T-Pain facts for kids
{{Infobox musical artist | name = T-Pain | image = T-Pain @ SXSW 2022 - 51958513356.jpg | caption = T-Pain in 2022 | birth_name = Faheem Rashad Najm
| alias =
- Teddy Verseti
- Teddy Penderazdoun
- Teddy Pain
| birth_date = September 30, 1984 | birth_place = Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
| genre =
| occupation =
- Singer
- songwriter
- rapper
- record producer
- actor
| discography =
- Recording
- production
| years_active = 1999–present
| label =
| spouse =
Faheem Rashad Najm (born September 30, 1984), known as T-Pain, is an American singer, songwriter, rapper, and music producer. He became famous for using Auto-Tune in a unique way. He often used it with extreme settings to make his voice sound electronic.
T-Pain mixed this special vocal style with R&B and hip-hop music. This made him a big name in both music styles in the 2000s. Other artists like Lil Wayne and Kanye West later used Auto-Tune in similar ways.
He started his music journey in the hip-hop group Nappy Headz. In 2004, he released his first solo mixtape. The next year, he signed with Akon's Konvict Muzik label. His first single, "I'm Sprung" (2005), was a big hit. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
His second album, Epiphany (2007), went to number one on the US Billboard 200 chart. It included the hit song "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')". T-Pain also had success as a guest artist on many top-ten songs. These included "Kiss Kiss" with Chris Brown and "Low" with Flo Rida.
He has won two Grammy Awards for his music. Outside of singing, he started his own record label, Nappy Boy Entertainment, in 2005. He has also written songs for other artists and done voice acting in movies and TV shows.
Contents
- Early Career and First Album
- Epiphany: A Big Hit
- Three Ringz and More Success
- RevolveR and New Projects
- Later Albums and Collaborations
| Children | 3 |
|---|---|
| Signature | |
 |
|
 |
|
Early Life and Music Start
Faheem Rashad Najm was born and grew up in Tallahassee, Florida. His stage name, T-Pain, is short for "Tallahassee Pain." He chose it because of some tough times he faced there.
When he was just three years old, he got his first taste of music. A family friend, gospel jazz artist Ben Tankard, let him play around in his recording studio. By age ten, Faheem had turned his own bedroom into a music studio. He used a keyboard, a beat machine, and a four-track recorder to make his own sounds.
T-Pain's Music Journey
Early Career and First Album
T-Pain joined the rap group Nappy Headz in 1999. Later, he made a cover version of Akon's song "Locked Up". Akon heard it and quickly offered T-Pain a deal with his label, Konvict Muzik. Even though other labels offered more money, Akon promised to guide T-Pain personally.
After being discovered, T-Pain started singing more instead of just rapping. He released his first album, Rappa Ternt Sanga, on December 6, 2005. The album reached number thirty-three on the Billboard 200. It has sold over 500,000 copies, earning a Gold certification.
The first song from the album, "I'm Sprung", came out in August 2005. It hit number eight on the Billboard Hot 100. The second song, "I'm N Luv (Wit a ***)" with Mike Jones, was released in December 2005. It reached number five on the Hot 100 chart.
Epiphany: A Big Hit
In 2006, T-Pain started working on his second album. This album, called Epiphany, was released on June 5, 2007. It sold 171,000 copies in its first week and went straight to number one on the Billboard 200.
The main song from the album was "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')" featuring Yung Joc. It came out in February 2007 and became his first song to reach number one on both the Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts. The second song, "Bartender" with Akon, also did well, reaching number five on the Hot 100.
T-Pain explained that he named the album Epiphany because it meant "a sudden moment of insight." He realized he needed to just be himself in the studio to make his best music.
While promoting Epiphany, T-Pain was featured on many songs by other artists. These included "Kiss Kiss" by Chris Brown and "Low" by Flo Rida. He also appeared on "Good Life" with Kanye West. "Good Life" later won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Song.
Three Ringz and More Success
In 2007, T-Pain started working on his third album, Three Ringz. This album was also his first released under his own company, Nappy Boy Entertainment. Three Ringz came out on November 11, 2008. It sold 168,000 copies in its first week and reached number four on the Billboard 200.
The album had three popular songs. The first, "Can't Believe It" featuring Lil Wayne, was released in July 2008. It reached number seven on the Hot 100. The second song, "Chopped 'N' Skrewed" with Ludacris, came out in September 2008.
T-Pain continued to appear on many other rap songs in 2008. He was on "The Boss" by Rick Ross and "Shawty Get Loose" by Lil Mama. T-Pain and Lil Wayne also formed a duo called T-Wayne in 2008. They released a mixtape together.
RevolveR and New Projects
T-Pain teamed up with country pop singer Taylor Swift for the CMT Music Awards. They performed "Thug Story," a funny version of Swift's song "Love Story".
In September 2009, an iPhone app called "I Am T-Pain" was released. It let fans record their own voices and use T-Pain's Auto-Tune style. In 2010, T-Pain created and starred in an animated musical special called Freaknik: The Musical for Adult Swim.
His fourth studio album, RevolveR, was released in December 2011. It included the popular song "5 O'Clock" which featured Wiz Khalifa and sampled UK singer Lily Allen.
Later Albums and Collaborations
On April 1, 2013, T-Pain announced his fifth album, which was first called Stoicville: The Phoenix. He said "Phoenix" meant new beginnings and rising from the ashes. He released a greatest hits album before it. The first song from the new album, "Up Down (Do This All Day)" with B.o.B, came out in August 2013.
In 2016, T-Pain worked with Bruno Mars on his album 24K Magic. In May 2017, a long-awaited project with Lil Wayne called T-Wayne was released. It had eight "lost demos" recorded in 2009. After many delays, T-Pain's fifth album, Oblivion, was finally released on November 17, 2017.
In February 2019, T-Pain won the first US season of The Masked Singer. On the same day, he surprised fans by releasing a new album called 1UP. He also hosted the 2019 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
In March 2023, T-Pain released On Top of the Covers. This album was special because it featured cover songs and did not use Auto-Tune. He also worked with Meghan Trainor on her song "Been Like This".
Other Cool Stuff T-Pain Does
Phone App
In September 2009, T-Pain worked with an app creator named Smule. They made a new app called "I Am T-Pain." This app lets people use his special Auto-Tune style for karaoke.
Movies and TV Shows
T-Pain has appeared in several movies and TV shows. In 2009, he was in a live-action episode of Aqua Teen Hunger Force. He also developed and starred in the animated musical special Freaknik: The Musical for Adult Swim in 2010.
He made his movie acting debut in the comedy film Lottery Ticket. In 2016, he appeared in an episode of the YouTube series Epic Rap Battles of History as Stevie Wonder.
T-Pain was the winner of the first season of the reality music competition The Masked Singer on Fox. He was known as "Monster" on the show.
Since 2018, T-Pain has hosted T-Pain's School of Business. This show on Fuse follows T-Pain as he meets different business owners across the United States.
Video Games
T-Pain has also confirmed that he is involved in making the upcoming video game Grand Theft Auto VI. His exact role in the game has not been shared yet.
T-Pain's Unique Sound
T-Pain calls his music style "Hard & B," which is a fun twist on R&B. He uses computer software like GarageBand and Logic Pro to create his music beats.
How He Uses Auto-Tune
T-Pain is most famous for making Auto-Tune popular in music. Auto-Tune is a tool that fixes the pitch of a voice. T-Pain turns the effect up high to make voices sound robotic. He started using this effect in 2003.
He was inspired to use Auto-Tune after hearing a remix of Jennifer Lopez's 1999 song "If You Had My Love". That song used the effect sometimes. He also got ideas from sounds made by Roger Troutman in the 1980s and Teddy Riley in the 1990s, who used similar voice effects.
After T-Pain's first two albums became successful, many other hip-hop artists started using Auto-Tune like him. These included Snoop Dogg, Lil Wayne, and Kanye West. Kanye West even asked T-Pain for advice on using Auto-Tune for his 2008 album 808s & Heartbreak.
T-Pain's Personal Life
T-Pain has been married to Amber since 2003. They have three children: a daughter named Lyriq and two sons named Muziq and Kaydnz Kodah.
In March 2009, T-Pain was in a golf cart accident. He had some cuts, bruises, and lost four teeth. He had to get emergency dental work but was back performing two days later.
In April 2013, T-Pain shared that he had cut off his famous dreadlocks. He said that people need to change and reinvent themselves to keep growing. He also reminded everyone that hair grows back!
In August 2016, his niece, Javona Glover, passed away in his hometown of Tallahassee, Florida. His brother also passed away in early 2019.
T-Pain loves playing video games and often streams his gaming sessions on Twitch. He has many tattoos, some of which are related to internet memes or other Internet things.
T-Pain's Music Albums
Studio albums
- Rappa Ternt Sanga (2005)
- Epiphany (2007)
- Three Ringz (2008)
- Revolver (2011)
- Oblivion (2017)
- 1UP (2019)
- On Top of the Covers (2023)
Awards and Recognitions
T-Pain has won many awards for his music and performances. Here are some of his notable achievements:
- Grammy Awards: He has won two Grammy Awards. One was for Best Rap Song for "Good Life" with Kanye West in 2008. The other was for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals for "Blame It" with Jamie Foxx in 2010.
- BET Awards: He won Best Collaboration twice, for "Good Life" with Kanye West (2008) and "Blame It" with Jamie Foxx (2009).
- BMI Urban Awards: He won Song Writer Of The Year and Producer Of The Year in 2008.
- People's Choice Awards: He won Favorite Hip-Hop Song for "Low" with Flo Rida in 2008.
- Teen Choice Awards: He won Choice Music: Rap/Hip-Hop Track for "Shawty Get Loose" with Lil Mama and Chris Brown in 2008.
- The Streamer Awards: He won Best Music Streamer in 2023 for his work on Twitch.
See also
In Spanish: T-Pain para niños
