Rappa Ternt Sanga Turns 15

On December 6, 2005, recording artist T-Pain released his debut album, Rappa Ternt Sanga. The Florida-born artist reflected on the influential album in a post on his personal Instagram account, noting that it was also the day he met his wife 18 years ago. Rappa Ternt Sanga debuted at number 40 on the US Billboard 200 chart and spun the hits “I’m Sprung” and “I’m N Luv (Wit a Dancer),” which peaked at number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. By March 2006, the album was certified gold. Rappa Ternt Sanga holds a great deal of cultural significance, as it inspired a new wave of auto-tuned melodies and influenced Kanye West’s 2008 release 808s & Heartbreak. In a 2015 interview with Billboard, T-Pain recalls Kanye West bringing him into the studio to get as close to his sound as possible. Even 15 years later, auto-tune is very present in the hip-hop and rap hits we hear today. Artists such as Fetty Wap, Future, and Rich Homie Quan have gained popularity with a similar sound. Although he changed the game, T-Pain wasn’t received well in some corners of hip-hop, something which became apparent following the release of Jay-Z’s D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune). While other artists released music very similar to T-Pain’s and were praised, T-Pain nearly gave up. The criticism he received convinced him he was worthless. His influence, however, is undeniable. Fortunately, he has regained his confidence and is making moves on his terms. In celebration of the 15^th anniversary of Rapper Ternt Sanga, he released The Lost Remixes, which features individuals like Lil Wayne, YoungBloodZ, and Beenie Man. One thing is for sure; the industry owes T-Pain his flowers.