Surfacing

T-Pain

"Rappa Ternt Sanga"

Jive Records

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Artist info: Although the album's title might look like a line out of some Hindu prayer mantra, it's actually the phonetic hip-hopization of T-Pain's musical pedigree -- he's a \o7rapper turned singer.\f7 The former member of rap group Nappy Headz transitioned to singer-songwriter a mere 10 months before his single "I'm Sprung" hit the pop charts.

Back story: The 20-year-old Tallahassee, Fla.-native -- real name Faheem Najm -- was signed to Konvict Music by the label's owner, Senegalese American R&B sensation Akon, after he heard T-Pain's unlicensed reworking of Akon's prison paean, "Locked Up."

Influences: Devin the Dude, Cee-Lo

Trivia: T-Pain coined the term "hard & B" to describe his takeno-prisoners approach to rhythm and blues. Despite his quick success -- "I'm Sprung" reached No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, and his debut solo album just entered the national sales chart at No. 40, having sold almost 50,000 copies its first week -- the singer has announced plans to return to rap for his next record.