In Defense of T-Pain & (I Guess) Auto-Tune Posted by Lucas G. on 01/09/14 | Filed under Opinion, T-Pain, In Defense

When you think about some of the worst/most-hated trends or fads in hip-hop - and for me there are a TON - auto-tune has to be at the top of that list right? I think what makes it so hated is that it was so pervasive for a good 5 years or so.The Soulja Boy dance was awful, but it was short lived and only done by him. Once auto-tune got popular everybody used it and it became more watered down and poppy than anything else; making matters worse you couldn't escape it. Now that auto-tune has been dead (to an extent) these past few years, I think the hate has calmed down. Perhaps it will allow us to go back and look at the tool with an unbiased eye. The ultimate test is of course, coming to terms with the godfather of auto-tune T-Pain and with his comments on auto-tune recently, where he mentions comparisons to Kanye and starting the auto-tune. What better time to try than right now? Pizzle told HipHopDX:

“I respect that shit, but it’s like the praise that he [Kanye] got from it was like ‘Oh my God, this is so creative. This is the new shit. This is the shit,’” he said. “And I’m like ‘Well, what happened in 2005 when I dropped Rappa Ternt Sanga and it was the same album. That’s kind of weird.’ You know what I’m saying. It just felt like I was unappreciated and anything like that. Any originator of anything is gonna be the lesser known because it’s the newest thing and that’s just not—it’s not right, but that’s just how shit goes

"I can firmly say that nobody has looked into Auto-Tune the way I have,” T-Pain said. “You know what I’m saying? I’ve looked into Auto-Tune. I literally met the inventor of Auto-Tune...I really studied this shit and I know for a fact that nobody has sat down in the studio and studied this shit that much

Well...that was a mouthful...let's unpack. First and foremost, I disagree with him on one big thing. The way Kanye used auto-tune on "808s" was very different from the way T-Pain uses it. T-Pain uses it to create a more fun, catchy, poppy sounds ("Bartender" or "Kiss Kiss") whereas Kanye used it on "808s" to create a much more diverse, dark, futuristic vibe. When I listen to T-Pain I don't hear a futuristic, revolutionary sound, I hear a fun party tune, but when I listen to "808s" I get a more outer space, isolated, and futuristic vibe. The tool might be the same but how they use them is completely different; one is a Phillips head screwdriver and the other is a flathead. That being said, I do think T-Pain makes a few good points. He does often get much of the blame without receiving any credit for auto-tune and I plan on putting a stop to it.

Obviously, he isn't writing sonatas or epic, emotional compositions. In the end, his content is just like everyone else but the difference, however, is that with auto-tune he took songs that have been done 1,000 times over and made them feel like something new and that alone is pretty impressive. Take his Mona Lisa "Buy U A Drank". Lines like "I know da club close at 3/Whats the chance of you rollin wit me" and "Crunk juice bombs/Oakley shades/Shawty got class/Oh behave" don't scream originality - how many times have you heard those same lyrics? - but they way he presents it, using auto-tune, make the song memorable.

You are able to pardon the elementary lyrics because it just sounds so fun and different. the use of auto-tune much more natural with T-Pain. He uses the tool to crates the fizzing, charismatic cuts as opposed to most auto-tuned efforts where it is used as a gimmick to both mask some sort of deficiency while replicate  a successful, proven sound that T-Pain himself originated and trademarked (not literally of course). You don't have to like it, and I can see why alot of people don't but to say it doesn't take any skill to do what T-Pain did is unfair.Though it was largely based off an effect, T-Pain still created a new sound. It isn't his fault that others copied his original sound and watered down, thereby ruining the experience.

Auto-tune might be a "gimmick" and smoke and mirrors, but it sure was a useful one, especially when you think about all those below average songs with below average emcees where T-Pain was on the hook; there was a while where he was the go-to hookman in the game. Think about songs like "All I Do Is Win" or "Blame it" (where even Jamie Foxx, who can sing, uses it).  Other than the hooks can you remember anything about those songs? Probably not, but those hooks are burned into your brain. If it wasn't for T-Pains insanely catchy hooks, these songs would have been lost in the shuffle, but that auto-tuned spice really made them memorable. I mean on "Shawty" T-Pain made Plies tolerable; that alone is an accomplishment. I'm sure most of you are wondering who the fuck Plies is (I know I managed to forget for a while) but I bet you still know the hook for "Shawty". It's a good song and it is 100% because of T-Pain, Plies does absolutely nothing but almost ruin it....and it's his song. Very few artists can be the standout when they only have a hook, but T-Pain's "gimmick" was often the highlight and is  reasonable for some average songs being hits..fucking Plies.

Still hate auto-tune? Oh well, I can't really blame you, but can you at least acknowledge that T-Pain isn't so bad? He makes songs fun, bad rappers tolerable, and loves strippers, so why does he get so much hate? As glad as I am that the auto-tune era is pretty much over, writing this, I actually miss T-Pain a little. I know he is still around, but along with the fun party songs, he actually made some pretty cool shit like "Phantom"; that song goes. Hate auto-tune all you want but please show a little respect to T-Pain; he definitely deserves it.

P.S. - A million RefinedHype points to whoever can find that interview where T-Pain talks about banging Oprah and Ray J's "swanging" member.