Snoop Dogg has released a new music video for Sophisticated Crippin’, a track off his latest album Iz It A Crime?, and it’s hard to look away. Not just because of the song, but because the entire thing is steeped in generative AI.
The scene that opens the video is convincingly surreal, thanks to AI-generated visuals that straddle the line between lifelike and off-kilter.
Directed by Jesse Wellens, the video rolls on with AI-generated cameos from a lineup that includes Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Tupac Shakur, Michael Jackson, Nate Dogg, and Warren G. In some scenes, old photos of Snoop are brought to life, lips moving and eyes blinking in strange sync.
Reactions online have been mixed. Some viewers find the lifeless expressions and mismatched movements jarring, giving off the “uncanny valley” vibe. Others seem intrigued by the tools used, noting that these AI techniques are now within reach for independent artists and creators.
Some comments on Youtube
This isn’t Snoop’s first venture into AI-enhanced visuals. In April, he appeared in a video for Last Dance with Mary Jane, alongside Tom Petty and Jelly Roll. That clip also used AI image generation, developed by Temple Caché. But according to a report in Little Black Book, the final product wasn’t entirely machine-made. Every frame, they said, was manually adjusted by artists to preserve visual continuity and emotional nuance.
Whether Sophisticated Crippin’ is a vision of music videos to come or just an odd one-off remains to be seen. But one thing’s clear: Snoop Dogg isn’t afraid to experiment, even if it means rapping next to an AI version of himself.
