T-Pain is opening up about how a negative comment from Usher kicked off a difficult period in his life.
In a clip from the upcoming Netflix series "This Is Pop," the singer says he fell into a years-long depression after Usher criticized his use of Auto-Tune in music.
"Usher was my friend," T-Pain said in the clip. "I really respect Usher. And he was like, 'Man. I'm gonna tell you something, man. You kinda (expletive) up music.' "
T-Pain said he let out a "nervous chuckle" at the comment but soon realized Usher wasn't kidding.
"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.' "
According to T-Pain, Usher's comment was the beginning of a trying time for his mental health.
He thought, "'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.

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