Is This Billboard Hot 100 Track Just AI Noise?
Fenix Flexin, known for his role in the rap duo Shoreline Mafia from Los Angeles, has recently made waves with his solo track “Rubberz,” which has hit number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, the song’s origins have sparked controversy, with many speculating that it may have been generated by AI. While Fenix has denied these claims, he hasn’t done much to clear the air.
The skepticism stems partly from the song’s significant stylistic shift. Fenix has primarily been associated with trap-influenced West Coast rap, but “Rubberz” leans heavily into ‘80s UK synth pop. The vocal melody bears a resemblance to Morrissey, and Fenix even adopts a faux British accent. Yet, artistic evolution is a natural part of a musician’s journey, and this alone doesn’t confirm any suspicions.
A closer look at the recording quality raises eyebrows. There are noticeable artifacts and anomalies typical of AI-generated music. The hi-hats sound brittle, the chorus vocals resemble a low-bitrate MP3, and the reverb tails abruptly cut off.
Songwriter Charlie Harding pointed out these telltale signs, noting, “Ghostly backing vocals duck in and out unexpectedly. The drum reverb is full of unnatural digital artifacting reminiscent of a 64kbps MP3 downloaded off of Napster. Most generative AI models are trained on low-quality MP3s of unlicensed material, leading to degraded instrumentation.”
Running the track through AI music detection tools didn’t yield definitive proof. I tested it with five different detectors, which indicated a 20 to 30 percent chance of AI involvement. However, these tools aren’t always reliable and often lag behind advancements in music generation technology.
Some supporting materials have raised further questions. The single’s cover art and a celebratory post were flagged as AI-generated with over 97 percent certainty by multiple detectors. Additionally, when the lyrics were analyzed, several AI writing detectors, including Gemini, suggested they appeared to be AI-generated. Producer Curtiss King also found signs of AI involvement when he tested the lyrics with Claude.
The lyrics themselves exhibit a kind of logical near-gibberish often produced by AI. The rhymes are straightforward and simplistic, lacking the complexity expected from a skilled rapper. They follow a basic AA, BB rhyme scheme that prioritizes rhyme over meaning or narrative coherence.
> Swipin’ cards and stackin’ chips, I saw you sinkin’ ships
> Left me standin’ in the pourin’ rain, now I bought a heavy diamond chain
The imagery raises questions without resolution. Who is sinking ships? The concept is never revisited. Similarly, the chorus lines may seem coherent individually, but together they lack substance.
> Bankrolls on the table
> Watchin’ local cable
> Hatin’ that I’m able
> Hatin’ that I’m able
Ignoring the awkward “local cable” reference, what exactly is Fenix able to do? Why the disdain? The lyrics provoke more questions than they answer.
The delivery of the lines is also peculiar. The third verse appears to end abruptly with “Not the jewelry.” Harding noted a “complete lack of flow,” stating, “No half-competent rapper would ever sing the title line ‘I just let the rubber band snap’ in such an awkward manner.” The syncopation is unusual, emphasizing the wrong syllables and creating an unnatural rhythm.
Live performances of “Rubberz” have not helped Fenix’s case. In early appearances, he awkwardly lip-synced, struggling with the flow and lyrics, almost as if he couldn’t recall his own song. At times, it seems he’s not even making a genuine effort to convince anyone he’s performing live.
Things take a turn for the worse when he attempts to sing. In various clips, it’s evident he struggles to replicate the vocal range and accent from the recording, often appearing unfamiliar with the lyrics. During live performances, the original vocals are frequently played over his, with his actual voice mixed low. The DJ occasionally drops the backing track to showcase authenticity, but it falls flat.
Fenix has defended himself, attributing the differences between the recorded version and live performances to vocal processing, including AutoTune. However, this claim has been challenged by multiple critics. King likens AutoTune to spellcheck, emphasizing that while it can create unique sounds, it doesn’t extend vocal range or introduce accents, as Fantano points out.
The most compelling argument for the authenticity of “Rubberz” may be its overall quality. Harding remarked, “I would assume it was written by someone who has never written a song using an ‘80s kids practice keyboard.” If the track was indeed AI-generated, it likely came from a subpar model. “I’m concerned that audiences find this song interesting when it’s created by one of the lesser generative AI music companies with a poor model. More advanced models have already made significant improvements in sound quality and rhythm.”
Fenix has shared clips claiming to show Pro Tools session files, but this doesn’t provide conclusive evidence. Unless he releases the original recording and project files, the AI allegations are likely to persist, and it seems unlikely that will happen anytime soon.
