The artificial intelligence company used to create the viral hit “BBL Drizzy” is in hot water with major record labels.
According to Wired, the Recording Industry Association of America—on behalf of Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group—filed two copyright infringement cases on Monday against AI startups Suno and Udio, in Massachusetts and New York, respectively.
The RIAA alleges copyright infringement, claiming that the startups trained their AI models using unlicensed sound recordings. Both lawsuits allege that the labels were able to independently create tracks that have a resemblance to copyrighted songs from their catalogs.
“Unlicensed services like Suno and Udio that claim it’s ‘fair’ to copy an artist’s life’s work and exploit it for their own profit without consent or pay set back the promise of genuinely innovative AI for us all,” said RIAA chair and CEO Mitch Glazier in a press release, per Wired.
The plaintiffs are reportedly seeking up to $150,000 per work infringed. Wired’s report did not say if the RIAA provided a tally or comprehensive list of songs allegedly infringed by Suno and Udio in its complaint.
Wired also notes that neither app has publicly disclosed what its AI generators are trained with.
CNN reports that Udio was the app that comedian and tech enthusiast King Willonius used to create “BBL Drizzy,” which became a viral hit at the height of Drake’s feud with Rick Ross, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Metro Boomin, and others.
Willonius’ Motown-tinged track takes inspiration from Ross’ relentless nickname for Drake.
When the Canadian rapper’s “Push Ups” diss track leaked online in April, Rozay responded with “Champagne Moments” hours later. At that time, he coined the phrase “BBL Drizzy” and hasn’t let it go ever since.
“I mean, it was hilarious. Just the words 'BBL Drizzy' is funny in itself. But I always had a history of anytime something was trending on Twitter/X, I would make a song and throw it on my SoundCloud,” Willonius told Vulture in May. “This time I put it on X, and it took off like wildfire. The timing of ‘BBL Drizzy’ and the Drake-Kendrick beef being so polarizing, it was the perfect storm.”
Willonius’ version of “BBL Drizzy” mostly stayed under the radar until Metro Boomin revamped it in May, offering a prize of $10,000 and a free beat to whichever artist turned in the best verse for it.
However, the comedian also told Billboard last month that he came up with the lyrics himself.
“I think it’s a misconception that people think AI wrote ‘BBL Drizzy,’” Willonius told the magazine. “There’s no way AI could write lyrics like ‘I’m thicker than a Snicker’ and ‘I got the best BBL in history.’”
