When looking at auto-tune's invasion of rap, we usually talk about T-Pain, but the use of pitch-correction software to produce a robotic vocal effect actually goes a little deeper than that. Cher's 1998 comeback single, "Believe," is generally agreed upon as the first time we heard auto-tune used in this way, and Kanye West is well aware of the record's impact.
If you haven't been creeping Cher's mentions over the last couple of days, you may have missed an amazing reveal in an exchange with a fan. When asked about her recent run-in with with Kim Kardashian at the Met Gala, the iconic singer shared that Kanye had personally thanked her for popularizing auto-tune.
While we wish we had the direct quote, imagining this interaction is good enough for us. Take a listen to the influential Cher track below, and remember that you wouldn't have T-Pain, Future, or 808s & Heartbreak without it.
[h/t]