Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.) on Tuesday posted an AI-generated video that places her in the role of rapper Kendrick Lamar during his 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show, a move that quickly drew criticism from across the political spectrum.
The video shows Blackburn, who is running for governor, on a football field surrounded by a supporting cast that includes Rep. Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.), Sen. Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), state Sen. Brent Taylor (R), and former Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs, also known as WWE wrestler Kane. Blackburn appears to sing into a microphone as Lamar's "Not Like Us" plays in the background.
She shared the clip on X with the caption, "Tomorrow. Ready to roll." The post prompted a flood of negative replies, with some users labeling it "AI slop" and urging her to delete it. One comment featured a photo of Sen. Katie Britt's (R-Ala.) reaction after Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) and his staff confused the Iowa Hawkeyes with the Atlanta Hawks during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing last month.
Blackburn's Democratic gubernatorial opponent, Jerri Green, responded on X: "When I say please stop using AI to support our campaign, this is what I mean."
The incident is particularly notable given Blackburn's legislative record on artificial intelligence. She has been a vocal advocate for regulating deepfakes and unauthorized digital replicas. In May 2025, she joined Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Chris Coons (D-Del.) to introduce the No Fakes Act, which would protect individuals' voices and likenesses from being used without permission.
"This is something that would provide that extra protection for these creators, so whether it's copying their voice or copying their works, they have a legal standing and a right to defend themself and their creation," Blackburn said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on intellectual property in November 2024. A version of the bill was introduced in May and referred to the committee.
Lamar has not publicly commented on Blackburn's video, and his representatives have not issued a statement. The rapper himself has previously employed deepfake technology in his 2022 music video for "The Heart Part 5," where he morphed into figures such as O.J. Simpson, Ye, Jussie Smollett, Will Smith, Kobe Bryant, and Nipsey Hussle.
Blackburn's video comes amid heightened scrutiny of AI in politics, with lawmakers on both sides calling for safeguards against deceptive digital content. The episode also underscores the tricky terrain politicians navigate when using emerging technologies, especially when they have championed regulations against the very tools they employ.
As Blackburn campaigns for governor, the video may serve as a test of how voters react to AI-generated content in political messaging. The backlash suggests that even in a polarized environment, some uses of AI can unite critics across party lines.
For now, the video remains online, and Blackburn's campaign has not responded to requests for comment. The controversy is likely to follow her as she continues her gubernatorial bid.
