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T-Pain Genius Level: The Voice That Changed Pop Music (Full Interview)

Genius2019-03-21
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112K views|5 years ago
💫 Short Summary

T-Pain reflects on his early influences, the challenges he faced, and the creation of his music, including the use of auto-tune. He also discusses his collaboration with DJ Khaled and the impact of his music, including the moment when Barack Obama chose 'All I Do Is Win' as his entrance music.T-Pain discusses the impact of his music on the industry, his collaborations with other artists, and the creative process behind his songs. He also talks about the influence of Kanye West and Kid Cudi on his music, and the importance of simplicity and catchiness in songwriting.T-Pain discusses his music career, the inspiration behind his album '1UP', his desire to be remembered as a good person, and his pride in influencing the music industry with his unique style.

✨ Highlights
📊 Transcript
✦
Influential artists for young T-Pain include Andre 3000, Cee Lo, Busta Rhymes, and Ludacris.
00:00
Luna influenced T-Pain with his comedic music videos.
T-Pain admired artists who didn't care about others' opinions.
He credits David Banner for his performance skills.
✦
T-Pain's love for music was influenced by his father, who bought him a keyboard and encouraged his musical advancement.
03:18
The first song T-Pain learned to play on the keyboard was his dad's favorite, 'Lift Every Voice and Sing'.
T-Pain's dad played a significant role in his music journey by continuously upgrading his equipment.
T-Pain's dad had a group and did conscious music, he also used his theme song for T-Pain's 'coming out'.
✦
T-Pain's music journey started with a keyboard his dad found, and his dad was involved in music and had a restaurant where he played his music.
06:12
T-Pain's dad found a keyboard outside, cleaned it, and T-Pain learned to play by ear.
T-Pain's dad had a group and did conscious music, he also used his theme song for T-Pain's 'coming out'.
✦
T-Pain's first big hit was 'I'm Sprung' and it was originally intended for Akon, but Akon didn't make songs for women at the time.
10:36
T-Pain wrote 'I'm Sprung' for Akon, but Akon didn't want to make songs for women at the time.
T-Pain's first album had minimal auto-tune, and 'I'm In Love With a Stripper' barely had any auto-tune.
T-Pain got the idea to use auto-tune after hearing it on a Jennifer Lopez song.
T-Pain became an in-demand feature and collaborated with artists like DJ Khaled.
✦
T-Pain preferred to freestyle in the booth rather than write lyrics and believed that melodies were more important than the actual words.
15:13
T-Pain found it a shame that he felt he needed a gimmick like auto-tune to stand out in the music industry.
He used minimal auto-tune on his first album, but it became a staple of his sound.
The idea to use auto-tune came from a Jennifer Lopez song.
T-Pain's first feature request was from the YoungBloodz.
He had an interesting method of recording where he would do ad-libs first and then focus on the lyrics.
✦
T-Pain's relationship with DJ Khaled started when Khaled came to the studio with food as an offering, and they worked on the songs 'I'm So Hood' and 'Two Step' the same night.
21:24
T-Pain's first major joint was with E-40.
T-Pain produced and wrote songs for Charlie Wilson.
Charlie Wilson took the credit but T-Pain didn't mind.
T-Pain had to get well first on Charlie Wilson's singing style and writing style.
T-Pain met DJ Khaled who came to the studio with food and showed him his joints, and T-Pain recorded 'I'm So Hood' and 'Two Step' the same night.
✦
T-Pain and DJ Khaled's song 'All I Do Is Win' was created with Khaled badgering T-Pain in the studio until he came up with the hook.
25:38
T-Pain was setting the rhythm and points in his head before adding the lyrics.
He did the ad-libs first and then worked on the lyrics.
DJ Khaled kept pushing T-Pain to come up with something big.
T-Pain came up with the hook 'All I Do Is Win' after Khaled said 'I gotta turn my album'.
✦
T-Pain talks about the origins of the song "I'm Sprung" and how it eventually led to DJ Khaled's "We Takin' Over".
00:00
"I'm Sprung" was initially meant for YoungBloodZ, but T-Pain's manager suggested he keep it for himself.
The song gained traction, and other artists like Akon and R. Kelly started using auto-tune.
This eventually led to T-Pain working with DJ Khaled on "We Takin' Over".
✦
T-Pain discusses his approach to creating hooks and how he landed his feature on Lil Wayne's "Got Money".
08:35
T-Pain emphasizes the importance of simplicity and catchiness in hooks.
He mentions working with Akon and Young Jeezy on "Bartender" and "Buy U a Drank".
T-Pain reveals that the collaboration with Lil Wayne on "Got Money" came about after he played several songs for Wayne, and Wayne chose to be on that particular track.
✦
T-Pain shares the story of recording "I'm Sprung" and the impact it had on his career.
17:25
T-Pain recalls recording "I'm Sprung" in his bedroom and not realizing its potential at first.
"I'm Sprung" started getting local attention, leading to T-Pain's manager securing a deal with Akon's Konvict Muzik.
The song's success opened doors for T-Pain and showcased the potential of his autotune style.
✦
T-Pain talks about the creative process and how he handles collaboration requests.
25:52
T-Pain prefers to work alone in the studio to maintain his creative flow.
He mentions artists reaching out for collaborations and how he chooses which projects to work on.
T-Pain discusses the missed opportunity to work with Michael Jackson due to a leaked record.
He reflects on the importance of keeping songs relatable and conversational for listeners.
✦
T-Pain discusses the influence of alcohol in his music and the collaboration with Jamie Foxx on "Blame It."
34:24
T-Pain talks about the vocal production and chopping screwed vocals in his song "Low".
He mentions having a simple and great lyric about drinking in the song "Bartender".
T-Pain acknowledges the influence of Michael Jackson and the leaked record by T-Pain that prevented the collaboration.
The video also covers T-Pain's collaboration with Lil Wayne and the recording process during their tour.
✦
The video discusses T-Pain's influence on autotune in the music industry and his collaboration with Kanye West.
42:29
T-Pain talks about his influence on young artists and established stars adopting his style.
He mentions receiving a check from Diddy for using autotune.
T-Pain acknowledges the influence of Kanye West and Kid Cudi's album "808s & Heartbreak".
The video also covers T-Pain's specific way of using autotune and his collaboration with Lil Wayne on the T-Wayne album.
✦
T-Pain talks about his experience at Summer Jam and the perceived impact of Jay-Z's 'Death of Auto-Tune' on his career.
51:23
T-Pain came out at Summer Jam to support Jay-Z, but it was already set up.
He didn't think Jay-Z was aware of his planned appearance.
T-Pain felt the internet's perception of Jay-Z killing his career with 'Death of Auto-Tune' affected him through the fans' eyes.
T-Pain had already planned to take a break from music before the song came out.
✦
T-Pain discusses having something to say after going through legal and label issues.
00:00
T-Pain emphasizes that he has a lot to talk about and doesn't want to hold back.
He mentions his favorite thing is when artists keep talking over the beat without stopping.
T-Pain feels he made a career out of saving others with his music and forgave people when they turned their backs on him.
✦
T-Pain's new album '1UP' is inspired by the green mushroom from Mario, symbolizing an extra life in the game.
04:36
The album cover features T-Pain's shadow reaching for the mushroom.
T-Pain wanted to showcase his entire journey, including the Grammys, big chain, and plaques, on the album cover.
The title '1UP' represents a new chapter and an extra life in T-Pain's music career.
✦
T-Pain values being true to himself and spreading love, and wants to be remembered as a good person above all.
09:54
T-Pain believes in spreading positivity and avoiding the toxicity that many others focus on.
He wants to be seen as t-Pain, a good person, and not necessarily a follower or someone who seeks fame.
T-Pain values being remembered as a cool and good person above his music or fame.
✦
T-Pain discusses his influence on modern music, particularly the use of melody in rap, and expresses pride in his legacy.
14:13
T-Pain acknowledges his role in popularizing a new sound and influencing a new genre.
He is proud that his kids can hear his influence in other artists' music.
T-Pain views the recognition of his influence as a trophy and finds it flattering rather than someone just biting his style.
✦
T-Pain talks about his respect for Usher and their subsequent reconciliation after Usher's comment about auto-tune.
18:39
Usher apologized to T-Pain for their misunderstanding and T-Pain forgave him.
T-Pain reflects on the negative impact of Usher's comment but chooses to focus on the positive outcomes that followed.
This experience taught T-Pain to let go of grudges and not let others' actions affect him.
✦
T-Pain discusses the origin of his song 'I'm Sprung' and the impact it had on his career.
24:01
The song 'I'm Sprung' was inspired by a girl T-Pain was talking to at the time.
The success of the song changed T-Pain's life and career, leading to a record deal and further opportunities.
T-Pain's unique use of auto-tune in 'I'm Sprung' caught the attention of industry insiders and set him apart as an innovator.
💫 FAQs about This YouTube Video

1. Who were the influencers for young T-Pain in his music journey?

Young T-Pain was influenced by artists such as Andre 3000, Cee Lo, Busta Rhymes, and Ludacris. He admired their ability to do what they wanted in their music without caring about others' opinions. He also looked up to his father, who was involved in music and had a restaurant where he forced people to listen to his music.

2. What song did young T-Pain first learn to play on the keyboard?

The first song young T-Pain learned to play on the keyboard was 'Lift Every Voice and Sing', which was his father's favorite song. His father played a significant role in his music journey by providing him with equipment and encouraging his musical advancement.

3. How did young T-Pain's journey in the music industry begin?

Young T-Pain's journey in the music industry began with a keyboard his father found. Despite the challenging start and the initial disbelief from others due to his desire to sing in a rap-dominated environment, T-Pain persevered, showcasing his talent and eventually gaining recognition for his unique style and contribution to the music industry.

4. What other artists did young T-Pain look up to?

Young T-Pain looked up to other artists such as Luna, David Banner, and Bobby Brown, who played a significant role in influencing his music and style. He found inspiration in their work and attitude towards creating music, shaping his own approach and perspective as an artist.

5. How did auto-tune become a significant element in T-Pain's music?

Auto-tune became a significant element in T-Pain's music as a result of his desire to sound different and set himself apart as an artist. He saw his vocals as instrumentals and used auto-tune to enhance his harmony, creating a unique and identifiable sound that became a staple in the music industry.

6. What are some surprising stories about how records started in one place and ended up in another?

T-Pain shares a story about a record that would have been the biggest of his life, but it never came out because the person doing the reference leaked the record, and Michael Jackson didn't want to do it anymore. The leaked record was a collaboration between T-Pain and Michael Jackson, and T-Pain regrets not having the opportunity to release it.

7. How did T-Pain come up with the vocal production for the song "Low"?

T-Pain mentions that the vocal production for the song "Low" was inspired by the chopped and screwed technique. He wanted to slow the song down and originally intended for it to be a screwed track, but they had to speed it back up for the regular version.

8. What is T-Pain's approach to songwriting and creating relatable songs?

T-Pain emphasizes the importance of keeping songwriting relatable and conversational. He mentions that for him, having a simple and relatable song is everything, and he likes to have different people help him out with references to add a sense of crowd participation and confidence to shout things out at concerts.

9. How did T-Pain's collaboration with Lil Wayne on the song "Got Money" come about?

The collaboration with Lil Wayne on the song "Got Money" came about after T-Pain played several songs for Lil Wayne, and Wayne chose to be on that particular track. T-Pain and Lil Wayne realized their styles meshed well when they went on tour together and performed on stage.

10. What was the impact of Jay-Z's 'Death of Auto-Tune' on T-Pain's career?

T-Pain discusses the perceived impact of Jay-Z's 'Death of Auto-Tune' on his career, mentioning that he had already planned to take a break from music before the song came out. He felt that the internet's perception of Jay-Z killing his career with 'Death of Auto-Tune' affected him through the fans' eyes, but he knew the truth and wasn't affected mentally by it.

11. How did T-Pain feel about his guests talking too much on a song?

T-Pain expressed his enjoyment when guests talk a lot on a song, stating that he doesn't mind and even encourages them to keep talking as long as they want. He considers it his favorite thing when an artist doesn't let the beat stop and continues talking.

12. What did T-Pain want to focus on when returning the favor to others in the industry?

T-Pain wanted to focus on returning the favor to others in the industry by forgiving them and not necessarily expecting them to get back in the song. He mentioned doing a lot of features for free and just wanting others to get back on his music in return.

13. What was the inspiration behind T-Pain's album '1UP'?

T-Pain's album '1UP' was inspired by the green mushroom from Mario, symbolizing an extra life in the game. He wanted the album to represent a new chapter and an extra life in his music career.

14. How does T-Pain want to be remembered in the music industry?

T-Pain wants to be remembered for trying to be true to everybody, keeping it real, and spreading love instead of the negativity and toxicity that exists in the industry. He doesn't want to be seen as a follower and just wants to be known as a good person.

15. What does T-Pain believe his legacy is in the music industry?

T-Pain believes his legacy in the music industry is that he changed the sound and style of music, particularly with the use of auto-tune. He sees himself as a pioneer who influenced a new genre and popularized a different way of singing in hip-hop and R&B.