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Kanye West admitted using ChatGPT for lyrics – and turned a controversy into a cultural moment
Kanye West didn’t deny it. After weeks of speculation, he stepped up to the mic and said it himself:
“Yeah, that was GPT. But you still felt me though.”
With that one line, Kanye West confirmed what fans and critics had been debating for months – that ChatGPT played a role in generating lyrics for his latest album. The admission came during a livestream Q&A on YeezyTV, and it instantly lit up X, TikTok, and Reddit.
Kanye wasn’t defensive. He was proud. He described ChatGPT as “another instrument,” no different than an 808 or an MPC. And while some called it lazy, others saw it as a bold move from an artist always five years ahead.
ChatGPT wrote early drafts, metaphors, and even bars – but Kanye shaped the final vision
Kanye West said he used ChatGPT not to replace his pen, but to “throw sparks into the fire.”
He prompted:
“Write a verse about Chicago winters and spiritual hunger – in the tone of 2010 Kanye, but with 2040 vocabulary.”
He then edited the output, rewrote lines, and flipped metaphors. Some GPT bars stayed almost word-for-word – others became launchpads for deeper ideas.
He added:
“It’s not ghostwriting if I’m the ghost too. That’s still my voice.”
Whether you agree or not, the process reflects a growing trend: artists using AI tools as collaborators – not replacements.
Claude helped craft long-form narratives and album concepts that sound cinematic
Kanye West used Claude from Anthropic to flesh out broader themes. Where ChatGPT was tight on rhythm and rhyme, Claude was the story guy.
He prompted:
“Write an abstract monologue about fatherhood, fashion, and faith – something I’d say in an interlude.”
Claude returned poetic prose. Some made it directly into a track called Mirror Saint. Others became interstitials between songs, later voiced by AI-generated narrators.
Kanye said Claude helped him “feel like I had a writer’s room with angels and aliens.”
The quote went viral. Within hours, “Claude Ye” became a trending hashtag.
Gemini was used to test lyrics against public sentiment, demographic resonance, and cultural tone
Kanye West used Gemini, Google DeepMind’s flagship model, as an audience simulator.
Before finalizing certain verses, he asked:
“How would Gen Z interpret this metaphor?”
“Would Black Christian listeners feel inspired or alienated by this hook?”
“Does this line sound more arrogant or ironic?”
Gemini helped Kanye calibrate. He said it didn’t change his truth – but made him aware of how different communities might hear it.
This was AI not as censor – but as amplifier of nuance.
Chatronix made the AI workflow seamless – and helped Kanye build a creative stack like no other
Kanye West used ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, but managing them across chats, drafts, and files was messy – until he switched to Chatronix.
In Chatronix, his team built:
- A Lyrics Prompt Stack: 20 pre-tested GPT-4 bars templates for tone, flow, and structure
- A Narrative Engine: Claude longform prompts with voice options, characters, and themes
- A Feedback Simulator: Gemini modules for cultural resonance, PR risk, and audience modeling
- A Memory Vault: Saved sessions, past revisions, voice tweaks – accessible for the next album
One producer said:
“With Chatronix, Ye’s AI setup felt more like a film studio than a text box. We weren’t writing – we were directing.”
The economic win?
- Saved ~$40K in outsourced ghostwriting
- Cut pre-production time by 3 weeks
- Helped build a sellable IP asset with AI-prompt provenance – now being licensed for other artists
The industry reaction: mixed praise, heated debates, and a new wave of AI-in-music thinkpieces
After Kanye West’s ChatGPT confession, the music world responded fast.
Artists: Some called it betrayal. Others admitted they’d been doing it too – just quietly.
Producers: Many supported the move, saying AI made workflows faster and more flexible.
Critics: Thinkpieces exploded. The Atlantic ran: “Ye and the Death of Authorship.” Rolling Stone countered: “AI Is the New Autotune – Get Over It.”
Legal teams: Labels began drafting new contracts around AI usage and IP ownership.
Kanye, meanwhile, dropped a limited-edition vinyl with a bonus track called “Prompt God.”
Kanye has officially confirmed the use of AI on his upcoming album ‘BULLY’ 💿
He compares AI to autotune and says him utilizing it will help make AI more accepted in music.
(via The Download interview /w Justin LaBoy) pic.twitter.com/HCIkGik50i
— Kurrco (@Kurrco) February 3, 2025
Final thoughts: Is Kanye West the first great AI-era artist – or just the loudest?
ChatGPT didn’t “write” Kanye’s album. But it helped shape it. So did Claude. So did Gemini. So did Kanye’s instincts – the same ones that made 808s, Yeezus, and Donda cultural earthquakes.
The question now isn’t if AI belongs in music. It’s how we credit it – and who owns the output.
What’s the future of creativity – if the prompt becomes the newWant to build your own AI-powered creative studio like Kanye?
Use ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini on Chatronix.ai