u/captainenergy

Came across this and it feels like a line just got crossed. It’s actually a reggae song called “Angels Above Me” by Stick Figure. Only noticed because they happen to be my favorite band that I follow closely over in r/calireggae. I can only imagine how the artist feels.

TL;DR: An AI-generated version of that song popped up on TikTok. Same lyrics, same melody, basically the same song. Just a different voice and production. It got renamed, started spreading, and now it’s everywhere. Millions of views, tons of reposts, and it’s already made its way onto Spotify and YouTube. Here’s the article I am talking about: https://thomascussins.substack.com/p/ai-stole-my-clients-song-then-its

From what I can tell, the original artist isn’t credited anywhere and isn’t seeing any of the money.

It doesn’t even feel like a remix or a cover. It feels more like a clone. And with how streaming payouts already work, everything gets pooled together, this kind of thing just eats into what real artists make even more.

I’ve seen some ideas like requiring AI songs to disclose source material and route revenue back to the original creators, which seems reasonable in theory, but hard to enforce.

Curious where people land on this. Is this just the next version of remix culture, or does this cross into something totally different?

TIL Stick Figure’s Legalize It (Medley) is basically a Sublime smorgasborg.

I love that I am still finding gems from Stick Figure. I like to think I've listened to almost everything from Scott and crew (on repeat), but this very early / 2007 Sublime (and Tosh/Toots) cover did not fully register on my radar.

Scott stitched together iconic lines from multiple Sublime songs and the reggae classics they covered.

• “Legalize it…” → Peter Tosh (but a staple in Sublime sets)
• “54-46 that’s my number…” → Toots & the Maytals (Sublime covered it)
• “I took this trip to Garden Grove…” → straight from Sublime
• “Who wrote my rhyme? I’ve got the microwave…” → Smoke Two Joints

Bradley loved to sample and cover a LOT, which make this even cooler.

It’s like a tribute collage that only true Cali reggae fans catch on first listen. Once you hear it, you can’t unhear it. In the best way. I see this tune was also posted here just a couple weeks ago!

What other hidden nods to Sublime or OG reggae artists have you caught in Stick Figure tracks?

Aloha!

—-

[Verse 1]
Stick it up Mister, stick it up Mister
That's what I say, that's what I say
Stick it up Mister, stick it up, Stick Figure
That's what I say, that's what I..

[Chorus]
Legalize it.. don't criticize it

[Verse 2]
54-46 that's my number, what's my number now
Right now somebody else has that number
One more time, one more time

I took this trip to garden groove
It smelt like Lou Dog inside the van, well oh yeah
This ain't no god damn reggae party
Five dollars at the door, it gets so real sometimes
Who wrote my rhyme? I've got the microwave

I'm not a fool to hurt myself
Well, I was innocent to what the done to me
They were wrong, no oh, they were wrong[Pre-Chorus]
If I did that would you say, sir?
Are you feeling in the mood?
Come down and put the charge on me
Are you feeling in the mood?
They were wrong, they were wrong..
Are you feeling in the mood?

[Chorus]
Legalize it.. don't criticize it

[Verse 3]
If I did that would you say, sir?
Come down and put the charge on me
Well, I wouldn't do that, no oh, I wouldn't do that
I'm not a fool to hurt myself
Well, I was innocent to what they done to me
They were wrong, whoa oh, they were wrong