Jermaine Dupri is shaking the table surrounding music authenticity and calling out the rise of AI artists– drawing parallels to one of the most infamous Grammy moments in history. On Thursday, he took to X to question the rise of AI-generated music, likening it to the 1990 Milli Vanilli scandal. 

“So let me get this right,” Dupri wrote. “Years ago the industry found out that Milli Vanilli weren’t really the voices on their Grammy-winning record, and they were stripped of their Grammy, but now we’re getting ready to accept people who can’t even sing, creating songs for a fake person? How is this any different than Milli Vanilli?”

For context, Milli Vanilli, the German pop duo, won the Grammy for Best New Artist after their debut album “All or Nothing” became a mega hit. But that celebration didn’t last long. Their creator, Frank Farian, revealed that the duo hadn’t sung a single note on the record. Fab Morvan and Rob Pilatus were performing lip-synced vocals, while other artists actually sang the tracks. The Grammys pulled their award soon after, marking one of the biggest controversies in award history. 

Earlier this week, Xania Monet became the first AI artist to land on a Billboard radio chart, debuting at No.30 on the Adult R&B Airplay chart with “How Was I Supposed to Know?” Beyond that, Monet has also appeared on multiple Billboard charts, including R&B Digital Song Sales, Hot Gospel Songs, Hot R&B Song, and Emerging Artists. 

Monet’s creator, Telisha “Nikki” Jones, a poet from Mississippi, defended the AI project, saying Xania is “an extension of me” and should be seen as a real artist. “Technology’s evolving,” Jones told CBS Mornings. “Everyone has different ways of putting in work to get to where they’re at. I don’t feel a way about it.”

Dupri’s tweet has sparked a lot of debate online, with fans and music insiders weighing in. Is this the next evolution of artistry or just another Milli Vanilli moment waiting to happen? As AI continues to make waves in music, the industry is being forced to rethink what it really means to be a “real” artist–and how awards should recognize talent in this new era.