Just two weeks after the tragic death of singer-songwriter Oliver Tree, T-Pain honored his late friend by debuting an unreleased collaboration during a performance at the Electric Forest festival in Michigan.

The emotional moment unfolded during T-Pain's back-to-back DJ set with Shaquille O'Neal, performing as DJ Diesel, over the weekend .

The track, which the pair recorded together in the studio before Tree's passing, begins as a slow, reflective song featuring Tree singing about chasing dreams . The electronic number gradually builds into a high-energy dance anthem, according to fan-recorded footage shared across social media .

As the music played, a video montage showcasing Tree's life and career appeared on the giant screens behind the performers, transforming the debut into a heartfelt tribute . The clips showed Tree performing, riding scooters, and spending time with friends .

T-Pain, whose real name is Faheem Rashad Najm, addressed the crowd before playing the track. Reports indicate he told festival-goers that he had been holding onto the song for roughly two years . In the wake of his friend's death, he decided the time was right to share it, reportedly telling the audience that life is short and when it is time to release something, one should "just go ahead and put that shit out" .

Tragic Loss in Brazil

Oliver Tree Nickell died on June 14 at age 32 in a helicopter collision over Recreio dos Bandeirantes, a neighborhood in southwest Rio de Janeiro . Six people were killed in the crash when two helicopters collided mid-air and crashed into a parking lot at an electric car dealership, igniting a fire that consumed at least 20 vehicles .

The musician had been traveling in Brazil as part of his world tour at the time of the accident . He was scheduled to perform in Lisbon, Portugal on July 1.

A Friendship Remembered

T-Pain and Tree were known to be close friends, with Tree frequently appearing as a guest on T-Pain's "Nappy Boy Radio Podcast" .

On the day of Tree's death, T-Pain shared a tribute on social media alongside a video from a 2023 meeting between the two artists . "Never will forget this lesson from Oliver or the time we had on Nappy Boy Radio Podcast," he wrote. "Thanks for sharing your art and for always being different in the best way possible. See you on the brighter side" .

The unreleased track has not yet been confirmed for an official release on streaming platforms.