Known for his creative blend of autotune and hip-hop that took over the late 2000s, T-Pain reveals in This Is Pop, a new Netflix show set to premiere later this month, that a discouraging comment from Usher led him on a path of self-doubt and a four-year-long depression. The Tallahassee-born singer admitted during a sit-down interview for the show that Usher took him to the side and straight up told him that he “f**ked up music for real singers,” alluding to his common use of autotune which became his trademark.
The “Buy U A Drank” said in the Netflix docuseries that he was with Usher on a first-class flight to the 2013 BET Awards when the conversation took place. After falling asleep, a flight attendant woke T-Pain up and said that Usher wanted to have a word with him in private.
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“So I got up and went back, and he was like, ‘Hi, how’s everything going?’ Quick small talk. No big deal,” he said. “And he was like, ‘Man, I wanna tell you something, man.’”
T-Pain then recalled on Netflix’s This Is Pop how he thought Usher seemed concerned at first, continuing, “He was like, ‘Man, you kind of f**ked up music.’ I didn’t understand. Usher was my friend. He was like, ‘Nah man, you really like f**ked up music for real singers.’”
Following the harsh criticism, T-Pain revealed that he started to question if his mentor was right. Looking back, the “I’m Sprung” singer also stated that it was likely the moment that triggered a “four-year depression” for him.
Related Post: T-Pain Reveals Hit Song ‘I’m N Luv (Wit A Stripper)’ Started Off As A Joke
Since the clip has made its rounds on social media, Usher’s name has been trending on Twitter along with T-Pain as music fans drag the “Good Kisser” singer.
Confused on why Usher would tell T-Pain that he “f**ked up music,” especially when he himself has used autotune in the past, one Twitter user wrote, “Usher hated T-Pain for successfully reintroducing and popularizing autotune again in the early 2000s, instead of supporting it, only to rely on it after his career went on the decline once the 2010s hit.”
Usher hated T-Pain for successfully reintroducing and popularizing autotune again in the early 2000s, instead of supporting it, only to rely on it after his career went on the decline once the 2010s hit. https://t.co/rIve5McU9G
— 𝐵𝑒𝒸𝒸𝒶 (@MJFINESSELOVER) June 22, 2021
Me listening to OMG by Usher and hearing all the auto tune pic.twitter.com/3IHI51U6kz
— Edward Pearce (@eddieP3000) June 22, 2021
Continuing to blast the “Confessions” singer, another user wrote, “Buy U A Drank had mandem hitting high notes in year 10, f what Usher’s saying”
Buy U A Drank had mandem hitting high notes in year 10, f what Usher’s saying
— Yemi Abiade (@yemiabiade) June 22, 2021
Not even trying to be funny but I would’ve had to fade Usher for waking me up out my sleep just to tell me that bullsh*t. That’s insane. https://t.co/ukXQ8E8Hg4
— Naomi Glosaka (@fairyglowmother) June 22, 2021
“Usher was sick of hearing of T Pain in the club you can’t convince me otherwise. What a hater,” another fan tweeted.
Usher was sick of hearing of T Pain in the club you can’t convince me otherwise. What a hater. pic.twitter.com/0OalUnQVyB
— Young Dezòd (@platini954) June 22, 2021
I hate how the world did T-Pain. pic.twitter.com/6Ib9dzHTjY
— FKA Carly Beth (@LoggingInIsBad) June 21, 2021
Stepping in to add more context, T-Pain tweeted Tuesday afternoon, “I still love and respect @Usher telling that story was in no way meant to disrespect that man. Ppl talk shit about me 24/7 but when it comes from someone you truly respect it hits very different. I never said f*ck Ursh it was a drop in the ocean of shit I was already goin through.”
I still love and respect @Usher telling that story was in no way meant to disrespect that man. Ppl talk shit about me 24/7 but when it comes from someone you truly respect it hits very different. I never said f*ck Ursh it was a drop in the ocean of shit I was already goin through
— T-Pain (@TPAIN) June 22, 2021
This Is Pop, a docuseries centered around the untold stories of famous music stars, is set to premiere on Netflix on June 22.
The internet is clearly on T-Pain’s side, but what do you think about Usher’s critique given that he used autotune on his records later on in his career? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
