T-Pain Readies Diss Track For Auto-Tune Biters

Home

News

Videos

Features

Site Last Updated: 7:22 PM EDT, December 3, 2008	Make BallerStatus Your Homepage

Published: Monday - June 2, 2008
Words by Allen Starbury

T-Pain (Photo: Getty Images)

Although he borrowed the auto-tune effect from past users like Roger & Zapp and became known for using it in the present time, singer T-Pain is taking offense to the widespread use of the effect he calls his trademark.

In a recent interview with DJ Cipha Sounds, the Nappy Boy revealed that he has a new song in the works where he addresses everyone who's bitten his style without permission.

"You know, it's just issue addressing time. Like I say in the song, ain't no disrespect, I just want everybody to know that there are a couple of people that I ain't cool with doing it," said Pain.

While he's not happy with others using it, Pain said several others -- who have used the effect as of late -- came to him first for permission, which he gladly granted.

"A couple people came to me and asked me 'Can they use it,' and it was cool," he explained. "Weezy came and asked me before he did it, I said 'Cool' -- Weezy started doing it. Kanye said, 'Let me borrow your style for a second.' I'm cool with that, you know what I'm saying?

"I just addressed a couple issues. You know, a lot of people were taking me for a joke when I first came out doing it, and they feel like they gotta do it to get hot now," Pain continued.

As of late almost everyone is using the robot-like effect on their voices from 50 Cent and Lil Kim to Chris Brown and Snoop Dogg, as well as several others.

It isn't immediately clear when this track Pain speaks of will drop or its title, but it's sure to draw some attention when it does. Maybe he's saving it for his upcoming album. Pain's preparing his third album as we speak, titled Thr33 Ringz, and is slated for September 30. The first single is "Snap Your Fingers" featuring Lil Wayne.

Aside from his qualms about the rampant use of his trademark style, the singer is focused on trendsetting in the business world. He's launched his Nappy Boy Digital label, and wants it to be the first record label to go strictly digital.

"On Nappy Boy Digital, right now we gettin' it on straight. I'm trying to lead the pack with the first digital record label," he explained. "We going all digital downloads -- iTunes, ringtones, a couple physical sales here and there. We don't wanna cancel that out, but right now, we're on the regular [record label], but going digital."

Story Tools
Email It | Print It | Post A Comment |

Digg It |

Del.icio.us

COMMENTS (25)

CHACKaCHICKaBAmBOOm Says:
Tuesday - November 25, 2008 at 5:56pm

T-pain is making all the hits with the vocoder (including his features), so I wouldn't be worried if I were him. This seems like a pub stunt to me...

Isaiah Says:
Tuesday - November 11, 2008 at 6:04pm

if you idiots haven't listened to the song yet he made shout outs to the PEOPLE THAT DID IT BEFORE HIM..the only reason that he's pissed is because the people using it now is the same people that laughed at him for using it when he came out..Real talk he's not ignorant for that...if you did something and people hated on you for it and then they all of a sudden try to do it themselves wouldn't you get mad ??

yuumsta Says:
Tuesday - November 11, 2008 at 2:28am

T-pain is fucking ignorant. The reason why he doesn't want anyone else to do use auto-tune is because he doesn't want them motha fuckas getting famous. I used auto-tune whenever I found out that, that's what made cher's voice sound like that. Cher, can you grant me permission to use auto-tune? T-pain = Ghey

Anonymous Hater Says:
Tuesday - August 5, 2008 at 11:18am

Sometimes I wonder do these artist realize how stupid they sound. It is like, you make an interesting point, but the way you put it makes you sound like an asshole. He is upset at biters??? Get over it, or diss whoever it is you think bit you. But, asking permission??? NEGRO PLEASE, Roger started that shit. PERIOD. And to the dude who said oh just because so and so already used it before T pain. Nigga Roger ain't no "so and so". HE IS A LEGEND! And that will always be HIS style. T pain is an idiot for that. Has anyone heard him try and sing WITHOUT the vocoder??? He sound terrible and has gotten booed a few times when the vocoder could not be used at a show. Plus the way he used the effect is more exaggerated. It has been used in studios for YEARS! Hey T Pain... GET OVER IT!!! You are already falling off!!!

CJ Says:
Monday - August 4, 2008 at 11:20pm

Did you ask for permission to put your hair in dreads? That was someone's style long before you. That is to funny, that's keeping it real. T-pain, say yuaaaa yaaaa. Dam you sound and look like someone i know.

rodney ware Says:
Thursday - June 26, 2008 at 6:25pm

man yall iz stupid don't you understand that this guy is truly garbage he's a bum t-pee has about 2 or 3 more go arounds and thats it what ever talent he has its marketed material as we all know hip hop is as dead as these white people learning how to dance thanks to mtv and 106 and park fuck roxy and that other female co-host 'm not hating please belive me

Larunda Says:
Tuesday - June 17, 2008 at 10:57am

FIRST OF ALL I SEE WHERE THE MAN COMING FROM EVEN IF HE WASN'T THE FIRST EVER IN HISTORY TO USE IT, HE STARTED FOR OUR GENERATION BITCHESS!!!!! AND TO ALL YOUR DUMBASS RETARDED NO TALENT HAVING HATERS THE MAN IS TRULY A UNIQUE TALENT. HE COULD MAKE A MILLION RECORDS WITH THE USE OF THE DEIVCE AND STILL WOULD MAKE MAD MONEY. IF YOU HEARD ANYTHING BEFORE HE MADE IT BIG YOU WOULD KNOW THAT. DON'T GET TWISTED THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION, BUT HE SOUND BETTER THAN THEY DO ANYWAY!!!! NOW GET OFF MY HOMEBOY DICK FIND A HOBBY BITCH!!! 850 REPRESENTER I'M OUT

bay707 Says:
Monday - June 9, 2008 at 2:09am

First of all, T-pain is not garbage. in case yall didn't know, he's a talented rapper as well as a song producer and now even a record label owner.is that garbage? He uses the autotune effect because its unique from 99.9% of the singers of today. okay whatever so and so been usin it and its been on the west coast bla bla bla. i have not a clue who the dey are and obviously theyre talentless nobodies cuz there not on any charts are they? tpain used the autotune in a time when virtually nobody heard of it and it blew up and made him distinctive and popular and now other artists are trying to bite off of this "new" interest that T-pain created. i understand what he means. he brought this style to the mainstream of today and other people should respect that and fall back.

the yay Says:
Friday - June 6, 2008 at 10:11pm

I THINK T-PAIN IS MAD,BECAUSE NOW EVERYBODY IS USING THAT STYLE NOW.NOT TRUE WEST COAST BEEN DOING THAT FOR A LONG TIME.THIS GUY IS SO LAME,WITH OUT THE AUTO TUNE HE'S GARBAGE.I KNOW HE USING IT ALL THE TIME.BUT PLEASE,SPARE ME THE CHANGE.DO ONE WHOLE ALBUM WITHOUT THE AUTO.AND WILL SEE IF U SALE BIIIIIIIIIITTTTCHHHHHHHHH....AUTO TUNE

Booya Says:
Wednesday - June 4, 2008 at 8:51am

It's funny how people were coming to him asking persmssion. Why? The Vocoder is not copyrighted equipment. Everyone has access to the machine. I understand were T-Pain is coming from but he has no legal rights to the Vocoder therefore he can't stop people from using it. That's why he's releasing a diss track and not a lawsuit. Who cares!!!

Amor Says:
Wednesday - June 4, 2008 at 3:01am

UMMM , SHUT IT DOWN T-PAIN ! LAST TIME I CHECKED , ROGER WAS MR. COMPUTER LOVE . HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF . NOTHING IS AN ORIGINAL IDEA . PEOPLE FOLLOW SOMEONE OR SOMETHING . AND U TALKING LIKE U THE LAW OR GOD ALMIGHTY HIMSELF ..RIGHT

J Gibbs Says:
Tuesday - June 3, 2008 at 5:19pm

I see while he is upset people trash him for using the autotune effect and think he's garbage (even tho he made Plies and Flo Rida). That's what he's known for so 50 and Snoop should stop dey became wack without Dre. T-Pain keep doin yo thing and keep makin hits

Elina Says:
Tuesday - June 3, 2008 at 11:14am

How is he gonna to trip about someone stealing a style that he stole?He can't be serious!!!!LMAO

jws Says:
Tuesday - June 3, 2008 at 9:55am

T-Pain, this aint you style, you borrowed it from Roger......but I understand your frustration. Some one should smack wayne with a mic and tell him he sounds wack. Snoop shouldnt bother using this style anymore. But as for 50 Cent....that nigga is a complete idiot for using this style, it sounds so wack its not even funny. After hearing curtis use the style i understand completely why T-Pain is so pissed.

playtoy Says:
Tuesday - June 3, 2008 at 6:27am

I back T-Pian up all the way!!

NONYA Says:
Tuesday - June 3, 2008 at 12:57am

This is what he does and thats the way the game goes. Personally I dont know if he owns the rights to to speak and perform like that so other ppl can do what they want. It is the respect factor. TRUE nobody else was doing that till he came out and most ppl thought it was wack. You must admit he has made a lot of nice as songs for a lot of big artist including himself. Stop hating and let the man shine in his light before the bulb blows...

NegroPlz Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 11:24pm

two words for T-Pain...negro please

c bryant Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 8:58pm

This dude needs to get own his knees and thank god every night,he can't even sing I saw him live in concert in NY with my cuz he was horrible but what else is new between Hip Hop and R&B I don't know which one is wost right now it's as though the are givin record deals to anybody but the trully talented

The Prince Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 6:15pm

Of course, Peter Frampton beat even Zapp and Roger to the punch with his use of the talkbox in 1971 and later on his 1976 live album. Yeah, the same Peter Frampton in the GEICO commercials utilizing the effect. T-Pain has a point, though. It's a questionable way he's going about proving it, but you know full well that no one was thinking about a damn vocoder or talkbox after Roger died until T-Pain picked it back up. As much as you may hate T-Pain or his style or his way of doing things now, there are some biters out there.

DJ Coma Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 5:02pm

Ok you guys have it ALL twisted. Roger used a talkbox which is different from the Vocoder. The Vocoder is also different from Auto-Tune. Talkbox is the most difficult to use as it does not involve any singing, just mouth movements. Snoop used a vocoder on Sensual Seduction. He is deceiving you in the video though because he makes it look like he's using a talkbox. Either way T-Pain is a dumbass for this move.

SMH Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 2:46pm

This is the kind of people that never last in the game. Instead of being honor that he extended, (not set since it was out before him) a trend he gets pompus. How many legends were emulated? all they did was walk in the honor and people resepcted them which addded their longevity so that i help them remain a likable artist in the game. The sad part for him is hat he cant use auto-tune for too long as people will quickly get tired of it. Then they won't care for his regular voice. It's gonna come back to bite him. Foolish

He's an idiot, Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 2:40pm

Maybe Antares Auto-Tune needs to start charging this dummy royalty for using their software then. The never of him. Why should they get his permission when they bought the software like him. Did he get permission from Roger Troutman estates? Did he ask Teddy Riley, TlC, the whole west Coast who used it before him? Foolish

CZA Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 9:41am

This is, Roger and Zapp used vocoders, the physical instrument that Antares (the actual makers of the program) copied...That's what happens with trends, they get trendy and used by everyone else...by the way, if "permission from a preceeding artist" is needed, why didn't T-Pain get permission from Paula Abdul, the first EVER commercial user of Autotune?

Original DfDubbz Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 8:40am

I agree with everything you just said. This dude is a fool.Roger Troutman is in Heaven as we speak begging God to be transformed into a lightning bolt & aimed in the direction of the ugly, pudgy black guy with the apple head with the gold & black shyt-locks hangin out of it. And what is with all the "diss tracks"? Doesn't anyone address issues to people face to face anymore?? A diss track is safer than boxing under the streetlights, ain't that right Chewbacca.....ughh, I mean T-Pain! Shaaaaaaw-teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

anyone with a brain Says:
Monday - June 2, 2008 at 7:51am

You bit someone else's style from like 20 years ago (Roger & Zapp) an expect someone else to ask you for permission to do the same? You are an idiot,a clown,an I'm thinking a homosexual. All that aside just go on biting other people but come on don't hate someone else for doing what you did.Did you ask for permission to put your hair in dreads? That was someone's style long before you.