Rubberz

"Rubberz"
Single by Fenix Flexin and Purps on the Beat
ReleasedJune 5, 2026
Genre
Length2:53
Label
Fenix Flexin singles chronology
"Steak with Lobster"
(2026)		 "Rubberz"
(2026)
Audio sample
Music video
"Rubberz" on YouTube

"Rubberz" is a song generated with artificial intelligence (AI) credited to American rapper Fenix Flexin and American producer Purps on the Beat. It was released on June 5, 2026 through Flexxd Up Ent and Empire Distribution. It is a synth-pop and dance-pop song about hedonism.

Upon the song's release, "Rubberz" became the subject of allegations it was AI-generated, which both Flexin and Purps initially denied for months. In August 2026, after several investigations concluded that the song was generated using AI, Fenix eventually admitted to its use. "Rubberz" is notably the first fully AI-generated song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 58. Several publications further deemed it the song of the summer.

Composition

"Rubberz" is a synth-pop and dance-pop song with influence from pop rap and new wave. On the track, an AI voice of Fenix Flexin sings in a British accent, which has been compared to British singer Morrissey. Lyrical themes include hedonism and heartbreak.

Critical reception

"Rubberz" has been called the song of the summer by multiple outlets. Jon Caramanica and Joe Coscarelli of The New York Times ranked "Rubberz" third in their list of songs of the summer. Gabriel Bras Nevares of HotNewHipHop praised the song for its "comical but nonetheless earnest and fun contrast between Fenix's flexing and more emotive writing", writing that the vocal and melodic performance "hits a nice balance between being easy-going and yearning." Pitchfork's Alphonse Pierre called the song "incredibly goofy" and "far too strange for AI", choosing to believe Flexin's denial of the AI allegations at the time. Kelefa Sanneh of The New Yorker compared the track to OMD's "If You Leave" (1986), adding that "the sharp backbeat and arpeggiated synthesizers remind us of an earlier and perhaps simpler time".

Controversy

Upon its release, "Rubberz" faced several accusations of being AI-generated. Flexin denied the allegations in the comments of a video of himself performing the song on On the Radar Radio; he attributed the song's distinctive sound to its Auto-Tune reverb and British accent. AI detection platform HumanStandard attributed the song to the AI music platform Treblo (previously known as Sonauto).

In July and August 2026, a breakdown of the track by producer Medasin that alleged the song was generated using Treblo went viral on social media, highlighting a snippet of a separate song that Flexin posted that had "Sonauto.mp3" in the file name. Flexin denied generative AI usage in a since deleted response showing a Pro Tools project of "Rubberz", which was later proven to be further deception. In August 2026, Treblo co-founder Ryan Tremblay stated that the song was generated using the platform. An analysis by The Verge found that the song had "a number of artifacts and anomalies that are commonly found in AI-generated music." Flexin eventually admitted to the use of AI in generating the song, though falsely claimed that he had never denied it and was unaware of Treblo until the song was mixed.

Charts

Chart performance for "Rubberz"
Chart (2026) Peak
position
Honduras Anglo Airplay (Monitor Latino)3
UK Singles (Official Charts)90
US Billboard Hot 100 58
US Rhythmic Airplay (Billboard) 5

See also

References

  1. ↑ Drew Neiman (August 10, 2026). "Tyga and Fenix Flexin are not beating the AI allegations". The Fader. The track peaked at No. 58 on Billboard's Hot 100, being the first fully AI-generated song to reach the chart.
  2. 1 2 O'Brien, Terrence (August 1, 2026). "Is this Billboard Hot 100 hit AI slop?". The Verge. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  3. ↑ Press-Reynolds, Kieran (July 10, 2026). "Is This Song AI? Real Artists Might Want to Keep You Guessing". Pitchfork.
  4. ↑ Pierre, Alphonse (June 5, 2026). "Fenix Flexin : "Rubberz"". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  5. 1 2 Monroe, Jazz (August 4, 2026). "So Is Fenix Flexin's 'Rubberz' AI or What?". Pitchfork. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  6. 1 2 Nevares, Gabriel Bras (June 7, 2026). "Rubberz – Song by Fenix Flexin, Shoreline Mafia & Purps On The Beat". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  7. 1 2 Diaz, Angel (June 11, 2026). "Fenix Flexin Denies 'Rubberz' AI Allegations: 'No Sir, Recorded Same as All Music I Do'". Billboard. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  8. 1 2 Breihan, Tom (June 12, 2026). "Fenix Flexin Denies Viral Song "Rubberz" Is AI-Generated". Stereogum. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  9. 1 2 3 Thomas, Dexter (August 3, 2026). "Did an AI Music App Just Snitch on the Song of the Summer?". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved August 5, 2026.
  10. ↑ Caleb Catlin (July 31, 2026). "Is This Song of the Summer Actually Made With AI? This Artist Certainly Thinks So". Vice.
  11. ↑ "'You can smell the wires': Why Fenix Flexin's 'Rubberz' is facing AI accusations". Euronews. August 4, 2026. In a season devoid of hits, it's been christened by some as the song of the summer.
  12. ↑ Jon Caramanica; Joe Coscarelli (July 31, 2026). "What Is the Song of the Summer? Breaking Down the 8 Top Contenders". The New York Times.
  13. ↑ Alphonse Pierre (June 5, 2026). "Fenix Flexin: 'Rubberz' Track Review". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 29, 2026.
  14. ↑ Sanneh, Kelefa (August 31, 2026). "Who's Afraid of A.I. Music?". The New Yorker. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
  15. ↑ Coleman II, C. Vernon (June 10, 2026). "Fenix Flexin's Viral Song 'Rubberz' Has People Convinced It's AI But He Says 'No Sir'". XXL. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  16. ↑ Martinez, Jose (June 11, 2026). "Fenix Flexin Shuts Down Claims That "Rubberz" Was Made Using AI". Complex. Retrieved June 16, 2026.
  17. ↑ Hans (June 29, 2026). "Hit on the Billboard Hot 100 by AI suspected — creator flatly denies". Digimuziek. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  18. ↑ "The Hot 100's First AI Doping Controversy is Here". Stems. July 2026. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  19. 1 2 Landymore, Frank (August 4, 2026). "Rapper Denies That His Billboard-Charting Song Is AI-Generated". Futurism. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  20. ↑ Farrell, Margaret (July 31, 2026). "Fenix Flexin Responds To Viral Breakdown Claiming "Rubberz" Is "Fully" AI-Generated". Stereogum. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  21. ↑ DeVille, Chris (August 4, 2026). "Treblo Appears To Confirm Fenix Flexin's "Rubberz" Is The First AI-Generated Hot 100 Hit". Stereogum. Retrieved August 4, 2026.
  22. ↑ Margaret Farrell (August 7, 2026). "Fenix Flexin Finally Admits He Used AI For 'Rubberz'". Stereogum. Retrieved August 7, 2026.
  23. ↑ "Top 20 Honduras Anglo música". Monitor Latino. Retrieved 11 October 2026.
  24. ↑ "Official Singles Chart on 10/7/2026 – Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 11, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Billboard Hot 100: Week of August 1, 2026". Billboard. Retrieved July 28, 2026.
  26. ↑ "Rhythmic Airplay: Week of August 22, 2026". Billboard. Retrieved August 19, 2026.