Capitol Drops ‘Virtual Rapper’ FN Meka After Backlash

Capitol Records

The New York Times:

Capitol Music Group, the company that houses major record labels including Capitol and Blue Note, said on Tuesday that it was severing ties with its latest controversial artist: FN Meka, a virtual “robot rapper” powered partly by artificial intelligence, who boasts more than 10 million followers on TikTok.

The company had previously teased the project — the first augmented reality artist to sign to a major label, it said — as “just a preview of what’s to come.” Yet after growing backlash to what skeptical observers said amounted to digital blackface — including content that seemed to trivialize incarceration and police brutality — Capitol said it had “severed ties with the FN Meka project, effective immediately.”

Bad Robot Launches Indie Music Label Loud Robot

Capitol Records

Mia Galuppo, writing for The Hollywood Reporter:

The J.J. Abrams-headed production outfit has launched indie music label, Loud Robot, partnering with Capitol Music Group. While the label will function independently, Bad Robot will have the opportunity to place the original music in its film, television shows and games.

Capitol will fund the new venture and will provide support in the form of its extensive resources and access to its global distribution platform.