T-Pain honored Oliver Tree at Electric Forest by debuting an unreleased song the two artists recorded before Tree’s death.
The rapper and producer played the track during a back-to-back set with DJ Diesel, Shaquille O’Neal’s DJ name, at the Michigan festival over the weekend. Entertainment Weekly reported that the performance included a large-screen montage of Tree while the song played for the crowd.
The performance came two weeks after Tree died in a helicopter crash in Rio de Janeiro on June 14. The Associated Press reported that the 32-year-old musician was one of six people killed when two helicopters collided over the city.
The Song Was Recorded Before Tree’s Death
TMZ reported that T-Pain and Tree recorded the collaboration together in the studio before Tree died. The song had not been publicly released before the Electric Forest set.
Audience footage showed the track opening with Tree’s voice over a slower electronic beat before building into a dance drop. As the song played, the stage screens showed clips of Tree performing, riding scooters and spending time with friends.
Entertainment Weekly reported that the crowd cheered during the tribute, which came near the end of T-Pain and DJ Diesel’s late-night set.
T-Pain Said He Had Been Holding the Song for Two Years
Vulture reported that T-Pain told the Electric Forest crowd he had been sitting on the track for two years.
He said he, Shaq and the team stayed up until about 3 a.m. getting it ready for the festival. T-Pain told the crowd the loss made him think about how short life is and that when it is time to put something out, “just go ahead and put that shit out.”
Tree Died in a Helicopter Crash in Brazil
The Associated Press reported that Tree, born Oliver Tree Nickell, died June 14 after two helicopters collided and crashed in Rio de Janeiro. Authorities said all six people aboard were killed.
AP reported that Tree’s representatives directed the outlet to an official confirmation posted on his Instagram account. The post said his legacy would continue through a foundation and grant he had arranged before his death.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation. AP reported that Tree was in the middle of a world tour at the time, after opening the run in Mexico City on May 30.
T-Pain Had Already Shared a Tribute
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T-Pain posted about Tree shortly after his death, sharing a video from their time together and writing that he would not forget the lesson he learned from him.
“Thanks for sharing your art and for always being different in the best way possible,” T-Pain wrote, according to Entertainment Weekly.
Tree was known for mixing alternative rock, hip-hop, electronic pop, comedy and viral performance. AP listed “Alien Boy,” “Life Goes On,” “Hurt” and “Miss You” among the songs that helped define his career.
Other Artists Have Also Mourned Tree
Artists and friends publicly mourned Tree after the crash, including Kid Cudi, Melanie Martinez and Bebe Rexha.
AP reported that Kid Cudi called Tree “a really amazing and beautiful human” in a post on X. Melanie Martinez wrote that Tree was deeply dedicated to his art, while Bebe Rexha said she was in shock and called him smart, passionate and kind.
The Electric Forest debut gave fans one more piece of Tree’s music while the investigation into the crash continues.