Billboard chart success triggers debate over artificial intelligence in music production

Fenix Flexin, a Los Angeles-based rapper and member of the group Shoreline Mafia, achieved solo success with "Rubberz," a track that reached number 58 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song's rapid climb was quickly shadowed by speculation that artificial intelligence played a substantial role in its creation. Fenix publicly denied these allegations but provided little to dispel the questions. Skepticism intensified because the track represents a dramatic shift from his previous body of work. His earlier releases predominantly featured trap-influenced West Coast rap, whereas "Rubberz" draws from 1980s British music aesthetics.