Jump to content

T-Pain

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 66.240.27.15 (talk) at 21:09, 20 October 2009 (→‎Career). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

T-Pain

Faheem Rasheed Najm (born September 30, 1983),[1] better known by his stage name T-Pain, is an American hip hop and R&B singer-songwriter, and producer. He began his career as a rapper in the group Nappy Headz. In 2005, he became a singer and released his debut album Rappa Ternt Sanga with the hits "I'm Sprung" and "I'm N Luv (Wit A Stripper)". Throughout his career as a singer, T-Pain has extensively used the Auto-Tune pitch correction effect. Since the release of his debut album, T-Pain has produced numerous hits of his own and for other rappers and R&B singers. T-Pain has also had many top ten singles on the Billboard Hot 100. In 2008, he won a Grammy with rapper Kanye West for the single "Good Life".

Personal background

Najm was born in Tallahassee, Florida.[2] At the age of ten, Najm reworked his bedroom into a small studio with a keyboard, beat machine and four-track recorder, and began composing music. He graduated from James S. Rickards High School.[3] His stage name is short for "Tallahassee Pain" and was chosen because of the hardships he felt while living there.[4] He is a Muslim.[4]

Career

He joined the rap group Nappy Headz and later recorded "I'm Fucked Up", a cover version of Akon's single "Locked Up". Akon noticed the song and immediately signed T-Pain to Konvict Muzik. T-Pain recorded his first album under the label, Rappa Ternt Sanga.[5] The first single is "I'm Sprung". The second single is "I'm N Luv (Wit A Stripper)", featuring Mike Jones. The album debuted at #33 on the Billboard 200, eventually reaching gold.

T-Pain performing at the 2007 Hot 97 Summer Jam concert.

In 2007, his second album Epiphany came out, with the club-oriented singles "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" featuring Yung Joc and "Bartender" featuring Akon. Both singles were in the Top 5. Epiphany debuted at the top spot of the US Billboard 200 chart,[6] and has sold about 1,000,000 units as of May 2008.[7] being the first number-one album of his career.[8] During that time, he appeared on the singles "I'm a Flirt" remix by R. Kelly with T.I., "Outta My System" by Bow Wow, "Baby Don't Go" by Fabolous, "I'm So Hood" by DJ Khaled with many other rappers, "Shawty" by Plies, "Kiss Kiss" by Chris Brown, "Low" by Flo Rida, and "Good Life" by Kanye West.[9] "Good Life" won the BET Award for the Best Collaboration and was nominated in several other categories.[10][11] In 2008, the single won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song.[12]

His third album Thr33 Ringz was released on November 11, 2008.[13] "Can't Believe It", featuring Lil Wayne, was the first single; the video premiered on BET on August 26.[14] "Chopped & Skrewed", featuring Ludacris, is the second single in this album. "Freeze", featuring Chris Brown, was confirmed to be the third single. Guest appearances on Thr33 Ringz include T.I., Lil Wayne, Ludacris, DJ Khaled, Ciara, Chris Brown, Kanye West and many more.[15] Pr33 Ringz was the introduction mixtape for the album.

T-Pain at General Motors Place concert in Vancouver in January 2009.

In 2008, T-Pain continued to appear on numerous charting rap singles, such as "She Got It" by 2 Pistols, "Go Girl" by Ciara, "The Boss" by Rick Ross, "Cash Flow" by Ace Hood, "Shawty Get Loose" by Lil Mama, "One More Drink" by Ludacris, and "Go Hard" by DJ Khaled with Kanye West. T-Pain and Ludacris collaborated to perform "Chopped & Skrewed" and "One More Drink" on American late-night television programs Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC November 14, 2008 and on NBC's Saturday Night Live on November 22, 2008. T-Pain appeared again on SNL on February 7, 2009 (on the episode hosted by Bradley Cooper with musical guest TV on the Radio) in the SNL Digital Short, "I'm on a Boat", along with castmember Andy Samberg and SNL writer/Lonely Island member Akiva Schaffer.

T-Pain joined rapper Lil Wayne to form the duo T-Wayne.[16] The duo released a self-titled mixtape in late 2008; it charted on the Billboard 200 in January 2009.[17] The debut T-Wayne album is to be released sometime in 2009.[18] T-Wayne's reliance on autotune makes their slogan "He Craps, He Stinks!" On May 31, 2009, T-Pain made an appearance on a live-action episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force as Frylock, where he made his debut as an actor.[19] T-Pain has recently recorded 3 tracks: Special Guest, This Evening, and It's So Easy (with Sophia Fresh). All of the 3 tracks are produced by Tha Bizness.

In an interview with MTV, T-Pain annouced that he would release a new album in November 2009 called UBER.[20] In June 2009, T-Pain collaborated with country-pop singer Taylor Swift for the CMT Music Awards, and performed "Thug Story", a parody of Swift's hit single "Love Story".

An iPhone application called "I Am T-Pain" features an auto tuner, allowing fans to record and modify their own voice to accompany an instrumental collection of T-Pain's music.[21] In July 2009, T-Pain endorsed the 2009 T-Pain Killa Cam-Pain, a grassroots effort to get him elected as president of Florida State University.[22]

Musical style

He has called his style of music "Hard & B".[23] T-Pain uses Auto-Tune, a pitch-correcting audio processor, for his vocals. Music critic Andy Kellman compared T-Pain's singing style to that of Cher in her 1998 hit "Believe", in which Cher used voice enhancements.[24] In response to Jay-Z's single "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)", T-Pain stated that he would still use the method.[20] T-Pain's use of Auto-Tune has been cited as an influence on other urban artists' works, including Snoop Dogg's single "Sexual Eruption",[25] Lil Wayne's single "Lollipop",[26] and Kanye West's album 808s & Heartbreak.[27] In November 2008, T-Pain demanded credit from other artists who used Auto-Tune.[28]

Personal life

Mug shot of T-Pain taken in November 2007.

T-Pain lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his wife, Amber, and three children: daughter Lyriq, son Muziq, and son Kaydnz Kodah (born May 2009). He has been married to Amber since 2003.[29][30] His song "I'm Sprung" is dedicated to her.

He had two noted legal troubles in 2007. When he refused to cut his set short at Radio One's Spring Fest Concert in Miami on the evening of April 28, 2007, police presence escalated backstage. He became agitated after concert officials stopped his performance of "Buy You a Drink". Police chased T-Pain and his entourage out of the premises and detained them.[31] After a June 2007 concert of T-Pain's, Tallahassee police issued a warrant for his arrest over a suspended driver's license. T-Pain turned himself into the Leon County Jail on November 2, 2007.[32]

On March 27, 2009, T-Pain was involved in a golf cart accident. He suffered cuts, bruises, and four missing teeth and had emergency dental work done. He returned to performing on March 29, 2009.[33] The accident was later referenced in the music video of Glasses Malone's song "Sun Come Up".

Discography

Main article: T-Pain discography

Awards and nominations

  • BET Awards
    • 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)[11]
    • 2008, Best Collaboration ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated)[11]
    • 2008, Viewer's Choice ("Kiss Kiss") with Chris Brown (Nominated)[11]
    • 2008, Best Collaboration ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Won)[10]
    • 2008, Video of the Year ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Nominated)[11]
  • BET Hip Hop Awards[citation needed]
    • 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)
  • Grammy Awards
    • 2009, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Got Money") with Lil Wayne (Nominated)
    • 2009, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated)
    • 2009, Best Rap Song ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated)
    • 2008, Album of the Year (Graduation) [Nominated]
    • 2008, Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group ("Bartender") with Akon (Nominated)
    • 2008, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Good Life") With Kanye West (Nominated)
    • 2008, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration ("Kiss Kiss") with Chris Brown (Nominated)
    • 2008, Best Rap Song ("Good Life") with Kanye West (Won)[12]
  • Ozone Music Awards[citation needed]
    • 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 (Nominated)
    • 2006, Best Rap/R&B Collaboration ("I'm N Luv (Wit a Stripper) (Remix)" with Twista, Pimp C, Paul Wall, R. Kelly, MJG, and Too Short) (Won)
  • MTV Video Music Award
    • 2008, Best Hip-Hop Video ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated)
    • 2008, Best Male Video ("Low") with Flo Rida (Nominated)
    • 2007, Monster Single of the Year ("Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin)"), featuring Yung Joc (Nominated)
  • Teen Choice Awards
    • 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)

References

  1. ^ "Inmate Booking Information - Najm, Faheem R". Leon County Sheriff's Office. Retrieved 2009-10-17.
  2. ^ T-Pain Gets Some Heat For Turning Gospel Song Into 'Alcoholic Anthem'.. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  3. ^ Silas, James. Kanye West, T-Pain Headline Star Mega-Jam '07. Hip Hop World: November 16, 2007
  4. ^ a b Koha, Nui Te (2007-06-10). "Escaping Tallahassee". Herald Sun. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  5. ^ "T-Pain > Biography". allmusic. 2008. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  6. ^ Hasty, Katie (2007-06-13). "T-Pain Soars To No. 1 Ahead Of Rihanna, McCartney". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
  7. ^ Crosley, Hillary (2008-05-22). "New T-Pain Album Due In Late September". Billboard. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
  8. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2007-06-13). "T-Pain Celebrates First #1 Album: 'It's Special, Man'". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-08-11.
  9. ^ Rodriguez, Jayson (2007-12-28). "T-Pain Recaps His Crazy Year: Kanye West, R. Kelly Among His Fave '07 Collaborators". MTV News. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  10. ^ a b "T-Pain, Alicia Keys Highlight BET Awards". CBS News. Associated Press. 2008-06-24. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  11. ^ a b c d e "T-Pain Leads BET Award Nominations". Vibe. 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-05-17.
  12. ^ a b "Grammy 2008 Winners List". MTV News. 2008-02-10. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  13. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2008-08-22). "T-Pain Brings His Thr33 Ringz Circus To NYC Listening Party". MTV News. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  14. ^ "Premiere of "Can't Believe It" Today on BET". T-Pain.net. 2008-08-26. Retrieved 2008-08-29.
  15. ^ "Thr33 Ringz Is Coming..." (Press release). T-Pain.net. 2008-08-06.
  16. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2008-06-17). "Lil Wayne Forming Supergroup With T-Pain, Announces Carter III Tour Plans".
  17. ^ Kaufman, Gil (2009-01-14). "Taylor Swift Tops Billboard Chart For Fifth Week In A Row". MTV News. Retrieved 2009-03-28.
  18. ^ Cohen, Jonathan (2008-10-03). "Lil Wayne Already Recording 'Tha Carter IV'". Billboard.
  19. ^ Nappy Boy: T-Pain to play Frylock[dead link]
  20. ^ a b Reid, Shaheem (2009-06-11). "T-Pain Will Still Use Auto-Tune On New Album Despite Backlash - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News". Mtv.com. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  21. ^ Justin Yu (4 September 2009), T-Pain's Auto-Tune iPhone app: You can do it all by yourse-el-el-el-elf, CNET News
  22. ^ "Will FSU go from T.K. to T-Pain?". Tallahassee Democrat. Retrieved 2009-06-14.
  23. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2005-12-13). "T-Pain's Akon-Approved 'Hard R&B' Calms His Fear Of Sounding Soft". MTV News. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  24. ^ "Rappa Ternt Sanga > Overview". allmusic. 2005-12-06. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  25. ^ Farber, Jim (2007-12-11). "Singers do better with T-Pain relief". New York Daily News. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  26. ^ Collins, Hattie (2008-06-16). "How the Auto-Tune conquered the charts". Guardian. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  27. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2008-11-21). "Kanye West Inspires The Question: Should Rappers Sing?". MTV News. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  28. ^ Reid, Shaheem (2008-11-19). "T-Pain Says It's Time 'For Everybody Else' To Stop Using Auto-Tune". MTV News. Retrieved 2009-09-26.
  29. ^ "8 More Lbs. of Pain". BumpWorthy.com. 2009-05-03. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  30. ^ "T-Pain Welcomes Third Newborn". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved 2009-09-15.
  31. ^ Springer, Anthony Jr. (2007-05-01). "T-Pain Arrested". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
  32. ^ "T-Pain Is in T-rouble!". TMZ. 2007-11-02. Retrieved 2009-07-27.
  33. ^ . MTV News. 2009-03-30 http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1608049/20090330/t_pain.jhtml. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  34. ^ http://www.nappyboyonline.com/profiles/blogs/take-your-shirt-off-1st
  35. ^ "2007 American Music Awards Nominees and Winners". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2008-11-29.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to T-Pain.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=T-Pain&oldid=321073839"