T-Pain has narrated how he fell into a four-year-long depression after Usher told him that his use of Auto-Tune wrecked the music industry.
In a clip from the upcoming Netflix series “This Is Pop”, T-Pain recounted how he fell into depression after Usher criticized his use of Auto-Tune in music in 2013.
The singer said they were both flying in the same airplane and on their way to an award show, when he was called to Usher’s seat. He disclosed that Usher laid it in after they exchanged pleasantries.
T-Pain said in the clip;
“Usher was my friend. I really respect Usher. And he was like, ‘Man. I’m gonna tell you something, man. You kinda (expletive) up music.’ “
T-Pain reveaed that he let out a “nervous chuckle” at the comment but soon realized Usher wasn’t kidding.
He added;
“I didn’t understand. I thought he was joking at first, but then he was like, ‘Yeah man you really (expletive) up music for real singers.’ “
The singer also claimed that Usher’s comment was the beginning of a trying time for his mental health.
He said;
“I’m like, ‘But I used it, I didn’t tell everybody else to start using it.’
“I don’t even think I realized this for a long time, but that’s the very moment that started a four-year depression for me.”
T-Pain almost single-handedly popularized the use of the pitch-altering technology Auto-Tune in hip-hop, beginning with his 2005 debut hit single, “I’m Sprung,” which made it to the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
