Think of an artist who tells stories like Notorious B.I.G. but sings like Donny Hathaway with the brazen power of well, a tank. That artist is Blackground Records
force Tank. Tank approaches his sophomore album, One Man, with the tenacity of a
combat veteran. Indeed, since his 2001 debut album Force of Nature, Tank has proven a
talent durable enough to break through the R&B hard-line to become known as an
irreplaceable new vocalist.
"I've endured a lot of obstacles," Tank begins, "Aaliyah's passing, business changes," he says, referring to the August 2001 death of his collaborator and Blackground Records label mate Aaliyah and Blackground's migration from Virgin Records to distributor Universal Records. But just as his name suggests, Tank is tough, resilient and strong.
Tank's narrative lyrics hark back to pre-hip-hop rhythm and blues, when the giants of the 1970s like Marvin Gaye and Curtis Mayfield sang about the streets, sang about struggle and the complexities of love. Tank first captivated R&B fans with the ballad "Maybe I Deserve," which explored the subtle psychological repercussions of cheating. "A lot of women have come up to me and said they've been justified in their relationships and comfort in a record that shows maybe their men deserve what they're doing to them."
The single helped catapult Tank's debut album to gold status. The Maybe I Deserve
video debuted at number #1 on 106 and Park and the single reached the Billboard Top
10, elbowing its way past the work of music veterans and other newcomers.
One Man, out now, presents Tank's talents in their totality. "It has more of my character in it, who I really am, which is a producer, writer and singer." Tank's music is visceral and substantial. No airy vocals or filler lyrics: it teems with robustly sung tales. "It has street stories all the way to the bedroom stories," Tank describes. One Man, the first single from the album is a classic Tank ballad, a song that discusses the trials and responsibilities of young black man. In the song, an older and wiser Tank identifies with the pain of every man.
While recording Force of Nature, Tank has exercised his music muscle by staying dizzyingly busy. He recorded the Fast and the Furious Soundtrack song Race Against Time Part 2 with former performing partner Ja Rule, produced Dun Put Up Too Long on Sharissa's No Half Steppin' (and starred as her lover in her video), and produced and wrote tracks for new Blackground artists The Hamptons and Caviar. Finally, he penned I Can Be and What If for Aaliyah's self-titled, Grammy nominated album. "It's unfortunate that we didn't get to go more songs together," Tank laments of Aaliyah for whom he sang back-up at the inception of his career. "Now it's time to keep the dream and the vision alive, try to preserve the name that she built and the company that's still standing." Tank will next be collaborating on an Aaliyah tribute album for Blackground Records.
Tank's sophomore album continues that Blackground legacy, featuring collaborations
with Blackground artists Caviar, Fort Knox, Bud'da, Big Tank, Static and Key Beats.
Although Tank's voice bellows with choir-trained potency, perfected from his years
singing in church, don't expect to hear overtly spiritual music on the album. "I'm not
a big fan of mixing gospel and R&B," Tank explains. "I thank God for this opportunity
and when it comes time to do gospel, it will be time to do gospel. I'm not gonna do
one song in the bedroom and another in the church. I'm not trying to confuse nobody!"
What hasn't been confusing is Tank's image as a buff sex symbol, one that he doesn't dodge. "I think that anytime women appreciate you in any fashion, it's a blessing. I use it to my advantage make records that support that and do things on stage that amplify that quality that women like about me."
The admiration isn't only from swooning women. Tank says. "The ultimate prize is that people know your work and respect it, other artists who ask to be part of it, want to do records with me." This is a marked change for Tank who born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, raised in the Washington, DC suburb Clinton, Maryland and professionally pursued music after almost being drafted into the NFL. "People come up to me and say I love your music' everyday. It doesn't get old."
See Tank's video "Slowly"
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