{$T-Pain} caught {$Akon}'s attention when he released a version of {&"Locked Up"} titled {&"I'm F***ed Up."} When {$Akon} heard {$T-Pain}'s voice and realized there was more depth to the version than the title implied, he got in contact with the Florida-based "rappa ternt sanga" (who also produces and writes) and signed him to his {@Jive}-distributed {@Konvict Muzik} label. {^Rappa Ternt Sanga}, beyond containing a few strong tracks with plenty of range between them, shows promise. {$T-Pain} has a seductive vocal style (he does sound somewhat similar to his mentor), plenty of effective hooks, and strong productions, but he presses too much when he tries to stick out lyrically. The craziest offense is {&"Studio Luv,"} in which he comes out sounding more than a little silly: "you remind me of a brand new saxophone," "your body's like a flute," "do you mind if I pluck up on your strings," "I would stroke your body like I do my keyboard." Another hindrance is the digital vocal processing that pops up as often as water droplets in {$R. Kelly} tracks. Though this factor has brought about plenty of comparisons to {$Zapp}'s {$Roger Troutman} (as in the {\electro}-{\funk} classic {&"More Bounce to the Ounce"} and late-'80s slow jam favorite {&"I Want to Be Your Man"}), {$Troutman} used an actual vocoder (which produced a different-sounding effect), and {$T-Pain} winds up sounding more like the {$Cher} of {&"Believe."} Had there been limited use of studio tricks and more guidance (as a new signee to a label with major distribution, {$T-Pain} handles an inordinate amount of the writing and production duties), {^Rappa Ternt Sanga} would've been a more-than-respectable debut. ~ Andy Kellman, All Music Guide