The Ravens must be trolling music fans by putting rap artist T-Pain and pop sensation Taylor Swift in the same venue at the same time.
On Wednesday, the team announced the AFC championship game day festivities at M&T Bank Stadium, including a halftime performance by Grammy-winning rapper T-Pain. Swift is expected in the stands as boyfriend Travis Kelce plays with the Kansas City Chiefs to face off against the Ravens.
Rap music would seem to be a genre far removed from Swift’s singer-songwriter vocal stylings. And it is — except for one brief and nearly forgotten duet that happened in 2009, when T-Pain joined Swift for a parody skit of sorts that was equal parts hilarity and what could now be described as cringe.
To set the stage, Swift was at the time being hailed for her first crossover hit “Love Story,” which topped both the country and pop charts. The song won Video of the Year at the 2009 CMT Awards, among other honors.
It was at the CMT Awards that Swift and T-Pain’s rap video collaboration was shown. The parody video, titled “Thug Story,” features the duo wearing chains and white T-shirts, the dress uniform of hip-hop, and making for the most unlikely and unserious rap battle ever.
“I’m so gangsta you can find me baking cookies at night. You out clubbin? Well, I just made caramel delight,” she raps, holding a tray of cookies. “T-Swift and T-Pain rapping on the same track. It’s a thug story; tell me can you handle that?”
Actually, no.
Swift’s lyrics are humorous and off-brand, even at the time, but perhaps especially in hindsight. Considering the trajectory of her career since, it might be a performance she would rather forget. (But some fans have said Swift is a true rap fan and sings parts of the song in concerts, and in 2012, she joined with another rapper, B.o.B., for “Both of Us.”) Even T-Pain has expressed reservations about the parody, which he said could be construed as making fun of hip-hop, a genre dear to him.
But time heals everything. It’s been more than 14 years since this rap duo teamed up, and come Sunday, T. Swizzle and T. Pizzle will both presumably be in the same place at the same time.
Maybe they will decide to tell their “Thug Story.” We can only hope.
