An online video by American rapper Big Huey claiming Tesla remotely deactivated his Cybertruck has been revealed as a staged incident, likely intended to promote his new song named after the electric pickup.
The video, posted on Instagram, showed the truck’s infotainment screen displaying a “deactivated” warning and instructions to contact customer service, drawing over 112,000 likes and widespread attention.
The rapper later posted what appeared to be a cease-and-desist letter from Tesla over the use of the Cybertruck name and imagery. However, both the letter and the video were fabricated.
Tesla confirmed on social media that it does not remotely disable vehicles, noting that the letter also contained outdated executive titles.
Online users have since demonstrated how the warning screen could have been replicated using an external device to display custom text. The incident has been widely interpreted as a publicity stunt designed to boost engagement with the rapper’s music and social media presence.
