T-Pain

Details

Thr33 Ringz (Nappy Boy Entertainment)

Related Content

• Live: Black Eyed Peas at Sun Life Stadium, November 23
  November 24, 2011
• Top 10 Super Bowl Pump-up Songs
  February 3, 2012
• In Defense of T-Pain: An Excerpt From Ben Westhoff's new book, "Dirty South: OutKast, Lil Wayne, Soulja Boy, and the Southern Rappers Who Reinvented Hip-Hop"
  June 23, 2011
• This Headline Should Rhyme
  March 17, 2011
• Because Your Skin Should Look Like Pigskin
  October 22, 2009

More About

• T-Pain
• Dr. Seuss
• Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Music Newsletter: Keep your thumb on the local music scene with music features, additional online music listings and show picks. We'll also send special ticket offers and music promotions available only to our Music Newsletter subscribers.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

How has T-Pain done it? He's not attractive, his fashion sense leaves much to be desired (at least for those without Dr. Seuss/LSD fetishes, in any case), and without the benefit of the computer program Auto-Tune, his voice is nothing special. And yet, considering his hip-hop and R&B radio dominance, his claim to be "ringleader of the game" can't be argued with. The circus theme informs Pain's third album, Thr33 Ringz, in which his task is moving beyond singles toward a memorable CD. Sadly, unfunny skits clog it up ("She had five different niggas' names tattooed on her left ass cheek. That's when a bitch gotta make a decision"), and the sexy songs aren't nearly as alluring as they could be. "Chopped N Skrewed" is about... getting screwed, while his popular single "Can't Believe It" is essentially about Pain stashing his women around the world. You've still got to salute his ability to rhyme mansion with Wisconsin, but beyond that and a good beat, it's not exactly a grand slam. "Long Lap Dance" is about getting good value out of your stripper, while "Therapy" is about relationship conflict ("5, 6, 7, 8, I don't need your sex/I'll masturbate"). All told, Thr33 Ringz's tracks aren't cohesive, and it doesn't work as a full album. That doesn't mean T-Pain's not still R&B's ringleader; it just means he's not its Barnum & Bailey.