Spring Break
5 Minutes With T-Pain
Stephen Ortiz
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Focus
The Daily Campus: So T-Pain, you're just 22 years old, yet you have two hit albums, with a third on the way, and a Grammy under your belt. Who or what do you credit for your success?
T-Pain: Well, I credit myself, for one, that's obvious. And I credit Cee-Lo. Cee-Lo Green has got a lot to do with what I'm doing right now. Yeah. Cee-Lo and myself.
DC: Growing up, who did you look to for inspiration? What artist out there made you say, "I want to be a performer. That's what I want to do."
T-Pain: Funky Cold Medina. (laughs) Nah, just kidding. It was Busta Rhymes and Andre 3000.
DC: You were just three years old when hip-hop was arguably going through its best time. As an artist today, do you feel like you represent that or something entirely new?
T-Pain: It's definitely a new brand. Every 10 years there's a new brand and I felt I came into the brand-new brand, it's like from 2000 on. You know what I'm saying? I feel like I'm the brand-new brand of the brand-new because I came into the brand when the brand-new was brand-new. So yeah.
DC: Your new album, "Three Ring Circus," right?
T-Pain: Three rings!
DC: When's it coming out?
T-Pain: Sept. 30, which is also my birthday. Which is awesome.
DC: What should fans and listeners expect from it?
T-Pain: Some slight, normal T-Pain. Otherwise, some brand new stuff. I got to grow with every album. Every time you hear me, I'm on the next level, it's new stuff. So when you hear me on someone else's, it's a new level, and of course on my own record it's gotta be above that.
DC: Is there anyone you haven't worked with yet that you would like to?
T-Pain: I'm done, actually, with my list. My list is covered with everyone up to Michael Jackson. If stuff keeps coming with me on it, then no one is gonna pay attention to my album. They can just go get the greatest hits, or a mix CD of features I've done.
Contact Stephen Ortiz at Stephen.Ortiz@UConn.edu.
T-Pain: Well, I credit myself, for one, that's obvious. And I credit Cee-Lo. Cee-Lo Green has got a lot to do with what I'm doing right now. Yeah. Cee-Lo and myself.
DC: Growing up, who did you look to for inspiration? What artist out there made you say, "I want to be a performer. That's what I want to do."
T-Pain: Funky Cold Medina. (laughs) Nah, just kidding. It was Busta Rhymes and Andre 3000.
DC: You were just three years old when hip-hop was arguably going through its best time. As an artist today, do you feel like you represent that or something entirely new?
T-Pain: It's definitely a new brand. Every 10 years there's a new brand and I felt I came into the brand-new brand, it's like from 2000 on. You know what I'm saying? I feel like I'm the brand-new brand of the brand-new because I came into the brand when the brand-new was brand-new. So yeah.
DC: Your new album, "Three Ring Circus," right?
T-Pain: Three rings!
DC: When's it coming out?
T-Pain: Sept. 30, which is also my birthday. Which is awesome.
DC: What should fans and listeners expect from it?
T-Pain: Some slight, normal T-Pain. Otherwise, some brand new stuff. I got to grow with every album. Every time you hear me, I'm on the next level, it's new stuff. So when you hear me on someone else's, it's a new level, and of course on my own record it's gotta be above that.
DC: Is there anyone you haven't worked with yet that you would like to?
T-Pain: I'm done, actually, with my list. My list is covered with everyone up to Michael Jackson. If stuff keeps coming with me on it, then no one is gonna pay attention to my album. They can just go get the greatest hits, or a mix CD of features I've done.
Contact Stephen Ortiz at Stephen.Ortiz@UConn.edu.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
sue stvicks
posted 5/11/08 @ 2:20 AM EST
i'm looking 4ward 2 ur latest...there have been 2 cd's of his collaborations with other performers & i have both along with rappa ternt sanger & epiphany. (Continued…)
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