Chris Brown is gearing up to drop his new album, BROWN, on Friday, May 8. Following the release of the album, he will be going on tour with Usher. It is set to be one of the biggest R&B tours of all-time, and there is no doubt that longtime fans are excited.
On Tuesday, Brown continued the rollout for his project by unveiling the features list. This list has turned out to be quite controversial, for a few reasons. Firstly, the features themselves are as follows: NBA YoungBoy, Bryson Tiller, Tank, Vybz Kartel, Sexyy Red, GloRilla, Leon Thomas, Lucky Daye, and Fridayy.
Furthermore, Brown decided to use AI to reveal his features list. He did this through a vintage-style poster, as well as a black-and-white video that was clearly AI-generated.
Chris Brown's AI Features Reveal
The use of AI in artistic spaces has been a hot topic of debate as of late. Many feel as though AI has no business being in the same conversation as art. Not only is AI taking jobs away from creatives, but it also creates a soulless product that elicits static emotions.
If Chris Brown is using AI to promote his album, then there is a real fear that he could be using AI in the music itself. That would subsequently set a horrible precedent for not just R&B, but the music industry as a whole.
Social Media Reacts
On social media, music listeners found the irony in Brown's poster, which says "A Night Of Soul" in large lettering. "The irony of “a night of soul” using soulless AI promo. This is a disgrace," wrote Huffington Post Culture Reporter Njera Perkins. Her sentiments were echoed by many, demonstrating how the majority of people online are sick and tired of AI taking over everything in our lives.
Whether or not Chris Brown dials back on the AI heading into Friday is something that remains to be seen. However, it remains clear that the use of AI is increasingly becoming a line in the sand for listeners.
