
SM Entertainment Launches AI Rap Project Rappie With Verses | Sept 2025
Gary WhittakerSM Entertainment Teams With Verses to Launch Multimodal AI Rap Project (Sept 2025)
SM Entertainment partners with AI startup Verses to unveil Rappie, a multimodal platform generating AI-powered rap lyrics, vocals, avatars, and synchronized music videos.
The Big Announcement
On September 2, 2025, SM Entertainment, one of South Korea’s largest entertainment companies, announced a partnership with AI music startup Verses to launch Rappie, a multimodal AI-powered rap creation platform.
Rappie combines AI-generated lyrics, synthetic vocals, and realistic AI avatars to create synchronized short-form and full-length music videos — opening new possibilities for K-pop and beyond.
How Rappie Works
- AI-Generated Lyrics: Verses’ natural language models craft context-aware rap verses and hooks optimized for rhythm and flow.
- Synthetic Vocals: Deep-learning voice generation delivers customizable tones, accents, and rap cadences.
- AI Avatars: Hyper-realistic performers replicate gestures, facial expressions, and lip-syncing.
- Synchronized Music Videos: Delivers complete video packages ready for TikTok, YouTube, and streaming platforms.
“This collaboration sets a new standard for K-pop’s digital transformation, blending AI-driven music with next-gen performance visuals.” — SM Entertainment, Press Release (Sept 2025)
Why It Matters
- K-pop goes multimodal: SM Entertainment leads the integration of AI into music production and live-style video storytelling.
- Global ripple effects: Rappie’s success could inspire similar AI-driven platforms across hip-hop, pop, and indie genres worldwide.
- Creator opportunities: Multimodal AI is unlocking workflows where music, visuals, and branding converge — a trend creators must prepare for.
Impact on the AI Music Landscape
Rappie’s debut underscores a broader shift within AI-powered music:
- Rise of multimodal AI: AI platforms are moving beyond sound generation into integrated audio + visual performance design.
- Competitive positioning: While Suno and Udio fight lawsuits over training datasets, Verses offers a forward-looking, “clean IP” alternative.
- Audience expectations evolving: K-pop fans are early adopters of immersive, interactive content — making Rappie a perfect testbed for mainstream adoption.
For AI Music Creators
The launch of Rappie signals where AI-driven music creation is heading. For independent artists, producers, and content creators, here’s what to watch:
- AI avatars: Lifelike digital performers could redefine fan engagement and virtual concerts.
- Multimodal workflows: Rappie merges lyrics, vocals, and visuals — expect similar integrated tools to dominate the next wave of AI platforms.
- Global opportunities: K-pop’s fast adoption of AI could accelerate demand for creators skilled in prompt engineering and hybrid workflows.
Sources
- Music Business Worldwide — SM + Verses announce Rappie (Sept 2, 2025)
- Wired — The rise of multimodal AI music platforms
- AP News — AI innovation in K-pop
