Epiphany

T-Pain | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 5, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Jive
• ASIN: B000P0JQ9Q
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Music
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (40 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #58,358 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

T-Pain opens the liner notes to his hotly anticipated second disc with a couple of helpful definitions: An epiphany is "the manifestation of a supernatural being" (definition No. 1) or "a sudden moment of insight or revelation" (No. 2), the opening page puts forth. Because most of the R&B record-buying world knows that T-Pain is not a supernatural being, but a stylish and inventive singer from Tallahassee, it would seem the second definition inspired the title--T-Pain probably felt flashes of inspiration when laying out the lyrics. A single spin ought to convince listeners a little of both factored in, though: Songs like "Bartender" and "Buy U a Drank" send out a southern hip-hop vibe silky enough to be considered a revelation (thanks partially to Akon, who pitches in on "Bartender"). And because the entire album leans hard on the vocoder, tracks such as opener "Tallahassee Love," a nod to Tupac's "California Love," sound otherworldly, a la definition one. Throughout, T-Pain hands out hooks like there's been a two-for-one sale. Maybe they came to him in a series of epiphanies. Or maybe a benevolent R&B being--some supernatural force who knows how to make a hit record--whispered them in his ear. --Tammy La Gorce

Product Description

The Tallahassee rapper-turned-singer's second album features guest appearances by his mentor, Akon, as well as Yung Joc, who accompanies T-Pain on the album's first single, the stripped-down, seductive "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')."

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 22 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Lowering The Bar August 4, 2007

By Anonymous

Format:Audio CD

As if the bar hasnt been set low enough in the last few years of pop music TPain with songs like Im in love wit a stripper and Buy you a drank, has actually made the bar lower. I thought that would be impossible with acts like the Ying Yang Twins and numerous other hip hop acts already circulating but no, T has done it. In short, the dumbest most worthless music ever to grace the airwaves and otherwise. HIP HOP IS DEAD!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars While not the drink coaster I expected it to be... October 2, 2007

By Anthony Rupert

Format:Audio CD

I was never too impressed by T-Pain because I felt he only made average songs, and his use of the vocoder was so forced that it seemed like he was trying a little too hard to emulate the late Roger Troutman (a notion later confirmed on THIS album with the intro, "Tallahassee Love", which bears more than a striking similarity to Tupac's "California Love"). And now here comes Epiphany, which is supposed to be a more mature album than Rappa Ternt Sanga. But is it?

Well, I never heard his first album, so I can't really compare, but one thing that surprises me is that T really can sing when he wants to (see the final track, "Sounds Bad"). But songs like "Church" and "Put It Down" made me decide that it was good that he stopped rapping; and another thing, I don't know if there are really guest rappers in these songs or if it's just T himself rapping in different voices. And the obligatory reggae crossover "Shottas" (with Kardinal Offishall and Cham) is really just a whole bunch of noise.

For the most part, there isn't a lot of variety on this album. T usually talks about either getting drunk or having sex -- actually, most of the time he talks about a little bit of both, like in "Buy U a Drank" and the filler track "Tipsy". What's more, a lot of the songs aren't very memorable, like "Yo Stomach", "69", or the badly produced "Backseat Action" (but T-Pain and Shawnna didn't sound like a winning combination anyway).

Even when T tries to change the subject, he still has problems. "Suicide" details life after finding out that his girl infected him with HIV, but as another reviewer said, that song could have been written a little better. And "Time Machine" is just retarded. In short, this is the kind of album that you should maybe listen to in the store rather than purchase (or don't stores allow that any more?) because Epiphany really isn't much of one.

Anthony Rupert

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Not impressed; More substance and hits would've been nice... July 1, 2007

By Michael Brent Faulkner, Jr. VINE™ VOICE

Format:Audio CD

So I joined the bandwagon and bought EPIPHANY. Why you ask? Well my friends, "Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin')" was bumping and it was one of the most undeniably catchy (as well as stupid) songs of 2007. I couldn't resist. I'm not a big fan of "clubby" R&B albums, but sometimes i give into guilty pleasures. In some respects with EPIPHANY (which I have to agree with one of the reviewers that this is no "epiphany" by any means), I wish I'd let the album itself pass by and just downloaded "Buy U A Drank". But I had to indulge and I can't help to say that ultimately EPIPHANY is a disappointment. Then, you also have to think mentally, that with such club-savvy artist as T-Pain, Akon, and sometimes R. Kelly (though excluding nis great new album DOUBLE UP), that the club-centric albums only tend to have one hit. Sure, EPIPHANY is good for a couple of worthy numbers (first single and "Church" to name a few), but overall, it is nothing but a mess. Sure, I'm happy T-Pain surprised everybody to take the #1 spot on the Billboard charts, hold back both Rihanna and expected chart-topper Paul McCartney, but still you wonder if people were expecting a real "epiphany" for the money. Oh well.

The album begins with the introductory track, "Tallahassee Love" in which T-Pain not only defines "epiphany" but also gives love back to his hometown, Tallahassee. It is completely unnecessary, as with most intro tracks, but it is actually better than some of the full length tracks on EPIPHANY. "Church" has the most undeniably catchy groove of EPIPHANY with an incredibly soulful guitar riff, tropical sounding drum-programming, and random interspersed "rah!" during the verse. Vocally, T-Pain sounds top notch, even if he is halfway between singing and rapping. T-Pain sounds among the hardest ever when he sings: "***damn, you think you cool, you think I'm not, you think you're tough, ***damn, you think you're hard, you think I'm soft, you think you're rough... I'm gonna have to take you're a** to church..." Sure the song's ridiculous, but it is worthy of spins in the CD player. "Tipsy" features overall repetitive, but sound production work, with an undeniably catchy sounding synth-line. Sure the track lacks substance, but it is the same man who took "I'm N Luv Wit A Stripper" to #6 on the pop charts. "Show U How" is plain annoying and odd, though the hook is well performed. "Suicide" is perhaps T-Pain's first attempt at being serious (it is a song about AIDS), but he falls short, particularly when he uses clumsy lines as "cause I f***** her/ and didn't have a rubber on me." Sure, it is a worthy enough track, but again, it comes over cornier than it ultimately should.

Second single "Bartender" tries to bank on the success of the great "Buy You a Drank", but it also falls short. It isn't bad, but the repetitive piano loop doesn't quite sell as well as the great "Buy You A Drank". Sure, T-Pain jacks his discoverer Akon, but it still doesn't make "Bartender" as top-notch as the inescapable first single. "Backseat Action" features mammoth drums supporting T-Pains heavily produced vocals (that stupid vocal effect again) and proves to be one of this albums few stronger tracks. "Put It Down" is solid as well, making it look like EPIPHANY might have a stab at redeeming itself after a number of misses via "Show U How" or even the utter unconvincing nature of "Suicide". "Put It Down" actually has some very nice moments, even moreso than "Backseat Action". "Time Machine" is a miss, while "Yo Stomach" is OK. "Buy You a Drink" almost comes too late, and is followed by misses that continue all the way to the end of the album ("69", "Shottas", "Right Hand", and finally "Sounds Bad").

It's unfortunate for T-Pain because had he bottled the best of EPIPHANY and perhaps written songs with more substance not so focused on sex or the strip-club, he may have truly had his FIRST epiphany. Sure at times, EPIPHANY is on the edge of at least being average, but with so many misses and with numerous unconvincing moments and a title such as EPIPHANY, a listener can't help but rip on T-Pain. More substance in the future please - you are a talented rapper and vocalist. 2 stars.