autotune

Melle Mel Says Lil Wayne Can’t Be The Best-Ever Because He Uses Autotune

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Melle Mel says that Lil Wayne should be eliminated from the conversation for the best rapper of all time because he uses autotune. The iconic Grandmaster Flash and Furious Five rapper explained his reasoning during an interview with The Art Of Dialogue. Mel had been responding to a list of the greatest rappers of all time, which placed Wayne at No. 7.

“How could you know? How?” he asked. “If his voice is on autotune, was something wrong with his voice for them to put the autotune on his voice? Or is it just something that they did in the studio to give it that rawness? But how could you know?”

Melle Mel At The Grammys

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 05: Melle Mel attends the 65th GRAMMY Awards on February 05, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)

Wayne’s placement inside the top 10 of the list wasn’t the only issue decision Mel took issue with. He also didn’t agree with Kendrick Lamar ranking as the second-best ever. He argued that Lamar has no influence over hip-hop. “I don’t know what records he made like that,” he said. “I might know one or two of them, but I don’t think you even hear Kendrick in the club like that.”

The controversial takes didn’t stop there either. Mel also claimed that Eminem is only considered as great as he is because he’s white. “Obviously he’s a capable rapper,” he said. “If you was talking about sales, he’s sold more than everybody. If you were talking about rhyme style, okay he got a rhyme style. But he’s white. He’s white!” 50 Cent took particular issue with that comment and fired back on social media. He wrote in part: “I am not sure if it would be what it is today with out artist like Eminem. Shit I am not sure I would be who I am with out him but you know it is competitive so n****s gonna hate.” Additionally, Melle Mel also claimed that Busta Rhymes should be ranked higher on the list than Jay-Z.

Melle Mel On Lil Wayne’s Legacy

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T-Pain Says Artists Used To Pay Him For Using Auto-Tune Including Diddy

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T-Pain is the Godfather of Auto-tune. Though there were many artists who used the vocoder before him, Pain revolutionized music in an incomparable way. Sure, he faced pushback from artists like Jay-Z, who released a song titled, “Death Of Auto-Tune” in response to T-Pain’s influence on rap. Evidently, Jay’s record didn’t hold much weight as the vocoder became a fixture in rap music in the years that followed. Artists like Future and Young Thug became ubiquitous figures due to their innovative auto-tune melodies that have defined the sound of hip-hop for the past decade.

Auto-tune never died but for the early years that rappers tried to adopt the technology, it wasn’t nearly as effective as T-Pain. With the exception of Kanye West – and even perhaps, Lil Wayne – those who tried to use auto-tune didn’t necessarily find similar success. Though rap purists shunned the idea of using a vocoder in the booth, there were many others who embraced it, even back then. So much so that Pain recently revealed that he got a check whenever someone would use auto-tune on their records.

T-Pain’s Auto-Tune Royalties

DJ Drama joined T-Pain for the latest episode of Nappy Boy Radio where the Gangsta Grillz creator listed Jay’s “Death Of Auto-Tune” as one of his top five songs. Pain explained that the song didn’t have the effect Jay thought it would, especially with the new crop of artists. Drama then asked Pain to confirm the rumors that he got paid every time someone used auto-tune. T-Pain confirmed it was true, revealing that several artists wrote him a check back in the day, such as Diddy.

“It was nuts, it was real crazy,” he said of that point of his career. “Some people volunteered and some people didn’t know, so that was great. Diddy volunteered. Diddy gave me points on Last Train To Paris ’cause he used Auto-Tune.” Pain added that there’s video evidence on a hard drive of Diddy “writing a contract on a napkin in the studio saying he was gonna give me a point on Last Train To Paris.” Hopefully, that video emerges in the near future. Check the full interview out above. 

Summer Walker Teases New Project Without Auto-Tune

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One of R&B’s most versatile singers promised fans that she’s going back to her roots, and they can’t get enough. Summer Walker recently shared some pictures of her in the studio and teased “an autotune free project.” Moreover, she showed a digital audio workstation (DAW) with many tracks and audio recordings, which look like something grandiose.

LONDON, ENGLAND – JULY 09: (Editorial Use Only) Summer Walker performs on the main stage during Wireless Festival at Finsbury Park on July 09, 2022 in London, England. (Photo by Joseph Okpako/WireImage)

As such, many in the comments were incredibly excited at the prospect. Some even referenced earlier projects or tracks of hers like “Session 32,” an intimate fan-favorite and one of her first big hits. Since then, albums like “Over It” have cemented her presence in the industry with a variety of styles and approaches.

However, this isn’t the first time that the Atlanta native hinted at a new direction. Following what many perceived to be a Grammy snub last November, Walker wrote the following on Instagram: “These award shows gone play me [regardless] ima go back to making the soul music I love.”

Many fans agree. “And she still needs to get all her trophies & flowers for the “Over it” Album, the Album is LEGENDARY,” one user commented under the new post.

Although she set expectations high with this new tease, it’s also incredibly admirable considering that she recently welcomed twins. She recently shared how she dreamt of motherhood and how she reached her goal.

“I really reached my goal of hella kids before 30,” the “No Love” star posted on her IG story. Also, she reflected on how difficult yet rewarding the birth process was for her.

“I’m so proud of myself,” she wrote. “Just sharing to inspire other women, cause I know once you carry twins to almost 42 weeks, especially with one breech, people will try to steer you towards induction or C-section.

“You can do it,” the 26-year-old continued. “This was my second home birth all natural 7 hrs, no tearing & I couldn’t of done it without my spirit guides, Godparents, birth team, my elders, & the best dad doula ever Larry lol, he was so hands on the whole time I was really impressed it wasn’t easy but it gets done.”

Are you excited for a new Summer Walker project with no auto-tune? Whatever the case, let us know in the comments down below. Also, as always, come back to HNHH for the latest on upcoming music in hip-hop and R&B.

T-Pain And Usher Reunite Onstage To Make Up Over Their Decade-Long Autotune Dustup

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t-pain usher reconcile
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HipHopDX reports that the longstanding discord between R&B/pop stars T-Pain and Usher finally came to an end last night in Atlanta as the two singers met onstage at a concert afterparty for Dave Chappelle’s documentary premiere event. After the initial film and comedy set, the show reportedly consisted of sets from the likes of local legends such as 2 Chainz, 21 Savage, Jeezy, Monica, and more.

Although phones weren’t allowed inside the venue, a video of Pain and Usher reconciling still found its way online, giving a glimpse into their reunion. T-Pain told Usher, “I love you, bro. I’m telling you, we ain’t going through nothing, bro. We ain’t going through a god damn thing. It’s all love. In a time when we’re divided the most, we need to be together the most. I love you, bro. I’m never not gonna love you, bro, trust me.”

While there was likely never any real ill will between the two artists, Pain’s comments on Netflix’s This Is Pop docuseries could have lent the impression that he held a grudge after he admitted a chance encounter between the two sent him into a deep depression. “[Usher] was like, ‘Yeah man you really f*cked up music for real singers,’” he recalled. Meanwhile, Usher claimed that the encounter never happened in Billboard, prompting T-Pain to tell Power 105’s Angie Martinez that he’d reached out to Usher to settle the dispute.

“I hit Usher after the interview came out, and I’m like, ‘I’m sure you saw what happened,’” he said. “‘That was the truth. That’s what happened, you definitely said that.’ I remember that whole day. Then all he texted me back was, ‘Let’s not text, let’s talk.’ And I was like, ‘Cool, hit me up.’ And I never heard from him, he never called me. I feel like I initiated the contact.”

It appears that the two were able to make good on Usher’s suggestion and turn the page on that particular chapter of both their lives.