Israel Accused of 'Stealing' Black British Rapper IAMDDB's Likeness for AI Music Video Before Deleting It

Israel's official social media accounts have removed an AI-generated rap video after Black British musician IAMDDB accused them of using her likeness without permission.

The clip, shared around 15 October, featured a braided performer resembling the Manchester-raised singer delivering lyrics defending Jewish historical ties to Judea.

IAMDDB publicly challenged the post the following day, asking why her identity had been used. The video subsequently disappeared from Israel's accounts, although its creator denied deliberately copying her.

Why IAMDDB Accused Israel of 'Stealing' Her Likeness

The video, titled 'Jews from Judea (We DID)', showed a digitally generated woman rapping before a crowded audience. Israel's official account promoted it with the caption, '"GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM!" We did.'

One lyric declared, 'Jews from Judea, it's in the damn name.' The message presented Jewish historical connections to the region as a response to accusations of colonialism.

New York-based artist and activist Rafael Shimunov drew attention to similarities between the animated performer and IAMDDB, whose real name is Diana DeBrito. He shared a comparison with a photograph taken by Jackson Bowley for a January 2018 Crack magazine profile.

The photograph shows IAMDDB with braids, a black cropped top and branded trousers. The AI character appeared in strikingly similar clothing and in a comparable pose. The generated image also featured altered BALR. and Calvin Klein branding.

The photograph predates the disputed video by more than eight years, while the resemblance involves not only facial features but also the performer's hairstyle, clothing and positioning on screen.

Shimunov accused the accounts of appropriating the singer's identity, prompting widespread criticism of the video's use of a Black woman's appearance.

What Did British Rapper IAMDDB Say About the AI Video?

Responding on X on 16 October, IAMDDB wrote, 'Hiya yeah so - why did you steal my identity for something I 100% did not consent to?'

She also reacted to Shimunov's comparison, saying, 'I am so baffled right now.'

The Lisbon-born, Manchester-raised singer, known for blending rap, soul and R&B, later addressed the matter on Instagram. Her management told the Manchester Evening News she had no further comment at that stage.

She said she did not authorise the use of her likeness. It does not, by itself, establish how the AI system produced the character or whether her photograph was deliberately supplied as a reference.

Who Created Israel's Deleted AI Music Video?

The clip was made by Israeli-born director Eyal Ben Moshe, professionally known as Eyal Be, who is based in New Jersey.

According to reporting on his response, he said he had not known who IAMDDB was and had not intentionally used her image. He also said he could not identify which photographs the generative system might have drawn upon.

The video was subsequently deleted from Israel's official social media profiles. No detailed explanation from those accounts for its removal has been publicly documented.

The controversy has led to accusations of 'digital blackface' and questions about consent when synthetic performers closely resemble real artists. As of 21 October, no legal action by IAMDDB over the clip had been confirmed by available reporting.