Marsha Blackburn's AI-Generated Kendrick Lamar Video Sparks Backlash
Critics decry the Tennessee senator's campaign video, which depicts her as the rapper during a politically charged performance.
The campaign for Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn has drawn criticism for a recently released AI-generated video that reimagines the senator as rapper Kendrick Lamar.
The video, shared on social media, depicts Blackburn, a supporter of former President Donald Trump, as Lamar during his 2025 Super Bowl halftime performance of "Not Like Us." The clip also features other Tennessee Republican politicians, including Rep. Tim Burchett, Sen. Bill Hagerty, state Sen. Brent Taylor, and Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, as backup dancers.
The performance of "Not Like Us" was a politically charged event that drew strong reactions from some in Trump's base, with some critics labeling it "Satanic" and "absolute trash."
Following the release of Blackburn's video, some critics have called for Lamar to issue a cease-and-desist letter. The rapper has not publicly commented on the campaign advertisement.
Reactions on social media ranged from calling the video an "AI cringe fest" to expressing disgust. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) reacted to the video with a simple, "Holy what."
Jerri Green, Blackburn's Democratic rival in the race to replace term-limited Republican Gov. Bill Lee, also weighed in, stating, "When I say please stop using AI to support our campaign, this is what I mean..."
Blackburn is currently leading in polls against Green. In the 2024 presidential election, Trump won Tennessee by a margin of nearly 30 percentage points.