T-Pain has hit back at critics who have panned his cover of Michael Jackson's 1983 hit 'P.Y.T (Pretty Young Thing)'.

The rapper's version, which features auto-tune, has been included on a new covers album curated by Quincy Jones.

It has been widely criticised, but in a post on Twitter T-Pain said Jackson had given him permission to re-record the song.

“I had the pleasure of meeting MJ and when I left his house I got a call from his lawyer telling er that MJ wanted me to remake that song,” T-Pain wrote.

“So everybody that’s being overly disrespectful, you don’t have to like me at all, but you also can keep that bullsh*t to yourself.”

He added: “In conclusion, if you don’t like what I do then stop listening to it, if somebody tells you that my shit is wak, why would you go and try to find it?”

T-Pain's version of 'P.Y.T' features on 'Q: Soul Bossa Nostra', due out on November 8.

The album also includes Amy Winehouse's cover of Lesley Gore's 1963 hit 'It's My Party', which leaked online earlier this week.

(by Jason Gregory)