected turn of events, British rock legend Rod Stewart has released an AI-generated tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, featuring deceased music icons like Michael Jackson, Prince, Tina Turner, Bob Marley, Freddie Mercury, Kurt Cobain, George Michael, and Amy Winehouse.
The tribute, a montage of AI-generated footage, depicts Ozzy taking selfies with various iconic musicians, all of whom are now deceased. While the exact nature of the AI technology used in the tribute remains unspecified, it has sparked a wave of reactions from fans and critics alike.
Mopreme Shakur, Tupac Shakur's stepbrother, expressed no problem with Rod Stewart memorializing the greats, according to reports by TMZ. Cleopatra Barnard, XXXTentacion's mother, was glad her son was included in the montage. However, the reactions from the relatives of the other featured pop stars have not been publicly documented.
Sloane Steel, a blogger who initially shared the news about the AI-generated tribute, has since regretted posting it. On her Substack, she criticized the AI-generated tribute as "soulless maudlin slop" and an "offensive form of AI 'art'." She noted that one of the featured musicians, Prince, was opposed to virtual reality and holograms during his lifetime.
Steel wryly commented that Ozzy Osbourne would likely be visiting other musicians in the tribute, rather than those who passed away before him, such as Randy Rhoads and Lemmy. She did not express any regret or criticism about the involvement of Tupac Shakur, XXXTentacion, or Cleopatra Barnard in the AI-generated tribute.
The implication of the AI-generated footage is that the musicians are all 'enjoying' each other's company and having a wonderful time up in heaven. However, this aspect of the tribute did not receive any documented criticism from Sloane Steel or other parties.
It is important to note that the AI-generated tribute was not an official tribute endorsed by the estates of the deceased musicians. This has raised ethical concerns regarding the use of AI to recreate deceased individuals without apparent consent. Critics have likened the tribute's visual style to an uncanny AI-generated video that some found disrespectful or bizarre.
Fan and public opinion remains polarized regarding the appropriateness of Stewart’s AI-generated homage. While some fans called the AI tribute "tacky" and "disrespectful," others defended Stewart’s intention to honor Osbourne and the other stars in his own way. As the debate continues, it serves as a reminder of the complexities and ethical questions surrounding the use of AI in memorializing and celebrating the lives of beloved figures in the music industry.
[1] TMZ. (2023). Mopreme Shakur: No Problem with Rod Stewart's Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. [online] Available at: https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/15/mopreme-shakur-no-problem-with-rod-stewarts-tribute-to-ozzy-osbourne/
[2] TMZ. (2023). Cleopatra Barnard: XXXTentacion in Rod Stewart's Tribute to Ozzy Osbourne. [online] Available at: https://www.tmz.com/2023/05/15/cleopatra-barnard-xxxtentacion-in-rod-stewarts-tribute-to-ozzy-osbourne/
The AI-generated tribute by Rod Stewart, featuring legendary musicians like Michael Jackson and Prince, is a source of entertainment that has sparked varying reactions from fans and critics. Given the involvement of Tupac Shakur and XXXTentacion in the montage, Mopreme Shakur and Cleopatra Barnard, respectively, expressed no issues with the AI-generated musical tribute.
