The 10 Best Auto-Tune Rap Songs of the Last Five Years

Nearly 10 years since the release of T-Pain's "I'm Sprung," we take a look at the best Auto-Tune songs of the past five years.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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In 2005, T-Pain ushered in the often ridiculed, yet undeniably catchy use of Auto-Tune with "I'm Sprung." The Tallahassee native has gone on to deliver a multitude of hits using the vocal tool, and he's not the only one. Snoop Dogg has banked in on Auto-Tune, as has Kanye West and Lil Wayne, who have released full-length projects centered around this sound.

In early 2010, we published an article that celebrated The 25 Greatest Auto-Tune Songs, which felt right for the times as the music market became oversaturated with the voice-altering effect. Naturally, there needed to be a template of examples in which Auto-Tune was used well.

Since then, artists like Kanye and Wayne have continued to use it, with even some newer acts like Future making it their shtick. After letting our last list marinate, we present The 10 Best Auto-Tune Rap Songs of the Last Five Years.

Future “Tony Montana” (2011)

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Producer: Will-A-Fool

Album: Pluto

Label: A1/Freebandz/Epic

After basically lacing YC with the only hit of his career in "Racks," Future broke through as a solo act with his street-laced single "Tony Montana." Listeners immediately gravitated toward his gravelly vocals—​embellished by Auto-Tune—​as Future depicted himself as a drug-dealing kingpin by referencing the iconic Scarface character. "All I got is my balls and my word, fuck the roaches/Everything we do, we put Versace on the sofas." The voice-altering effect has become synonymous with Future, and he's owned it well.

Chief Keef “Citgo” (2012)

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Producer: Young Ravisu

Album: Finally Rich

Label: GBE/Interscope

Chief Keef's ode to smoking only the finest of herb is on full display on "Citgo." The record is a departure from tracks like "I Don't Like," with the Chicago rapper trading in his street-laced rhymes for upbeat charm and Auto-Tune vocals that bleed through his swift delivery. The modified vocals gives "Citgo" a melodic bounce that works well with Ravisu's minimalist backdrop.

Future “Turn on the Lights” (2012)

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Producer: Mike WiLL Made It, Marz

Album: Pluto

Label: A1/Freebandz/Epic

Future slowed it down for "Turn on the Lights," a syrupy cut meant for the ladies. The Atlanta rapper glides over Mike WiLL Made It's light melody with his Auto-Tune croon, pledging his unconditional affections for a woman he has yet to even meet. "I wanna tell the world about you just so they can get jealous/And if you see 'er 'fore I do tell 'er I wish that I’ve met 'er," he sings. "Turn on the Lights" stands as Future's biggest solo hit to date, and with good reason. This record sets the bar for what a love song sounds like in the modern rap era.

Kanye West “Blood on the Leaves” (2013)

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Producer: Kanye West, Hudson Mohawke, Lunice, Carlos Broady, 88-Keys, Arca, Mike Dean

Album: Yeezus

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam

Frustration and pain meet on "Blood on the Leaves," Kanye West's aggressive take on a relationship that has soured because of the limelight. 'Ye works in Auto-Tune seamlessly, wailing passionately over the dark backdrop about how it all fell apart, punctuated by his ambiguously aimed line, "We could've been somebody/'Stead you had to tell somebody." 

Lil Durk “Dis Ain’t What U Want” (2013)

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Producer: Paris Beuller

Album: Signed to the Streets

Label: OTF/Coke Boys/Def Jam

Lil Durk took a cue from fellow Chicago rapper Chief Keef and incorporated Auto-Tune into his 2013 single "Dis Ain't What U Want." What materialized was a menacing message with glossy melodic execution. Durk sounds as threatening as ever over Paris Beuller's haunting backdrop, yet there's a layer of accessibility here. It's as if Durk's warped vocals produce comfort in a world so cold.

T-Pain f/ B.o.B “Up Down (Do This All Day)” (2013)

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Producer: DJ Mustard

Album: Stoicville: The Phoenix

Label: Nappy Boy/Konvict/RCA

T-Pain's presence in music has been somewhat toned down in the last few years, but that hasn't hindered his ability to make a hit at the drop of a dime. "Up Down (Do This All Day)" is like "I'm 'n Luv (Wit a Stripper)" on steroids, with DJ Mustard's signature 808 bounce paving the perfect lane for T-Pain to deliver a groovy anthem for the club, a BBQ cookout, as well as the late night spots where women make their bread for tuition. "Go do a show then/Bring some more in/Pockets bigger than a Samoan/I'm at the stage every time shorty go in." 

Kanye West “Guilt Trip” (2013)

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Producer: Kanye West, Mike Dean, S1, Travi$ Scott, Ackeejuice Rockers

Album: Yeezus

Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam

Kanye West's use of Auto-Tune has always come from a place of pain and passion, with "Guilt Trip" delivering an emphatic narrative of a shattered relationship set to melancholic production. He wears his heart on his sleeve, describing his depressed state through line after line of clever wordplay ("Feelin' lied to like parents never said you adopted"). Kanye has toned down his use of Auto-Tune since releasing 808s & Heartbreak in 2008, but "Guilt Trip" is a reminder that it has become another weapon in his ever-growing arsenal of creativity.

K Camp f/ Kwony Cash “Money Baby” (2013)

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Producer: Big Fruit

Album: In Due Time

Label: Interscope

K Camp's sudden rise out of ATL can be traced back to "Money Baby," his 2013 breakout single. The record is all fun and no frills, captured by the Auto-Tune croon in his sly delivery. For a relatively new face, K Camp handles the voice-altering effect like a pro, changing the inflection in his tone to match the vibe of the production. "I like good weed, I like bad bitches that can roll it up/And a rider that's gon' hold me down no matter what," he croons with smooth charisma, an approach he likewise incorporated into his latest hit, "Cut Her Off."

Young Thug “2 Bitches (Danny Glover)” (2013)

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Producer: 808 Mafia

Album: N/A

Label: 1017 Bricksquad/Asylum/Atlantic

Young Thug continues to be rap's biggest enigma, but as the Atlanta native has proven, you don't have to be completely understood to run things. Since dropping 1017 Thug in 2013, Thug has carved out his own lane of strange, with tracks like "Danny Glover" and "Stoner" embodying his eclectic personality and, dare we say it, weirdo rap. The former cut captures his style to a T, with Thugger wrapping his enthusiastic rhymes around Auto-Tune vocals that shape and shift to his warped gargle. 

Wiz Khalifa “We Dem Boyz” (2014)

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Producer: Detail

Album: Blacc Hollywood

Label: Rostrum/Atlantic

Wiz Khalifa took a simpler path with "We Dem Boyz," the lead single off his latest album, Blacc Hollywood, and the move paid dividends for the Pittsburgh rapper. His sound is infinitely enhanced by the energy in his Auto-Tune vocals, which float over Detail's booming synth backdrop. Wiz sing-raps throughout the entire record, gaining more steam as he returns to the catchy chorus. 

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