|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Award-winning Ghanaian rapper M.anifest has criticised the growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) to generate songs, arguing that music created entirely through AI prompts lacks the human creativity that defines true artistic expression.
Speaking in an interview on Woezor TV on July 29, 2026, the rapper clarified that while he supports the use of technology in music production, he strongly opposes musicians relying on AI to write complete songs without meaningful human input.
According to M.anifest, AI should serve as a creative aid rather than a replacement for the songwriter or artiste.
“I’m not trying to downplay it. It’s good for a lot of things, maybe for your show and similar uses. But I’m against it when it comes to the creative side. Use AI for things like production. But making songs with prompts? That’s terrible. You should be ashamed of yourself.”
He reiterated his position, saying musicians who depend solely on AI-generated lyrics and compositions undermine the essence of music.
“Making songs with prompts, you should be ashamed of yourself. You can use technology to help you make music. I’m all for it. I’m pro-technology. But if you’re making music solely with prompts, shame on you,” he added.
The No Shortcut to Heaven hitmaker questioned whether music created entirely by artificial intelligence could genuinely be regarded as art, stressing that human creativity and emotion must remain central to the creative process.
He also disclosed that he has observed some musicians in Ghana using AI prompts to generate songs, expressing concern that such practices diminish artistic authenticity.
“I want to call out some people I’ve seen even in Ghana using prompts to do this. Letting AI write your whole songs. Where’s the human involvement? Without human involvement, is it art? It’s just artificial,” he stated.
Beyond his criticism, M.anifest called on digital streaming platforms (DSPs) to introduce clearer labelling for AI-generated music so listeners can make informed choices about the content they consume.
Drawing a comparison with the “Parental Advisory” labels historically used for explicit music, he argued that AI-generated songs should carry a similar identifier.
“I think there should be freedom of choice. If you like AI music, that’s fine. But it should be identified as such. When I was younger, music with explicit lyrics carried a ‘Parental Advisory’ label. In the same way, they should tell us if it’s an AI artiste. Then you have the option to decide if you like it or not,” he said.
The rapper further suggested that streaming platforms should introduce user controls allowing listeners to exclude AI-generated music from recommendations and playlists.
“Me personally, I would like to ban AI artists from my DSP. There should be a button where, if you don’t want to hear AI-generated music, it doesn’t appear. Those who want to hear it can. I have no interest in listening to AI-generated music,” he remarked.
Despite his strong criticism of AI-generated songs, M.anifest emphasised that he is not opposed to technology itself. Instead, he believes AI has a valuable role to play when used to support production processes rather than replace human creativity.
“I have no problem with music where people use AI tools to help create. Technology is technology, and you have to use it. If you’re making a film and you need AI to help with colour grading or other production tools, that’s fine. But the idea of using AI to create everything from start to finish, I’m against it,” he concluded.
