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Faheem Rashad Najm (born September 30, 1984), known professionally as T-Pain, is an American singer and rapper. He is known for popularizing creative use of
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune is audio processor software released on September 19, 1997, by the American company Antares Audio Technologies. It uses a proprietary device to measure and Pitch correction, correct pitch in music. It operates on different principles ...
pitch correction Pitch correction is an electronic effects unit or audio software that changes the intonation (highness or lowness in pitch) of an audio signal so that all pitches will be notes from the equally tempered system (i.e., like the pitches on a piano) ...
, often used with extreme parameter settings to create electronic-styled vocal performances. Blending its use with R&B and
hip-hop Hip-hop or hip hop (originally disco rap) is a popular music genre that emerged in the early 1970s from the African-American community of New York City. The style is characterized by its synthesis of a wide range of musical techniques. Hi ...
sensibilities, T-Pain became a prominent figure in both genres throughout the 2000s. Other music industry artists, such as
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
,
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
,
Future The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ex ...
, and Travis Scott, have since utilized Auto-Tune to a similar effect. T-Pain began his recording career as part of the hip-hop group Nappy Headz. He released his debut solo mixtape, ''Back @ It'' independently in 2004, and signed with
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
's
Konvict Muzik Konvict Kulture is a record label founded by R&B singer Akon, Melvin Brown (music manager), Melvin Brown and Bu Thiam in 2003 under the name Konvict Muzik. Artists including T-Pain, Kat DeLuna, Mali Music (singer), Mali Music, Red Café, Dolla ...
, in a joint venture with
Jive Records Jive Records (later stylized as JIVE Records) was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chic ...
, the following year. His 2005 debut single, " I'm Sprung", was quickly met with commercial success, peaking at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and receiving
platinum Platinum is a chemical element; it has Symbol (chemistry), symbol Pt and atomic number 78. It is a density, dense, malleable, ductility, ductile, highly unreactive, precious metal, precious, silverish-white transition metal. Its name origina ...
certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). Its follow-up, " I'm 'n Luv (wit a Stripper)" (featuring Mike Jones), peaked at number five on the chart; both served as lead singles for his debut studio album, '' Rappa Ternt Sanga'' (2005). Despite moderate critical and commercial reception, his second album, '' Epiphany'' (2007), peaked atop the US ''Billboard'' 200 and spawned the ''Billboard'' Hot 100-number one single "
Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" is a song by American singer T-Pain featuring American rapper Yung Joc. Produced by T-Pain himself, it was released on February 20, 2007, as the lead single from his second studio album, '' Epiphany''. Backgrou ...
" (featuring
Yung Joc Jasiel Amon Robinson (born September 20, 1980), better known by his stage name Yung Joc, is an American rapper known for his 2006 single " It's Goin' Down", which peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Prior to its release, he sign ...
), as well as the top-40 single, "
Bartender A bartender (also known as a barkeep or barman or barmaid or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the Bar (establishment), bar, usually in a licensed bar (establishment), establishment as ...
" (featuring Akon). His third album, ''
Three Ringz ''Three Ringz'' (stylized as ''Thr33 Ringz'') is the third studio album by American singer T-Pain. It was released on November 11, 2008, by his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment, an imprint of Akon's label Konvict Muzik, Jive Records, and ...
'' (2008), was preceded by the single " Can't Believe It" (featuring Lil Wayne), and his fourth album, ''
Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' (2011), was preceded by " 5 O'Clock" (featuring
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he signed with the local independent label Rostrum Records to re ...
and
Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. List of awards and nominations received by Lily Allen, Her accolades include a Brit Award, alongside nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivi ...
). His fifth album, '' Oblivion'' (2017) sustained long-term delays and was met with critical and commercial failure, serving as his final release on a
major label "Big Three" music labels A record label or record company is a brand or trademark of music recordings and music videos, or the company that owns it. Sometimes, a record label is also a publishing company that manages such brands and t ...
. Meanwhile, T-Pain saw continued success as a guest performer on nine Hot 100-top ten singles—" Shawty" by Plies, "
Cyclone In meteorology, a cyclone () is a large air mass that rotates around a strong center of low atmospheric pressure, counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere as viewed from above (opposite to an ant ...
" by
Baby Bash Ronald Ray Bryant (born October 18, 1969), better known by his stage name Baby Bash (formerly Baby Beesh), is an American rapper. His first two albums, '' Savage Dreams'' (2001) and '' On Tha Cool'' (2002), were released by the independent Housto ...
, " Good Life" by Kanye West, " Shawty Get Loose" by Lil Mama, "
Got Money "Got Money" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring American singer and rapper T-Pain, released as the third single from the former's sixth studio album '' Tha Carter III'' (2008). Both artists use the Auto-Tune effect in the song. The s ...
" by Lil Wayne, " Blame It" by
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. Known for his work in both the screen and music industries, his accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award ...
, and " Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)" by Pitbull—which includes two singles that peaked the chart: "
Kiss Kiss Kiss Kiss may refer to: Books * Kiss Kiss (book), ''Kiss Kiss'' (book), a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl Music * Kiss Kiss (band), an American indie rock band * Kiss Kiss (Japanese group), a Japanese girl group * Kiss Kiss (Chris Brown so ...
" by
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
and " Low" by
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
. The latter was named third in the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 Songs of the Decade and received diamond (10× platinum) certification by the RIAA. "Good Life" and "Blame It" both won
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
for Best Rap Song and
Best Rap/Sung Performance The Grammy Award for Best Melodic Rap Performance (awarded as Best Rap/Sung Collaboration until 2017, and Best Rap/Sung Performance from 2018 to 2020) is an honor presented at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and original ...
, respectively, from T-Pain's total of 12 nominations for the award. Outside of music, he founded the record label Nappy Boy Entertainment in 2005, which has signed fellow rapper
Travie McCoy Travis Lazarus "Travie" McCoy (born August 5, 1981) is an American rapper and singer-songwriter. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the rap rock band Gym Class Heroes, which he formed in 1997 with then-fellow teenager Matt McGinley, afte ...
. Furthermore, he has produced and written material for other artists, and voice acted in film and television including '' Tom & Jerry'', '' Freaknik: The Musical'', ''
The Cleveland Show ''The Cleveland Show'' is an American animated sitcom created by Seth MacFarlane, Richard Appel, and Mike Henry (voice actor), Mike Henry for the Fox Broadcasting Company. A Spin-off (media), spin-off of ''Family Guy'', and the second television ...
'', '' Squidbillies'', and '' We Bare Bears''.


Early life

Najm was born and raised in
Tallahassee, Florida Tallahassee ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of and the only incorporated municipality in Leon County, Florida, Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Fl ...
, to parents Aliyah, a Bahamian chef, and Shasheem, who founded the Homeboyz to Men program. Najm was brought up in a
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
household, but he has expressed his lack of interest in the concept of religion. At three years old, he got his first taste of the music business when a friend of the family, gospel jazz artist and producer Ben Tankard, allowed him to spend time and "twist the knobs" at his recording studio. At age ten, Najm turned his bedroom into a music studio, using a keyboard, a beat machine, and a four-track recorder.


Career


1999–2006: Early career and ''Rappa Ternt Sanga''

T-Pain joined the rap group Nappy Headz in 1999. Through a mutual connection with music promoter TJ Chapman, he was discovered by Rocco Did It Again! and Mike Blumstein—co-founders of the independent record label Chase Entertainment—to whom he signed. His stage name is short for "Tallahassee Pain", and was chosen because of the hardships he experienced while living there. He released his debut mixtape, ''Back @ It'' in 2004, and later released the song "I'm Fucked Up", a slightly altered cover version of
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
's then-popular 2004 single, " Locked Up". Akon himself came across the song and immediately offered T-Pain a deal with his label,
Konvict Muzik Konvict Kulture is a record label founded by R&B singer Akon, Melvin Brown (music manager), Melvin Brown and Bu Thiam in 2003 under the name Konvict Muzik. Artists including T-Pain, Kat DeLuna, Mali Music (singer), Mali Music, Red Café, Dolla ...
. While T-Pain was offered other record deals, with the highest-bidding being US$900,000, Akon promised the young artist a personal mentorship in the industry. Meanwhile, Blumstein and Rocco remained involved in T-Pain's careers as joint co-
managers Management (or managing) is the administration of organizations, whether businesses, nonprofit organizations, or a government bodies through business administration, nonprofit management, or the political science sub-field of public administr ...
. Afterward, T-Pain began singing instead of rapping, and used this inspiration to begin recording for his debut studio album, '' Rappa Ternt Sanga''. Released on December 6, 2005, through a joint venture with
Jive Records Jive Records (later stylized as JIVE Records) was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chic ...
, the album reached number 33 on the ''Billboard'' 200, and has since received
gold Gold is a chemical element; it has chemical symbol Au (from Latin ) and atomic number 79. In its pure form, it is a brightness, bright, slightly orange-yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal. Chemically, gold is a transition metal ...
certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). The album was supported by T-Pain's debut commercial single, " I'm Sprung", which was released in August 2005 and peaked at number eight on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, as well as number nine on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
chart. Its follow-up, " I'm 'n Luv (wit a Stripper)" (featuring Mike Jones), served as the album's second single; it was released in December of that year and peaked at number five on the former chart, and number ten on the latter. The third and final single from the album, "Studio Luv", was released in October 2006 and failed to chart.


2007–2008: ''Epiphany''

In mid-2006, T-Pain began work on his second album, now with the
Zomba Label Group RCA/Jive Label Group (sometimes stylized as RCA/JIVE Label Group) was an American record label group, owned by Sony Music Entertainment and representing the merger of the RCA Music Group and JIVE Label Group. The umbrella group was formed in 200 ...
as well as his previous labels. The album, titled '' Epiphany'', was released on June 5, 2007. The album sold 171,000 records in its first week, reaching number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. The record has since sold 819,000 records in the United States. The album was preceded by the lead single "
Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin') "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" is a song by American singer T-Pain featuring American rapper Yung Joc. Produced by T-Pain himself, it was released on February 20, 2007, as the lead single from his second studio album, '' Epiphany''. Backgrou ...
" (featuring
Yung Joc Jasiel Amon Robinson (born September 20, 1980), better known by his stage name Yung Joc, is an American rapper known for his 2006 single " It's Goin' Down", which peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Prior to its release, he sign ...
), released in February 2007. The song reached number one on both the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming his first to peak atop both charts. The album's second single, "
Bartender A bartender (also known as a barkeep or barman or barmaid or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the Bar (establishment), bar, usually in a licensed bar (establishment), establishment as ...
" (featuring Akon), was released in June 2007 and reached number five on the Hot 100 and number nine on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The third and final single from the album, "
Church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...
", was released in October 2007 and failed to chart in the United States. Speaking in May 2007 to Pete Lewis of ''
Blues & Soul ''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as ''NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a r ...
'' about his reason for naming his second album 'Epiphany', T-Pain stated: "One of the two dictionary meanings of epiphany is 'a sudden moment of insight or revelation'. And to me the title 'Epiphany' signifies the moment I realized that, to make the best music I can, I needed to just go in the studio and be myself, and not concentrate so hard on following other people's formulas." While promoting his second album, T-Pain made guest appearances on multiple songs by other artists. T-Pain was featured on " I'm a Flirt" (remix) by R. Kelly, " Outta My System" by Bow Wow, "
Baby Don't Go "Baby Don't Go" is a song written by Sonny Bono and recorded by Sonny & Cher. It was first released on Reprise Records in 1964 and was a minor regional hit. Subsequently, following the duo's big success with "I Got You Babe" in the summer of 1965, ...
" by
Fabolous John David Jackson (born November 18, 1977), known professionally as Fabolous, is an American rapper. Raised in Brooklyn, he first gained recognition for his ability upon performing live on DJ Clue's WQHT, Hot 97 radio show. Jackson then signed ...
, " I'm So Hood" by
DJ Khaled Khaled Mohammed Khaled (; born November 26, 1975), known professionally as DJ Khaled, is an American DJ and record producer. Originally a Miami-based radio personality, Khaled has since become known for enlisting high-profile music industry ar ...
, " Shawty" by Plies, "
Kiss Kiss Kiss Kiss may refer to: Books * Kiss Kiss (book), ''Kiss Kiss'' (book), a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl Music * Kiss Kiss (band), an American indie rock band * Kiss Kiss (Japanese group), a Japanese girl group * Kiss Kiss (Chris Brown so ...
" by
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
, " Low" by
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
, and " Good Life" by
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
. For two weeks in late 2007, T-Pain was featured on four top ten singles simultaneously on the Hot 100 chart. His performance on West's "Good Life" won the BET Award for Best Collaboration and was nominated in several other categories. In 2008, the song won a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
for Best Rap Song.


2007–2009: ''Three Ringz''

In 2007, T-Pain began work on his third album, ''
Three Ringz ''Three Ringz'' (stylized as ''Thr33 Ringz'') is the third studio album by American singer T-Pain. It was released on November 11, 2008, by his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment, an imprint of Akon's label Konvict Muzik, Jive Records, and ...
'' with Rocco Valdes, Akon, and
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
. The album was also his first under his newly launched label, Nappy Boy Entertainment. Released on November 11, 2008, the album sold 168,000 records in its first week and reached number four on the ''Billboard'' 200. A mixtape, ''Pr33 Ringz'', was released in early 2008 for the album's promotion. ''Three Ringz'' was preceded by three singles; its lead single, " Can't Believe It" (featuring Lil Wayne), was released in July 2008 and reached number seven on the Hot 100 and number two on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The album's second single, " Chopped 'n' Skrewed" (featuring
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, spoken as "ludicrous" in American English), is an American rapper and songwriter. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludacris moved to Atlanta, Georgia, at age ...
), was released in September 2008; it reached number 27 on the Hot 100 and number three on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The third and final single from the album, " Freeze" (featuring Chris Brown), was released in October 2008; it reached number 38 on the Hot 100 and number 39 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Guest appearances on ''Three Ringz'' include
T.I. Clifford Joseph Harris Jr. (born September 25, 1980), known professionally as T.I. or Tip, is an American rapper and singer raised in Atlanta, Georgia. Harris is credited as a pioneer of the hip hop subgenre trap music, along with fellow Georgi ...
, Lil Wayne, Ludacris, DJ Khaled,
Ciara Ciara Princess Wilson ( ; Harris; born October 25, 1985) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer and actress. She was discovered by record producer Jazze Pha in the early 2000s, and rose to prominence with her debut studio album, ''Goodies ...
, Chris Brown, and Kanye West, among others. In 2008, T-Pain continued to guest perform on numerous singles, such as " She Got It" by 2 Pistols, " Go Girl" by Ciara, " The Boss" by
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...
, "
Cash Flow Cash flow, in general, refers to payments made into or out of a business, project, or financial product. It can also refer more specifically to a real or virtual movement of money. *Cash flow, in its narrow sense, is a payment (in a currency), es ...
" by
Ace Hood Antoine Franklin McColister (born May 11, 1988), known professionally Ace Hood, is an American rapper. Born in Port St. Lucie and raised in Deerfield Beach, Florida, he was discovered by DJ Khaled and became the first act to sign with his rec ...
, " Shawty Get Loose" by Lil Mama, " One More Drink" by Ludacris, and " Go Hard" by DJ Khaled. T-Pain and Ludacris collaborated to perform "Chopped 'n' Skrewed" and "One More Drink" on American late-night television programs ''
Jimmy Kimmel Live! ''Jimmy Kimmel Live!'', sometimes shortened to ''JKL'', is an American late-night talk show, created and hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, and broadcast on ABC. The nightly hour-long show tapes and is based out of the Hollywood Masonic Temple in Hollywo ...
'' on ABC in November 2008 and on
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. It is one of NBCUniversal's ...
's ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...
'' in the same month. T-Pain appeared again on ''SNL'' in February 2009 ( season 34, episode 15, hosted by
Bradley Cooper Bradley Charles Cooper (born January 5, 1975) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the recipient of various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and three Grammy Awards. In addition, he has been nominated for twelve Acade ...
with musical guest
TV on the Radio TV on the Radio (TVOTR) is an American rock music, rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2001. The band consists of Tunde Adebimpe (vocals, loops), Dave Sitek (guitars, keyboards, loops), Kyp Malone (vocals, guitars, bass, loops), and ...
) as a feature in the Digital Short premiere of
The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The th ...
's single, " I'm on a Boat," off their album ''
Incredibad ''Incredibad'' is the debut studio album of the American comedy troupe The Lonely Island, released on February 10, 2009, through Universal Republic Records. Composed of writers and childhood best friends Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma ...
''. T-Pain also supported the album in 2009 with his ''Thr33 Ringz Tour'', which included sold-out shows across North America. T-Pain and Lil Wayne formed the duo T-Wayne in 2008. The duo released a self-titled mixtape in late 2008; it charted on the ''Billboard'' 200 in January 2009. Their debut album was going to be released in 2009, but never was.


2009–2012: ''Revolver''

He collaborated with
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting, artistic versatility, and Cultural impact of Taylor Swift, cultural impact, Swift is one of the Best selling artists, w ...
for the
CMT Music Awards The CMT Music Awards is a fan-voted awards show for country music videos and television performances. The ceremony launched in 1967 as Music City News Awards; it is the oldest award show currently airing under Paramount Global. The ceremony ...
, performing "Thug Story", a
parody A parody is a creative work designed to imitate, comment on, and/or mock its subject by means of satire, satirical or irony, ironic imitation. Often its subject is an Originality, original work or some aspect of it (theme/content, author, style, e ...
of Swift's hit single " Love Story". In an interview with
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
, T-Pain announced that he would release his fourth studio album in November 2009 and that its title would be ''UBER''. He stated that although he originally wanted to release the album in the summer of 2010, his label had pushed the release forward. However, the album was not released in 2009. An
iPhone The iPhone is a line of smartphones developed and marketed by Apple that run iOS, the company's own mobile operating system. The first-generation iPhone was announced by then–Apple CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs on January 9, 2007, at ...
application called "I Am T-Pain", featuring an auto tuner, allowing fans to record and modify their own voice to accompany an instrumental collection of T-Pain's music, was released in September 2009. In July 2009, T-Pain endorsed the 2009 T-Pain Killa Cam-Pain, a grassroots effort to help him become elected as
president President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...
of
Florida State University Florida State University (FSU or Florida State) is a Public university, public research university in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida and a preeminent university in the s ...
. In November 2009, T-Pain released the first single from his fourth studio album, " Take Your Shirt Off". The single only managed to reach number eighty on the Hot 100, and was later dubbed a promotional single. In February 2010, he released " Reverse Cowgirl" (featuring
Young Jeezy Jay Wayne Jenkins (born September 28, 1977), known by his stage name Jeezy (or Young Jeezy), is an American rapper. He is credited, alongside fellow Georgia-based rappers T.I. and Gucci Mane, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music fo ...
), which was the official lead single from his fourth studio album. He later release an updated version of the song excluding Young Jeezy's verse and adding a new bridge. The single reached number seventy-five on the Hot 100 and number sixty-four on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, becoming a mild hit. The single has since been dubbed a promotional single. T-Pain was later featured on the "
We Are the World 25 for Haiti "We Are the World 25 for Haiti" is a charity single recorded by the supergroup (music), supergroup Artists for Haiti in 2010. It is a remake of the song "We Are the World", which was written by American musicians Michael Jackson and Lionel Rich ...
" single in February 2010, which reached number two on the Hot 100. In March 2010, T-Pain developed and starred in
Adult Swim Adult Swim (stylized as dult swimand s is an American adult-oriented television programming block that airs on Cartoon Network which broadcasts during the evening, prime time, and Late-night television, late-night Dayparting, dayparts. T ...
's animated musical special, '' Freaknik: The Musical''. T-Pain released a mixtape on his Nappy Boy label in February 2010, ''T-Pain Presents: Nappy Boy All Stars Vol.1'', which contained remixes of songs including "
Forever Forever or 4ever may refer to: Film and television Films * ''Forever'' (1921 film), an American silent film by George Fitzmaurice * ''Forever'' (1978 film), an American made-for-television romantic drama, based on the novel by Judy Blume * '' ...
" by
Drake Drake may refer to: Animals and creatures * A male duck * Drake (mythology), a term related to and often synonymous with dragon People and fictional characters * Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family ...
. On May 5, 2011, he announced another mixtape, '' Prevolver'', serving as a predecessor to his album. The mixtape including collaborations from artists such as Lil Wayne and
Field Mob Field Mob is an American hip hop music, hip hop duo from Albany, Georgia, composed of artists Darion "Smoke" Crawford and Shawn Timothy "Shawn Jay" Johnson. History Formation Darion and Shawn grew up on the outskirts of Albany, Georgia, Albany ...
. In June 2010, T-Pain confirmed that his fourth studio album, now titled ''
Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'', had been completed and mastered, but that it would not be released until album sales increase. T-Pain's first feature film, ''
Lottery Ticket A lottery (or lotto) is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find som ...
'', was released on August 20, 2010. In October 2010, T-Pain release his third promotional single, " Rap Song". The song charted poorly, peaking at 89 on the Hot 100. T-Pain was featured on the hit single " All I Do Is Win" by DJ Khaled, along with the remix. He featured on
Wisin & Yandel Wisin & Yandel were a Puerto Rican reggaeton duo consisting of Wisin and Yandel. They started their career in 1998 and stayed together until 2023, winning several awards including a Grammy Award in 2009. They became the first and the only regga ...
's single " Imaginate" and
Bun B Bernard James Freeman (born March 19, 1973), known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the Southern rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz), a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work wi ...
's single " Trillionaire". In the last two quarters of 2010, he was featured on the hit singles " Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor)" by Pitbull, and " Move That Body" by
Nelly Cornell Iral Haynes Jr. (born November 2, 1974), better known by his stage name Nelly, is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He grew up in St. Louis, Missouri, and embarked on his musical career in 1993 as a member of the Midwest hip hop g ...
. He was also featured on another single by Wisin & Yandel along with
50 Cent Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and television producer. Born in Queens, a borough of New York City, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 1996. In 1999–2000, ...
called " No Dejemos Que se Apague". The last two singles T-Pain was featured on in 2010 were the official remixes to "
Black and Yellow "Black and Yellow" is a song by American rapper Wiz Khalifa from his third studio album, '' Rolling Papers''. It was released on September 14, 2010, as the lead single from the album. The song was written by Khalifa, along with Stargate, who pro ...
" by
Wiz Khalifa Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer-songwriter and actor. Raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he signed with the local independent label Rostrum Records to re ...
and " Loving You No More" by
Diddy – Dirty Money Diddy – Dirty Money was an American musical trio, composed of R&B singers Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs. The group, formed and introduced by the latter in July 2009, refers to their billing with Combs, whi ...
. T-Pain was featured on the first single by DJ Khaled called " Welcome to My Hood" off his 2011 album '' We the Best Forever''. The song featured him along with Rick Ross, Plies, and Lil Wayne. He was also featured on albums such as Drake's ''
Take Care ''Take Care'' is the second studio album by Canadian rapper Drake (musician), Drake. It was released on November 15, 2011, by Young Money Entertainment, Cash Money Records and Republic Records. The album features guest appearances from the Weekn ...
'', Lil Wayne's ''
Tha Carter IV ''Tha Carter IV'' is the ninth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne, released on August 29, 2011, through Cash Money Records, Universal Republic Records and Young Money Entertainment. Recording sessions for the album began in late 2008, sho ...
'', and
Tech N9ne Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne (pronounced "tech nine"), is an American rapper and singer. In 1999, he and business partner Travis O'Guin founded the record label Strange Music. He has sold ...
's '' All 6's and 7's''. A new toy called "iAm T-Pain Microphone" was released in 2011, at the price of $39.99. On January 29, 2011, T-Pain was featured on Italian DJ
Benny Benassi Marco "Benny" Benassi (; born 13 July 1967) is an Italian DJ and music producer. He is widely seen as a pioneer of electro house, a genre brought into the mainstream by his 2002 summer club hit " Satisfaction". He started his career as DJ alon ...
's song "Electroman", released as the third single in the album of the same name. In January, JRandall released a single, "Can't Sleep", featuring T-Pain. On March 22, 2011, the next single from ''Revolver'', " Best Love Song" (featuring Chris Brown), was released. On
Twitter Twitter, officially known as X since 2023, is an American microblogging and social networking service. It is one of the world's largest social media platforms and one of the most-visited websites. Users can share short text messages, image ...
, T-Pain stated that he would release his mixtape ''Prevolver'' when he got 500,000 followers and release his album ''Revolver'' when he got 1,000,000 followers. Also in 2011, he appeared on another Adult Swim series: the sixth-season premiere episode of '' Squidbillies'', performing a version of the theme song in addition to the original song "(I Like) Drivin' In My Truck" with Unknown Hinson; this song was released in 2012 as part of the free digital album ''The Squidbillies Present: Music for Americans Only Made by Americans in China for Americans Only God Bless America, U.S.A.'' on the Adult Swim Music website. On October 7, RCA Music Group announced it was disbanding Jive Records along with Arista and
J Records J Records was an American record label owned and operated by Bertelsmann Music Group until it was transferred to Sony Music Entertainment when they acquired all of BMG's record labels in late 2008 at the end of their merger. It was distribut ...
. With the shutdown, T-Pain (and all other artists previously signed to these three labels) would henceforth release all material (including ''Revolver'') on the
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside Columbia Records (its former longtime rival), Arista Records and Epic R ...
brand. The album ''Revolver'' was eventually released in December 2011, alongside the transatlantic Top 10 single " 5 O'Clock", which features
Lily Allen Lily Rose Beatrice Allen (born 2 May 1985) is an English singer, songwriter, and actress. List of awards and nominations received by Lily Allen, Her accolades include a Brit Award, alongside nominations for a Grammy Award and a Laurence Olivi ...
and Wiz Khalifa.


2013–2017: ''Oblivion''

On April 1, 2013, after the announcement of T-Pain cutting off his signature dreads, he announced the title of his fifth studio album, then entitled ''Stoicville: The Phoenix'' stating, "To me, a Phoenix represents new beginnings. A new era, a new life, I'm rising from the ashes." Prior to releasing his fifth studio album, he released ''T-Pain Presents Happy Hour'', a greatest hits compilation. Its first single, " Up Down (Do This All Day)" (featuring B.o.B), produced by DJ Mustard, was officially released on August 13, 2013. The song peaked at number 62 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The second single "Drankin Patna" was released a year later on July 21, 2014. On November 7, 2014, T-Pain premiered the intro and title track off of ''Stoicville''. On November 21, 2014, T-Pain premiered "Coming Home" as the first promotional single in support of ''Stoicville'' and made it available for free on his official website. On June 8, 2015, T-Pain released a song titled "Make That Shit Work" (featuring
Juicy J Jordan Michael Houston III (born April 5, 1975), known professionally as Juicy J, is an American rapper and record producer. Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, he is a founding member of the Southern hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia, established ...
). Following another delay, T-Pain confirmed the album was still on its way, missing its December 11 expected release date to further delay. On December 9, 2015, to mark the one-year anniversary of the most popular Tiny Desk Concert ever and the 10th anniversary of his debut album, ''Rappa Ternt Sanga'', T-Pain performed a short set of some previous hits, along with a cover of "
A Change Is Gonna Come "A Change Is Gonna Come" is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke. It initially appeared on Cooke's album '' Ain't That Good News'', released mid-February 1964 by RCA Victor; a slightly edited version of the recording was released as a s ...
" and the premiere of a new song, "Officially Yours". On October 27, 2016, T-Pain premiered "Dan Bilzerian" (featuring
Lil Yachty Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Yachty, is an American rapper. He first gained recognition in August 2015 for his viral hit "One Night (Lil Yachty song), One Night", the lead single from his debut extend ...
). He worked with
Bruno Mars Peter Gene Hernandez (born October 8, 1985), known professionally as Bruno Mars, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is known for his three-octave tenor vocal range, live performances, R ...
on his third studio album, '' 24K Magic'', as one of the writers on the track "Straight Up & Down". After teasing the release of a long-shelved collaboration project with Lil Wayne, '' T-Wayne'' was released on May 18, 2017, via T-Pain's
SoundCloud SoundCloud is a German audio streaming service owned and operated by SoundCloud Global Limited & Co. KG. The service enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is ...
for streaming and free digital download. It consists of eight tracks recorded in 2009 described as "lost demos". In 2017, he collaborated with Italian rappers
J-Ax Alessandro Aleotti (; born 5 August 1972), known professionally as J-Ax (), is an Italian rapper and singer-songwriter, part of the rap group Articolo 31 with his DJ Vito Luca Perrini (DJ Jad). He is the brother of Grido (formerly part of Ge ...
and
Fedez Federico Leonardo Lucia (born 15 October 1989), better known by the stage name Fedez (), is an Italian rapper, singer-songwriter, social media personality, and businessman. In 2011, he released the albums ''Penisola che non c'è'' and ''Il mio pr ...
for the single "Senza pagare", from the album '' Comunisti col Rolex''. After numerous delays and project name changes, T-Pain's fifth album '' Oblivion'' was released November 17, 2017.


2019: ''1UP''

On February 27, 2019, the same day T-Pain was revealed to be the winner of the first season of '' The Masked Singer'', he released a surprise new album titled '' 1UP'' and announced a new U.S. tour in support of it. He hosted the
iHeartRadio Music Awards The iHeartRadio Music Awards is a music awards show that celebrates music heard throughout the year across List of radio stations owned by iHeartMedia, iHeartMedia radio stations nationwide and on iHeartRadio, iHeartMedia's digital music platf ...
on March 14. In December 2020, T-Pain appeared in ComplexLand virtual event to discuss his thoughts on the future of
esports Esports (), short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, played individually or as teams. ...
.


2023–present: ''On Top of the Covers''

On March 17, 2023, T-Pain released '' On Top of the Covers''. The album includes a selection of
cover songs In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song released ...
and notably did not include the use of autotune. He collaborated with
Meghan Trainor Meghan Elizabeth Trainor (born December 22, 1993) is an American singer-songwriter and television personality. She rose to prominence after signing with Epic Records in 2014 and releasing her debut single "All About That Bass", which reached ...
on the single " Been Like This" from Trainor's sixth album ''Timeless''. In February 2024, T-Pain acknowledged that he had ghostwritten music for
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
singers including
Rhett Akins Thomas Rhett Akins Sr. (born October 13, 1969) is an American country music singer and songwriter. Signed to Decca Records between 1994 and 1997, he released two albums for that label (1995's ''A Thousand Memories'' and 1996's ''Somebody New (a ...
,
Luke Bryan Thomas Luther "Luke" Bryan (born July 17, 1976) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and television personality. Bryan is a five-time "Entertainer of the Year", being awarded by both the Academy of Country Music Awards and the Count ...
, and
Dallas Davidson Dallas Davidson is an American country music singer and songwriter from Albany, Georgia, who has written for artists such as Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, Cole Swindell, Jake Owen, Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, Lady Antebellum, and Billy Currin ...
while living in
Nashville, Tennessee Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
, for two years, but said that he preferred not to be credited on country songs because of the racism he experienced in the country music industry.


Other ventures


Phone app

On September 24, 2009, T-Pain joined with iPhone app creator Smule to create a new app entitled "I Am T-Pain" to enable people to use his style of
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune is audio processor software released on September 19, 1997, by the American company Antares Audio Technologies. It uses a proprietary device to measure and Pitch correction, correct pitch in music. It operates on different principles ...
in
karaoke is a type of interactive entertainment system usually offered in nightclubs and bars, where people sing along to pre-recorded accompaniment using a microphone. Its musical content is an instrumental rendition of a well-known popular song. I ...
; it was released the following day.


Film and television

In May 2009, T-Pain made an appearance on a
live-action Live action is a form of cinematography or videography that uses photography instead of animation. Some works combine live action with animation to create a live-action animated feature film. Live action is used to define film, video games or ...
episode of ''
Aqua Teen Hunger Force ''Aqua Teen Hunger Force'' (also branded with different #Alternative titles, alternative titles for seasons 8–11), is an American adult animated television series created by Dave Willis and Matt Maiellaro for Cartoon Network's late night progra ...
'' as Frylock, where he made his debut as an actor. In late 2009, T-Pain developed a concept to create an animated television special, '' Freaknik: The Musical'', which he submitted to
Adult Swim Adult Swim (stylized as dult swimand s is an American adult-oriented television programming block that airs on Cartoon Network which broadcasts during the evening, prime time, and Late-night television, late-night Dayparting, dayparts. T ...
. It premiered on March 7, 2010, and features many guest celebrities such as
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
, Young Cash,
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
, Sophia Fresh,
Rick Ross William Leonard Roberts II (born January 28, 1976), known professionally as Rick Ross, is an American rapper. An influential figure in modern Hip-hop, hip hop music, Rick Ross has become known for his "Wiktionary:booming, booming" vocal perfor ...
, Andy Samberg, and Charlie Murphy. T-Pain made his cinema acting debut in the 2010
comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
''
Lottery Ticket A lottery (or lotto) is a form of gambling that involves the drawing of numbers at random for a prize. Some governments outlaw lotteries, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find som ...
'' as a
liquor store A liquor store is a retail business that predominantly sells prepackaged alcoholic beverages, including liquors (typically in bottles), wine or beer, usually intended to be consumed off the store's premises. Depending on region and local idiom ...
clerk. In November 2016, T-Pain also appeared in an episode of the
YouTube YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in ...
series ''
Epic Rap Battles of History ''Epic Rap Battles of History'' (ERB) is a YouTube web series and music project created by Peter "Nice Peter" Shukoff and Lloyd "EpicLLOYD" Ahlquist. The series pits historical and pop culture figures against one another in a rap battle format ...
'' as
Stevie Wonder Stevland Hardaway Morris (; Judkins; born May 13, 1950), known professionally as Stevie Wonder, is an American and Ghanaian singer-songwriter, musician, and record producer. He is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th c ...
. T-Pain was the champion of the first season of the
Fox Foxes are small-to-medium-sized omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull; upright, triangular ears; a pointed, slightly upturned snout; and a long, bushy tail ("brush"). Twelve species ...
reality music competition '' The Masked Singer'' as "Monster". He returned as a guest panelist in the sixth episode of season 3. Since 2018, T-Pain has been the host of ''T-Pain's School of Business'', a documentary series airing on Fuse in which T-Pain travels around the United States meeting with different entrepreneurs. The series has aired for two seasons so far: the first in 2018, which had six episodes, and the second in 2019, which had eight episodes.


Video games

T-Pain has confirmed his involvement in the development of the upcoming video game '' Grand Theft Auto VI'', although his role has not been specified.


Musical style

T-Pain defined in 2005 his own music style as "Hard & B", a play on R&B. In 2024, T-Pain said that
country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. When referring to a specific polity, the term "country" may refer to a sovereign state, state with limited recognition, constituent country, ...
and
gospel music Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music vary according to culture and social context. Gospel music is compo ...
were major influences on his music. He mentioned
GarageBand GarageBand is a software application by Apple Inc., Apple for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS devices that allows users to create music or Podcast, podcasts. It is a lighter, amateur-oriented offshoot of Logic Pro. GarageBand was originally released for ...
and
Logic Pro Logic Pro is a proprietary digital audio workstation (DAW) and MIDI sequencer software application for the macOS platform developed by Apple Inc. It was originally created in the early 1990s as Notator Logic, or Logic, by German software devel ...
as the software he uses to produce his own beats.


Use of Auto-Tune

Musically, T-Pain is best known for popularizing the use of
Auto-Tune Auto-Tune is audio processor software released on September 19, 1997, by the American company Antares Audio Technologies. It uses a proprietary device to measure and Pitch correction, correct pitch in music. It operates on different principles ...
, a pitch-correcting audio processor, for vocals, with the effect turned up to give the voice a robotic quality. He has used this effect throughout his singing career, starting in 2003. This use of Auto-Tune had been pioneered by
Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...
in her successful 1998 single " Believe". T-Pain, who had been looking for a way to make his voice sound unique, was inspired to use Auto-Tune after hearing the Darkchild remix of the 1999 song " If You Had My Love" by
Jennifer Lopez Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
, which makes occasional use of the effect. He was also inspired in part by a similar sound achieved by
Roger Troutman Roger Lynch Troutman Jr. (November 29, 1951 – April 25, 1999), also known simply as Roger, was an American singer, musician, songwriter, and record producer. He was the founder of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the funk movement and infl ...
in the 1980s (using a
talk box A talk box (also spelled talkbox and talk-box) is an effects unit that allows musicians to modify the sound of a musical instrument by shaping the frequency content of the sound and to apply speech sounds (in the same way as singing) onto the so ...
) and
Teddy Riley Edward Theodore Riley (born October 8, 1967) is an American record producer, singer, and songwriter credited with the creation of the R&B and hip-hop fusion genre, new jack swing. Musical artists who utilized Riley's production and songwri ...
in the 1990s (using both talk boxes and
vocoder A vocoder (, a portmanteau of ''vo''ice and en''coder'') is a category of speech coding that analyzes and synthesizes the human voice signal for audio data compression, multiplexing, voice encryption or voice transformation. The vocoder wa ...
s). After the success of T-Pain's first two albums, his use of Auto-Tune was replicated by a number of hip-hop artists, including
Snoop Dogg Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr. ( ; born October 20, 1971), better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg (previously Snoop Doggy Dogg), is an American rapper, record producer, and actor. Rooted in West Coast hip-hop, he is widely regarded as one of t ...
on the 2007 single " Sensual Seduction",
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
on the 2008 single "
Lollipop A lollipop is a type of sugar candy usually consisting of hard candy mounted on a stick and intended for sucking or licking. Different informal terms are used in different places, including lolly, sucker and sticky-pop. Lollipops are avail ...
",
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
on the 2008 album ''
808s & Heartbreak ''808s & Heartbreak'' is the fourth studio album by the American rapper Kanye West, released by Def Jam Recordings and Roc-A-Fella Records on November 24, 2008, having been recorded earlier that year in September and October at Glenwood Stud ...
'' (on which T-Pain served as a consultant),
the Black Eyed Peas The Black Eyed Peas are an American musical group formed in Los Angeles in 1995, composed of rappers will.i.am, apl.de.ap and Taboo (rapper), Taboo. Fergie (singer), Fergie was a member during the height of their popularity in the 2000s, and ...
on the 2009 single "
Boom Boom Pow "Boom Boom Pow" is a song recorded by American group the Black Eyed Peas for their fifth studio album '' The E.N.D.'' (2009). It was written by group members will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie, being produced by will.i.am. The song featur ...
", and
Diddy – Dirty Money Diddy – Dirty Money was an American musical trio, composed of R&B singers Dawn Richard and Kalenna Harper, and rapper Sean "Diddy" Combs. The group, formed and introduced by the latter in July 2009, refers to their billing with Combs, whi ...
on the 2010 album '' Last Train to Paris''. In a November 2008 interview, T-Pain revealed that Diddy had paid him for the right to use Auto-Tune in T-Pain's style on the then-upcoming ''Last Train to Paris'', and he felt that other artists should do the same. In 2009,
Jay-Z Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American Rapping, rapper, businessman, and record executive. Rooted in East Coast hip-hop, he was named Billboard and Vibe's 50 Greatest Rappers of All Time, the ...
released the single " D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)", which criticized the practice. The song directly mentioned T-Pain, with the lyrics "You niggas singing too much/ Get back to rap, you T-Paining too much." Jay-Z has insisted that the song was not a personal attack on T-Pain, and that he was simply criticizing a trend that he felt had run its course. T-Pain has said that he loved the song. However, he felt personally hurt by a general backlash against the use of Auto-Tune that began at around the same time. Nevertheless, he has continued to use Auto-Tune, feeling that it is simply part of his musical style, as opposed to jumping on a trend as was the case for other artists.


Personal life

T-Pain has been married to Amber since 2003. They have three children: one daughter, Lyriq, and two sons Muziq and Kaydnz Kodah (born May 2009). On March 27, 2009, T-Pain was involved in a
golf cart A golf cart (alternatively known as a golf buggy or golf car) is a small motorized vehicle designed originally to carry two golfers and their golf clubs around a golf course with less effort than walking. Over time, variants were introduced t ...
accident, the same day he was due for a music video shoot for
Lil' Kim Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include: * * * * * better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper. She was born and raised in New York City and lived much of her adolescent life on the streets after ...
's song "
Download In computer networks, download means to ''receive'' data from a remote system, typically a server such as a web server, an FTP server, an email server, or other similar systems. This contrasts with uploading, where data is ''sent to'' a remote ...
". He suffered cuts, bruises, and four missing teeth and had emergency dental work done. He returned to performing two days later. On April 1, 2013, T-Pain revealed that he had cut off his iconic
dreadlocks Dreadlocks, also known as dreads or locs, are a Hairstyle, hairstyle made of rope-like strands of matted hair. Dreadlocks can form naturally in Hair#Texture, very curly hair, or they can be created with techniques like twisting, Backcombing, ba ...
, stating "We must all learn to adjust with our surroundings. Those who get stuck doing the same things for too long are bound to get left behind the strong who press on & reinvent themselves. Also good news hair grows back." On August 30, 2016, T-Pain's niece, Javona Glover, was stabbed to death in a local
Walgreens Walgreens is an American pharmacy store chain. It is the second largest in the United States, behind CVS Pharmacy. As of March 2025, the company operated more than 8,700 stores in the U.S. Walgreens has been the subject of a number of lawsuit ...
store in his hometown of
Tallahassee Tallahassee ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of and the only incorporated municipality in Leon County. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2024, the est ...
. In 2017, a suspect in the case was found dead in an apparent suicide. T-Pain's brother died in early 2019. T-Pain is an avid
gamer A gamer is someone who plays interactive games, either video games, tabletop role-playing games, skill-based card games, or any combination thereof, and who often plays for extended periods of time. Originally a hobby, gaming has evolved in ...
who regularly
streams A stream is a continuous body of surface water flowing within the bed and banks of a channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to by a variety of local or regional names. Long, large stream ...
on Twitch. He joined the platform in 2015 and as of 2025 has 1 million followers on the service, while holding numerous events in collaboration with the platform. He is friends with
Cr1TiKaL Charles Christopher White Jr. (born August 2, 1994), better known as Cr1TiKaL, MoistCr1TiKaL (pronounced "moist critical"), or penguinz0 (pronounced "penguin z zero") is an American YouTuber and streamer. He is best known for his commentary v ...
, having appeared in his streams occasionally and stood in for him in a single video (while Cr1TiKal humorously feigned retirement) in 2025. He has many
tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing processes ...
s, some of which are
internet meme An Internet meme, or meme (, Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''MEEM''), is a cultural item (such as an idea, behavior, or style) that spreads across the Internet, primarily through Social media, social media platforms. Internet memes manif ...
s or otherwise Internet-related.


Legal issues

On April 28, 2007, T-Pain refused to shorten his performance at Radio One's Spring Fest Concert in
Miami Miami is a East Coast of the United States, coastal city in the U.S. state of Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in South Florida. It is the core of the Miami metropolitan area, which, with a populat ...
, which caused police presence to increase backstage. After concert officials aborted his performance of "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')", police chased him and his entourage off-stage and out of the premises and detained them. In June 2007, a warrant was issued for T-Pain's arrest for driving with a suspended license. He subsequently turned himself in to the Leon County Jail on November 2, 2007. He was held without bail, but was released three hours later.


Discography

Studio albums * '' Rappa Ternt Sanga'' (2005) * '' Epiphany'' (2007) * ''
Three Ringz ''Three Ringz'' (stylized as ''Thr33 Ringz'') is the third studio album by American singer T-Pain. It was released on November 11, 2008, by his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment, an imprint of Akon's label Konvict Muzik, Jive Records, and ...
'' (2008) * ''
Revolver A revolver is a repeating handgun with at least one barrel and a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold six cartridges before needing to be reloaded, ...
'' (2011) * '' Oblivion'' (2017) * '' 1UP'' (2019) * '' On Top of the Covers'' (2023)


Filmography


Film


Television


Awards and nominations

*
American Music Awards The American Music Awards (AMAs) is an annual American music awards show produced by Dick Clark Productions since 1974. Nominees are selected on commercial performance such as sales and airplay. Winners are determined by a poll of the public and ...
**2007, Favorite Male Artist (Nominated) *
BET Awards The BET Awards are an American award show that was established in 2001 by the BET, Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate Black person, Black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which ...
**2009, Best Male R&B Artist (Nominated) **2009, Best Collaboration ("Blame It") with Jamie Foxx (Won) **2009, Viewer's Choice ("Can't Believe It") with Lil Wayne (Nominated) **2008, Best Collaboration ("Kiss Kiss") with Chris Brown (Nominated) **2008, Best Collaboration ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated) **2008, Viewer's Choice ("Kiss Kiss") with Chris Brown (Nominated) **2008, Best Collaboration ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Won) **2008, Video of the Year ("Good Life") with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
(Nominated) *
BET Hip Hop Awards The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors. The awards ceremony began in 2006; it was held on November 12, 2006 at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta and was first ...
**2009. Producer of the Year (Nominated) **2008, Best Ringtone ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated) **2008, Best Hip-Hop Video ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Won) **2008, Best Hip-Hop Collabo ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated) **2008, Best Hip-Hop Collabo ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Nominated) **2008, Track of the Year ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Nominated) * BMI Urban Awards ** Song Writer Of The Year (Won) ** Producer Of The Year shared with
J. R. Rotem Jonathan Reuven Rotem (born July 23, 1975) is a South African-born American record producer, songwriter and music publisher. Biography Early life Rotem was born in July 23, 1975 in Johannesburg, South Africa to Jewish Israeli people, Israe ...
&
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
(Won) *
Grammy Awards The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious a ...
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2008 2008 was designated as: *International Year of Languages *International Year of Planet Earth *International Year of the Potato *International Year of Sanitation The Great Recession, a worldwide recession which began in 2007, continued throu ...
, "
Bartender A bartender (also known as a barkeep or barman or barmaid or a mixologist) is a person who formulates and serves alcoholic or soft drink beverages behind the Bar (establishment), bar, usually in a licensed bar (establishment), establishment as ...
" (featuring
Akon Aliaune Damala Bouga Time Puru Nacka Lu Lu Lu Badara Akon Thiam (born April 16, 1973), known mononymously as Akon (), is a Senegalese-United States, American singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, businessman, and philanthropist. An influ ...
)
,
Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals The Grammy Award The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as th ...
, , - , rowspan="2", " Good Life" (with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
)
, Best Rap Song , , - , rowspan="4", Best Rap/Sung Collaboration , , - , "
Kiss Kiss Kiss Kiss may refer to: Books * Kiss Kiss (book), ''Kiss Kiss'' (book), a collection of short stories by Roald Dahl Music * Kiss Kiss (band), an American indie rock band * Kiss Kiss (Japanese group), a Japanese girl group * Kiss Kiss (Chris Brown so ...
" (with
Chris Brown Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. A Pop music, pop and hip-hop-influenced contemporary R&B, R&B musician who works in a variety of genres, he has been called the "Honorific nic ...
)
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2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...
, "
Got Money "Got Money" is a song by American rapper Lil Wayne featuring American singer and rapper T-Pain, released as the third single from the former's sixth studio album '' Tha Carter III'' (2008). Both artists use the Auto-Tune effect in the song. The s ...
" (with
Lil Wayne Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper. He is often regarded as one of the most influential hip hop artists of his generation, as well as one of the greatest rappers of all ...
)
, , - , rowspan="2", " Low" (with
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
)
, , - , Best Rap Song , , - , '' Tha Carter III'' (as featured artist & producer) , Album of the Year , , - , rowspan="4",
2010 The year saw a multitude of natural and environmental disasters such as the 2010 Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and the 2010 Chile earthquake. The 2009 swine flu pandemic, swine flu pandemic which began the previous year ...
, " I'm on a Boat" (with
The Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Andy Samberg, Jorma Taccone, and Akiva Schaffer in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The th ...
)
, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration , , - , rowspan="2", " Blame It" (with
Jamie Foxx Eric Marlon Bishop (born December 13, 1967), known professionally as Jamie Foxx, is an American actor, comedian, and singer. Known for his work in both the screen and music industries, his accolades include an Academy Award, a Grammy Award ...
)
, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals , , - , Best R&B Song , , - , ''
Three Ringz ''Three Ringz'' (stylized as ''Thr33 Ringz'') is the third studio album by American singer T-Pain. It was released on November 11, 2008, by his record label Nappy Boy Entertainment, an imprint of Akon's label Konvict Muzik, Jive Records, and ...
'' , Best Contemporary R&B Album , , - *
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards The Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards, also known as the KCAs or Kids' Choice, is an American annual awards ceremony show produced by Nickelodeon. Usually held on a Saturday night in March or early April, the show honors the year's biggest in tel ...
**2009, Favorite Male Singer (Nominated) *Ozone Music Awards **2008, TJ's DJ's Hustler of the Year (Nominated) **2008, Club Banger of the Year ("I'm So Hood") with DJ Khaled, Trick Daddy, Rick Ross, & Plies (Nominated) **2008, Club Banger of the Year ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated) **2008, Best Rap/R&B Collaboration ("She Got It") with 2 Pistols & Tay Dizm (Nominated) **2008, Best R&B Artist (Nominated) **2008, Best TJ's DJ's Tastemaker Award (Won) **2007, Best Male R&B Artist (Won) **2007, Best Rap/R&B Collaboration ("Shawty") with Plies (Won) **2007: Best Rap/R&B Collaboration ("Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')") with
Yung Joc Jasiel Amon Robinson (born September 20, 1980), better known by his stage name Yung Joc, is an American rapper known for his 2006 single " It's Goin' Down", which peaked at number three on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Prior to its release, he sign ...
(Nominated) **2006, Best Rap/R&B Collaboration (" I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper) (Remix)" with
Twista Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Twista (also known as Tung Twista), is an American rapper. He is best known for his Chopper (rap), chopper style of rapping and for once holding the title of fastest ...
,
Pimp C Chad Lamont Butler (December 29, 1973 – December 4, 2007), better known by his stage name Pimp C, was an American rapper and record producer. He was best known for his work with Bun B as one half of the hip-hop duo Underground Kingz (UGK). ...
,
Paul Wall Paul Michael Slayton (born March 11, 1981), better known by his stage name Paul Wall, or the Ice Man, is an American rapper and DJ. He has spent much of his career affiliated with Swishahouse, and has released several albums under the label and ...
, R. Kelly, MJG, and
Too Short Todd Anthony Shaw (born April 28, 1966), better known by his stage name Too Short (stylized as Too $hort), is an American rapper. A pioneer of West Coast hip-hop, Shaw was among the first acts to receive recognition in the genre during the late ...
) (Won) *
MTV Video Music Awards The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honor the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category ...
**2008, Best Hip-Hop Video ("Low") with
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
(Nominated) **2008, Best Male Video ("Low") with
Flo Rida Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), known professionally as Flo Rida ( ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 debut and breakout single "Low (Flo Rida song), Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the ...
(Nominated) **2007, Monster Single of the Year ("Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin)"), featuring Yung Joc (Nominated) *
People's Choice Awards The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the fans and general public. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls un ...
**2008, Favorite Hip-Hop Song, " Low" with Flo Rida on'' **2008, Favorite Hip-Hop Song, " Good Life" with
Kanye West Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
ominated*
Teen Choice Awards The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
**2008, Choice Hook-Up: Flo Rida Featuring T-Pain, "Low" (Nominated) **2008, Choice Music: R&B Artist – T-Pain (Nominated) **2008, Choice Music: Rap/Hip-Hop Track – Lil Mama featuring Chris Brown and T-Pain, "Shawty Get Loose" (Won) * Vibe Awards **2007, Best R&B Artist (Nominated) **2007, Best Collaboration ("Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin)") with Yung Joc (Nominated) **2007, Song of the Year ("Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin)") with Yung Joc (Won) * Brit Asia TV Music Awards **2014, Best Music Video ("Daddy Da Cash" by RDB feat. T-Pain) (Won) * The Streamer Awards **2021, Best Music Streamer (Nominated) **2022, Best Music Streamer (Won)


References


External links


Official website
(archived) * * {{Authority control 1984 births Living people 21st-century African-American male singers 21st-century American male singers 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American singer-songwriters African-American male rappers 20th-century American male rappers African-American male singer-songwriters American male singer-songwriters African-American Muslims African-American record producers American contemporary R&B singers American hip-hop record producers American hip-hop singers American music industry executives American people of Bahamian descent American Twitch (service) streamers Businesspeople from Florida Grammy Award winners for rap music Jive Records artists Masked Singer winners MTV Video Music Award winners Musicians from Tallahassee, Florida Pop rappers Rappers from Florida RCA Records artists Reality show winners Record producers from Florida Singer-songwriters from Florida Streamer Award winners Judges in American reality television series