Tyga Admits AI Was Used For His Latest Album — ‘I Always Felt Like It’s Similar To A Magician Explaining How He Does His Tricks’ – AfroTech

Debate and controversy surrounding AI-generated music continue to shake up the industry, with rapper Tyga among the latest artists to confirm using the technology to create his latest album, “$TARFACE.”

Tyga released the ’80s-inspired album on July 31, 2026. In an interview with VIBE on Aug. 6, he confirmed that AI was used in the project — and said he has no shame about using the technology.

“I’ve never spoken on this with anybody because I always felt like it’s similar to a magician explaining how he does his tricks. Like why are people overexplaining how they make sh-t that’s good?” Tyga said, per VIBE. “If you like it, you like it; if you don’t, you don’t. I don’t care. It’s supposed to give you an experience and a feeling. But we definitely used AI as a [tool]. And I know people are going to be mad about me saying this, but it’s where technology is going. It’s no different than when Auto-Tune came out. Some people were opposed to it, but real artists took it and used it.”

However, Tyga clarified that the vocals are entirely his own and said there is nothing wrong with using technology — specifically AI — as a creative tool.

“At the end of the day, as a musician, I got 15 years of hits. On this $tarface project, we still created everything as a whole,” Tyga said. “I thought it was a great experience. $tarface could do whatever the f-ck he wants to do. He’s on his own wave. He’s above it all. It’s a completely different thing.”

How Spotify Is Bringing Transparency To AI Music

Tyga’s admission comes as music platforms work to increase transparency around AI-generated music in an effort to build greater trust and authenticity between artists and fans.

For its part, Spotify has made Artist Identity & Trust one of its top priorities, announcing several steps aimed at making the platform a more transparent and trustworthy place to listen to music.

As AFROTECH™ previously reported, Spotify rolled out its “Verified by Spotify” badge in April 2026 to help listeners identify authentic artist profiles amid the rise of AI-generated music.

The badge features a light-green check mark that shows up on an artist’s profile after it has been reviewed and approved under Spotify’s standards for authenticity and trust. Criteria include consistent listener activity and engagement over time, compliance with Spotify’s policies, and information such as concert dates, merchandise, and linked social media accounts on the artist’s profile.

“At launch, profiles that appear to primarily represent AI-generated or AI-persona artists are not eligible for verification. In today’s music landscape, the concept of artist authenticity is complex and quickly evolving, and we’ll continue to develop our approach over time,” Spotify said in its blog, per AFROTECH™. “We’ll pair these standards with human review and judgment to identify real artists behaving in good-faith, not just filtering out bad actors, giving you a more reliable signal of the authentic artistry behind the music.”

The streaming platform announced additional enhancements on Monday, Aug. 11, revealing that starting in mid-September, “AI Persona” badges will appear on select artist profiles to indicate when an artist’s identity may be AI-generated and does not represent a real person.

Artists can disclose that their profile represents an AI Persona through Spotify for Artists. However, Spotify said it will not rely solely on self-disclosure. The company will also review artist profiles to identify those whose public identity appears to represent a photorealistic, AI-generated persona.

Spotify will default to not include AI Personas in editorial or algorithmic recommendations.

“While we believe all artists have creative choice in determining how they present themselves, Spotify’s programming is focused on elevating music from authentic artists building careers in music,” the company wrote.

Various Artists Have Different Perspectives On AI In Music

Rappers like Lil Wayne have acknowledged the potential of AI while maintaining confidence that the technology cannot surpass his own talent, AFROTECH™ noted. Still, artists continue to form their own perspectives on the evolving technology.

Timbaland has embraced AI music creation tool Suno and signed AI-generated artist TaTa in 2025, while will.i.am has expressed confidence that creatives will continue to stand the test of time amid the technology’s rise.

Now, Tyga joins the growing list of artists choosing to adapt to the technology rather than fear it. As artists explore what AI can bring to the creative process, Spotify is simultaneously working to increase transparency and help listeners understand when and how AI plays a role in the music they hear.

“We know the music ecosystem is evolving, and so will our approach. We’ll continue to adapt as the landscape changes and as we learn from artists, listeners, and industry partners,” Spotify said.