Tallahassee Hero...

Rappa Ternt Supastaw
written by Just K

So, this week I was supposed to debut the Just K awards, but I wanted to take the time to discuss a phenomenon that I can no longer deny. If you’re on this site, chances are you tried to deny him as well. It’s ok. To quote Whitley Gilbert of the prestigious Hillman College, “relax, relate, release.” Go ahead and accept it, just like I had to: T-Pain is that dude.

I remember when I first heard “I’m Sprung” by an odd-looking fellow by the name of T-Pain. That song definitely fell into the guilty pleasure category. It was a light, fun song with a catchy chorus and the old school “Computer Love” sound effect. However, I thought that T-Pain would soon be forgotten, only to be mentioned a decade or so later in one of the VH1 greatest one-hit wonders countdowns. His voice wasn’t particularly memorable aside from the autotune, he didn’t really dance in the video, and according to the ladies he wasn’t exactly the second coming of Al B. Sure in the looks department. I figured one and done.

Surprise, surprise. T-Pain had another big single after that with “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper).” Well, obviously he escaped being a one-hit wonder; I just thought he’d end up being a two-hit wonder. Again he made use of the vocoder and again I was completely wrong about the success of a T-Pain song.

Before I could say “Roger Troutman’s illegitimate child,” T-Pain started popping up everywhere. He was on remixes and hooks for songs with established artists and artists I probably would have never heard of had it not been his presence. Seriously, raise a hand if you heard of 2 Pistols before T-Pain sang the hook on “She Got It.” Notice how your hand is still on your computer mouse. Name a song T-Pain’s been on and you’re probably naming a hit. And just to prove that he could do for himself what he had done for so many other artists, he released an album that opened at #1 on the charts and outsold his debut. Dude can’t miss.

Young Penderazzdown is a bona fide superstar. Tell me you didn’t get hyped with his hook on “I’m So Hood.” Try to deny wanting to live the “Good Life” with him and Kanye. Admit that you eyed a dime piece and checked your funds when “Buy You a Drink” came on in the club. And like it or not, you probably like the “Can’t Believe It” joint that’s on the radio right now (give or take Lil’ Wayne’s inaudible rumblings and chuckles). At this point, it’s no longer taboo for a hip-hop fan to rock out to a T-Pain track. He’s had more influence on the rap game in the past few years than any rapper you can name. Everybody’s putting that T-Pain on their voice, (only because it sounds better than “getting your Trout on”) or putting T-Pain himself on their song. Love him or hate him, T-Pain is a dominant force in – not pop, not rnb, and definitely not a spelling bee with a CD called Thr33 Ringz dropping soon – hip-hop. The Rappa Ternt Sanga is a rappa ternt hip-hip honcho. Yeah, I know. I “Can’t Believe It” either.