Fenix Flexin is a longtime member of Shoreline Mafia, the LA rap crew who had a run of huge regional success a few years ago. Right now, though, he's having a wave of success for a completely different reason. Last week, Fenix released "Rubberz," a fussy and synthy dance-pop track where he sings in a British accent, almost doing a Morrissey impression. It's a fascinating left turn, but the conversation around the track has taken on a more depressing edge for a specific reason: A whole lot of people suspect that "Rubberz" is AI-generated.
Even before "Rubberz" was released in full last Friday, Fenix Flexin faced the AI question, just based on the song snippets that he posted. Interviewer Shaka Wear asked Fenix whether the song was AI on June 2, and he didn't actually deny it, which doesn't seem like a good sign. Instead, he said, "I could understand [why people think it's AI] 'cause the music we make is so far left. For someone to hear this type of music and it be all the way over here, they're probably like, 'How the fuck does he even understand what this music is?' But it comes down to my childhood. I wake up, that's what Pops is listening to."
On his podcast on Tuesday, Bootleg Kev played "Rubberz" for Blxst and said that Fenix told him the song was not AI-generated. On Monday, Fenix's apparently lip-synced On The Radar performance went up online, and it went viral, just like the song.
The comments on On The Radar's Instagram post have cosigns from artists like RXK Nephew, 03 Greedo, Larry June, Luh Tyler, and prominent AI proponent Timbaland. Fenix Flexin himself was also in those Instagram comments, and that's where he denied that the song is AI.
Back in January, Fenix Flexin spoke to XXL and teased his new sonic direction
I'ma take my sound and completely revamp it, I would say in about two years. I'ma say so from this point to then, when I do my solo projects, I'ma drop little tidbits and tadbits until I can make a comfortable transition to doing what I want to do as a completely grown man, as far as music concerns.
There are also alleged screengrabs of another Instagram comment in which Fenix supposedly says, "anyone who know me know I be talking like im from uk half the day lol," but it's unclear if that screengrab is legit like the other one. Meanwhile the track’s credited producer Purps has not commented.
It's fun to think about this LA rapper suddenly deciding to sing in a British accent and make quasi-sensitive '80s roller-rink music, so I definitely hope he's telling the truth and it's not AI at all!
