T-Pain reveals why he stopped getting credit for country music

T-Pain says he intends to carry on ghostwriting country music songs.

The singer, songwriter, and producer made headlines lately when he disclosed that he no longer accepted credit for the country music he produced due to the “racism” he encountered in the industry.

“I wrote a lot of country songs, and the country songs that I get credit on — I wouldn’t say backlash or anything like that — but [there] was a lot of criticism of, ‘Why did they let a Black person be a part of this?’ or things like that. It was just a lot of that stuff. So I kind of just backed off from putting my name on things and [I] just collect the money,” he tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I don’t need to be known for any of that. That’s fine.”

“I’m a ghostwriter [and] it’s just easier,” he continues. “Why not? I’m not in it for fame. I want to make sure my kids are straight [and] make sure their kids are good. I’ll be fine.”

T-Pain, the two-time Grammy winner known for hits like Buy U a Drank and Bartender, has written country songs but hasn’t disclosed for whom or which ones. However, he confirmed that people have heard his country music.

T-Pain has produced songs for Chris Brown, Lil Wayne, Kehlani, Ciara, and Akon in addition to writing his tracks. Additionally, while having roots in the R&B and hip-hop genres, he has worked with artists such as Jesse McCartney, Lily Allen, Steve Aoki, Taylor Swift, Wisin & Yandel, and Lonely Island.

He responded as follows when asked if he had encountered criticism of a similar nature in genres other than country music: “No. Not at all. It’s pretty much country, but we know why. That’s how that works.”