Mary J. Blige Disavows Ad For AI Music Company Suno

For a few days, it looked like one of R&B’s most unmistakably human voices had become an unlikely ambassador for generative AI. Vocalist Mary J. Blige appeared in a Suno advertisement sitting in a studio, watching as a producer used the controversial AI music platform to build a track that sounded conspicuously like something from Blige’s own catalog. She seemed intrigued. She called the results “dope.” And the internet, predictably, had thoughts.

There was just one problem: Blige apparently never approved the ad. Suno has now pulled the campaign, alleging that the company had entered into a deal with someone who claimed to be Blige’s official representative but was in fact not authorized to act on her behalf. Once Suno learned that was the case — and that Blige was uncomfortable with the campaign — it terminated the advertising agreement. A representative for Blige had no further comment.

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The 85-second spot had circulated widely online after appearing late last month. In it, Blige is shown in a studio alongside an unnamed producer as he seemingly constructs a song called “Pretty Flowers.” At various points she appears to call the process “amazing” and “dope,” although the editing makes it difficult to determine exactly to which parts of the process she is responding. A shorter, more heavily edited version of the footage also circulated, further stripping context from Blige’s remarks.

The episode also arrives at a particularly complicated moment for Suno, which has forged licensing deals with Warner Music Group and BMG but is still mired in litigation with Universal Music Group and Sony Music Entertainment over its technology. Earlier this week, Jason Isbell and other musicians filed a lawsuit accusing Suno of allowing users to create music based on musicians’ identities without their consent.

Blige, 55, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2024. Her studio album from that year, Gratitude, spawned the Adult R&B radio hits “Breathing” and “You Ain’t the Only One.”

To see our running list of the top 100 greatest rock stars of all time, click here.