It’s the #AOTW guys! We got that American artist who is well known for constantly using Auto-Tune to affect how his voice sounds. He’s a Grammy award winner. He’s owned his own Nappy Boy Entertainment label for more than a decade. His music genres include: Hip hop, R&B. He’s a singer-songwriter, rapper, record producer, dancer, actor who has been doing music for about 20 years now (active since 2000). A year ago (in October 2018), he launched his “House of Business”. In April of this year, he announced to fans (via an IG video) that he would be taking a break from music in order to avoid permanently damaging his vocal chords. In October 2019, he cancelled his tour which was supposed to commence this month due to “poor ticket sales”. Ladies and gentlemen, we are talking T-pain’s music! He called his style of music “Hard & B” with six studio album already-last was released earlier this year.
Yup! There’s only one T-pain whose love of Auto-Tune has made him iconic. He’s got this signature computerized lilt which is felt in almost all his songs. T-Pain’s use of Auto-Tune has been cited as an influence on other urban artists’ works, including Snoop Dogg’s single “Sexual Eruption”, Lil Wayne’s single “Lollipop”, and Kanye West’s album 808s & Heartbreak. Some 11 years back (November 2008) T-Pain actually demanded credit from other artists who used Auto-Tune. Now he’s on a bit of a hiatus. For how long we don’t know? But let’s find out where he started.
T-Pain was born Faheem Rasheed Najm on 30th September 1985 (33 years) in Talla’hassee, Florida, U.S. T-Pain was was raised in a Muslim home but doesn’t seem to have interest in the concept of religion. At age 3 he got his first taste of the music business when he spent some time at a family friend recording studio. By age 10, T-Pain had turned his bedroom into a music studio, using a keyboard and other child-friendly equipment. When T-Pain was 12 he went to his father in tears saying, “I got all this music in me.”
As a little boy he “wanted to work with the older people who were making music in his Ridge Road neighborhood, but they usually turned him down”. So his father Shaheed Najm had to pull T-Pain out of Nims Middle School and home-schooled him so he could focus on music. LOL! T-Pain joined the rap group Nappy Headz in 2004 and later recorded “I’m Fucked Up”, a cover version of Akon’s single “Locked Up”. Akon came across the song and offered him a deal to his label, Konvict Muzik. T-Pain recorded and released his debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, December 2005 which has since been certified Gold by the RIAA
4 – I’m Sprung: This song was a success on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #8, becoming T-Pain’s first Top 10 single. The song was in the 2005 and 2006 year-ends, albeit very barely both times. The single was also a success on the R&B charts, peaking at #9, while peaking at #14 on the Billboard Pop 100. While a big success in the United States, it was considered a moderate success in most European countries.
Kiss Kiss with Chris Brown (Nominated in the category Best Rap/Sung Collaboration, at the Grammy Awards 2009, Best Collaboration and Viewer’s Choice at the 2008 BET Awards).
I’m on a Boat with Chris Brown (nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Collaboration in 2009- his auto-tuned voice was featured on the hit song).
In 2007, T-Pain released his second album Epiphany. His third album, Thr33 Ringz, was released in 2008. From 2006 to 2010, T-Pain was featured on more than 50 chart topping singles. His most successful feature to date was that bonus track we played at the opening of this segment – Flo Rida’s debut single “Low”. That son g has been certified 6x platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Revolver is T-Pains fourth studio album which he released through Konvict Muzik, RCA Records and his own label Nappy Boy Entertainment December 2011. It is his first album released after the dissolution of his previous label, Jive Records. Recording sessions for the album have taken place from 2009 to 2011. Oblivion is the fifth studio album by American R&B singer T-Pain, released through Konvict Muzik, RCA Records and his own label Nappy Boy Entertainment November 2017. It was his final album under Akon’s Konvict Muzik label. Recording sessions for the album took place from 2014 to 2017. He then released his sixth studio album 1UP in February 2019
3 “Can’t Believe It” Feat. Lil Wayne (off Thr33 Ringz – his Grammy nominated Best Contemporary R&B album). The video premiered on BET’s Access Granted on Monday August 25, 2008 at 7:30pm. It was made in front of a green screen and features many special effects. The video is mostly based on T-Pain’s Thr33 Ringz; the music video had many effects from the circus. T-Pain served as an assistant director; however, he was never credited for it.
2 Getcha Roll On: (one of the two singles that preceded the release of his sixth studio album 1UP released in February 2019). The album according to review is said to be is filled with rehashes of old material: the Auto-Tune. Some tracks also have a more serious tone than usual.
It’s been all about T-Pain- the Tallahassee’s favorite rapper who is quite distinctive for his use of auto tune. Apparently, T-pain had visited his Doctor earlier this year when he “started getting a few pains” in his throat after his last couple of shows. He said, “he basically told me that I had to get off the road immediately or I’m going to start permanent damage to my voice.” MCM, I read that artists using auto-tuning live in great danger. In my opinion, I feel that auto tuning is used to fine tune or to clean up small goofs or raw vocal drop errors for those who don’t have perfect intonation. It’s more like a robotic vocal style used to make artists’ sound pitch-perfect. So I’m wondering if that in any way has anything to do with T-Pain who has gone on that bit of a hiatus.
Well! “Auto-Tune is used most often for an artist who has delivered a fabulous performance emotionally and there may be a few pitch problems here and there” (according to research). Remember T-Pain said he had already lost his voice after his last couple of shows. Apart from T-Pain, Lady Gaga, among countless others are reported to use autotune.
The “T” in his stage name stands for Tallahassee and the “Pain” is for all the pain of trying to get out of his hometown to make his big break (tallahassee.com).
Studio albums: Rappa Ternt Sanga (2005), Epiphany (2007), Thr33 Ringz (2008), Revolver (2011), Oblivion (2017) and 1UP (2019)
Award & Nomination: American Music Awards, BET Hip Hop Awards, BMI Urban Awards, Grammy Awards, Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, Ozone Music Awards, MTV Video Music Award, People’s Choice Awards, Teen Choice Awards, Vibe Awards
Between 2008 and 2010, about 10 of his songs and 2 albums were nominated the Grammys. T-Pain has earned two Grammy Awards, alongside artists Kanye West and Jamie Foxx respectively.
It’s been said that “it’s hard to separate T-Pain from the technology that he reintroduced to the world” i.e Auto-tuning (which first infiltrated pop nearly a decade in 1998). He ushered in a new landscape for pop music that’s still going strong today – i.e for using and popularizing the the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect, used to create distinctive vocal sounds. Massive success of his early singles include a string of hit singles like “I’m Sprung”, “I’m ‘n Luv (Wit a Stripper)”, “Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin’)”, “Can’t Believe It” including my 2 favorite: “Bartender” and “5 O’Clock”, among others
In an Instagram post in October, T-Pain cancelled his music tour saying that his team did not make tickets for the tour available until September, even though it was to start in November. He said poor ticket sales are always the reason why artists cancel or postpone a concert tour. Unlike him, he says that “Most artists lie”. He added that he was advised to lie about reason for cancellation. Such as he needing some time, alone or with his family but that wasn’t the truth.
1 “Bartender” Feat. Akon – Co-written by Ali Noordin and the official second single from his second album, Epiphany. The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 chart on the issue date of June 16, 2007 at #97 and peaked at #5, making the single T-Pain’s 4th consecutive top 10 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 as well as Akon’s 9th top 10 hit single on the same chart. In 2008 the song was nominated for a Grammy for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group.
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