Travie McCoy didn’t hold back when describing the unconventional recording setup he encountered while working with T-Pain on tour, revealing that the chart-topping producer surrounded himself with four screens streaming adult content while making music. “Pain’s different,” McCoy told PEOPLE. “So when Pain’s in the studio, even on his studio bus, or the studio on […]
Travie McCoy didn’t hold back when describing the unconventional recording setup he encountered while working with T-Pain on tour, revealing that the chart-topping producer surrounded himself with four screens streaming adult content while making music.
“Pain’s different,” McCoy told PEOPLE. “So when Pain’s in the studio, even on his studio bus, or the studio on his bus, there’s four screens and each one is playing a different p### video.”
The Gym Class Heroes frontman opened up about their creative process, which took shape during Lil Wayne’s I Am Music Tour between 2008 and 2009. The pair collaborated on several tracks, including “The Manual,” “Tattoo Girl” featuring Lil Wayne, and “I’ll Never Be.”
McCoy admitted the visual overload was jarring at first. “I was not used to that,” he said. “I knew he was the strip club king, and I knew he made all the anthems for single mothers and s—, but I wasn’t prepared.”
Despite the distraction-heavy environment, McCoy said he eventually adjusted. “It was weird at first,” he explained, “but I just kind of blocked it out.”
He suggested the setup may have played a role in T-Pain’s creative formula. “I guess that’s what gets him in his zone to make strip club anthems, you know?”
Their collaboration kicked off with a track titled “That’s Not Cool,” which didn’t make the final cut for McCoy’s 2010 solo album Lazarus, but it laid the groundwork for their musical chemistry. McCoy would often pen verses after shows, then meet up with T-Pain to record on his mobile studio.
Reflecting on the experience, McCoy called the I Am Music Tour “one of the dopest tours I’ve ever done” and credited it with deepening their friendship. He later signed with T-Pain’s Nappy Boy Entertainment label.
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