To fans and pundits of hip-hop and R&B, T-Pain (“Low,” “Bartender,” “Buy U a Drank” and many other top 40 songs) is either a hit-producing monster, or a harbinger of doom for the emotional and artistic complexity of this particular musical genre. His latest effort and third album, Thr33 Ringz, will convert few critics with little wandering from his familiar subject matter of strippers, Cadillacs, Lamborghinis and club life. However, with an impressive array of guest artists, he offers fans several jams that are quite catchy and sure to hit dance floors and clubs across the country.
As the title suggests, aside from the fact that Sony BMG entertainment has been taken over by the most vapid of tweens, the CD is structured around the theme of “circus,” with T-Pain serving as the ringmaster.
While he attempts to pose the theme so that it draws comparisons between the music industry, club life and a three-ring circus, songs like “Karaoke” and “Therapy” are examples of how the connections are weak and superficial. Rather, the idea of “circus” is mostly present only in the opening number “Ringleader Man,” and a few lackluster skits about being at a circus interspersed among the songs.
In both style and content, Thr33 Ringz offers few surprises. With songs like “Long Lap Dance” he continues his long-standing love affair with strippers. Other songs, “Chopped and Skrewed,” “Therapy,” “It Ain’t Me,” “Freeze” and most of the other 20 tracks on the CD, revisit his favorite stomping grounds: the club — any club.
He offers no new insights into either of these dimensions of life with which he seems so preoccupied. Instead, he seems content to repeat himself, simply recombining the words “club,” “drinks,” “shawty,” “cars,” “money,” “sex” and their synonyms in different orders to generate the lyrics for each song.
However, he does attempt to stray from this formula a few times. With the song “Keep Going” he offers a (somewhat) soulful tribute to his children mostly absent of his trademark Auto-Tune effect. “Karaoke” is a surprisingly pointed and aggressive indictment of many of his peers, questioning their artistic integrity. Finally, he offers “Change,” a remake of Eric Clapton’s “Change the World,” that carries some substance. With Diddy and Mary J. Blige in tow, he espouses the lofty goal of improving the world for his children. But these songs are the exception on a mostly derivative album.
Yet, while the CD may be somewhat unoriginal, it should please fans with some very fun songs, a star-studded list of collaborators and a few guaranteed hits. The songs “Can’t Believe It” with Lil’ Wayne and “Chopped and Skrewed” with Ludacris have been blowing up the radio for months. Besides Weezy and Luda, T-Pain got Akon, T.I., Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Chris Brown, Ciara, DJ Khaled, Young Cash and Kanye West to show up on his album. For example, “Freeze,” his venture with Chris Brown, is an up-tempo jam that will end up in clubs and dance halls in the near future. It would not be surprising if a number of his other collaborative efforts end up on the radio as well.
Some of his solo work is worthwhile too. “Ringleader Man” is infinitely catchy, and “Keep Going” shows off his singing ability in a somewhat more natural and virtuosic manner.
Thr33 Ringz is certainly no radical effort on the part of T-Pain. Critics will rightly deride the superficiality of its content. This does not, however, seem to be a concern for T-Pain. As he says in one of his skits, “I’m thinking 11 No. 1s this year.” While they all won’t come from this album, his boast is not entirely unfounded — the man knows how to produce hits. This album has already created two and will probably churn out a few more by the time the circus leaves town. T-Pain understands his fans, and they should be pleased with his latest effort.
3 out of 5 stars
