Jermaine Dupri Demands Spotify Pay Artists For AI Remixes: “Cut Us In”

Jermaine Dupri wants artists to name their price before Spotify lets subscribers use AI to make new versions of their songs.

The producer urged musicians to join forces in an October 31 Instagram post about the streaming service’s planned remix tool.

His demand went beyond getting paid for streams: artists should help set the fee and choose which records the tool can use.

“Whoever is behind this, believes they can change the landscape of music and take all the value away from the actual artist and producers who did it and give it to someone else,” Dupri wrote.

He called on artists to work together on terms before ending his caption with a blunt demand for the company.

“Whoever is behind this, believes they can change the landscape of music and take all the value away from the actual artist and producers who did it and give it to someone else, ok, So let’s play ball!! Spotify is scheduled to make $21.85 billion THIS year,so artist we need to come together and create a fee for what we want, and what songs we allow this to happen to, THEY GOTTA CUT US IN, OR CUT THIS SHIT OUT,” he wrote.

Spotify has described a paid extra for Premium subscribers that would use generative AI to help fans rework songs or record covers.

The company announced music licensing deals with Universal Music Group in May, followed by an agreement with Believe in October.

Spotify’s stated terms for Believe and TuneCore artists include voluntary participation and royalty payments when fans stream the versions made through the tool.

Artists served by those companies would first agree to consider AI programs, then make a separate choice about joining Spotify’s offer.

Each fan remix would also direct listeners to the source track and artist, giving the original music a path to more plays.

Those plans address permission and payment, though the announcement does not spell out the royalty split or a fee that artists could set themselves.

Dupri’s concerns about tech companies’ role in music predate this post, including his 2024 criticism of AI music generator Udio.

At the time, he challenged the idea that music workers should accept new rules from people who came from outside their business.

Spotify Co-CEO Alex Norström described the company’s approach when it announced the Universal deal, stressing the role of creators in that plan.

“What we’re building is grounded in consent, credit, and compensation for the artists and songwriters that take part,” he said.

Spotify’s May agreement with Universal also covered music publishing rights, bringing songwriters into the planned covers-and-remixes service alongside recording artists.