Tank

Tank might not be a superstar, but as a rare and unwavering proponent of gospel- and soul-rooted commercial R&B, the singer, songwriter, and producer has stood out since his debut at the turn of the 21st century. Contrary to his reputation as a niche artist, Tank has hit the Top Ten of the Billboard 200 with Force of Nature (his 2001 debut), the Grammy-nominated Sex Love & Pain (2007), and This Is How I Feel (2012), and achieved the feat a fourth time with Three Kings (2013), as one-third of TGT, beside peers Tyrese and Ginuwine. He’s a longtime favorite of urban adult contemporary radio stations, having topped the Adult R&B chart with singles ranging from “Please Don’t Go” (2007) to “Can’t Let It Show” (2021). One factor in Tank’s enduring relevance has been his collaborative work behind the scenes, frequently in support of younger vocalists. Among his most well-known songs as a writer or featured singer are Pleasure P’s Top Five R&B/hip-hop hit “Under” and Chris Brown’s “Take My Time,” both of which were nominated for Grammy awards in the R&B field. Tank delivered his tenth album, R&B Money, in 2022, followed two years later by the single “Before We Get Started.” Born Durrell Babbs in Milwaukee before later moving to the Washington, D.C. suburb of Clinton, Maryland, Tank became interested in music at an early age. As a youth, he was able to develop his singing ability at his local church, where his cousin was choir director. In his teens, Tank became interested in sports as well as music, and considered playing college football. Ultimately, he stuck with music and landed an opportunity tour as a background vocalist for Aaliyah and Ginuwine. Further opportunities presented themselves, most notably with Dave Hollister, whose album Chicago '85...The Movie (2000) includes several songs crediting Tank as a composer. A recording contract with Blackground Records followed, resulting in Tank’s solo debut, Force of Nature (2001), which spawned a pair of singles (including the Top 40 hit “Maybe I Deserve”) and topped Billboard’s R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart (number seven overall). A second solo album, One Man (2002), followed shortly thereafter and was nearly as successful as its predecessor, spawning another pair of singles (“One Man,” “Let Me Live”) and breaking into the Top Five of the R&B/hip-hop chart (number 20 overall). During and after this period of ascent, Tank also busied himself as a writer and producer. His credits included contributions to high-charting albums from Blackground labelmate Aaliyah, Dave Hollister, Brian McKnight, and Fantasia, as well as Marques Houston, Jamie Foxx, Monica, and Kelly Rowland. The demand for Tank’s input necessitated a five-year break between solo albums, but Sex Love & Pain (2007) was embraced instantly nonetheless, entering the R&B/hip-hop chart at the top (and number two overall) and earning a Grammy nomination in the category of Best R&B Album. Its “Please Don’t Go,” his first number one hit on Billboard’s Adult R&B Songs chart, was nominated for Best R&B Male Vocal Performance. In 2009, the same year he co-wrote Pleasure P’s Top Five R&B/hip-hop hit “Under” and appeared on Chris Brown’s “Take My Time” — two more Grammy-nominated recordings — Tank moved from Blackground to Atlantic. His first effort for the major label, Now or Never (2010), included the number seven Adult R&B hit “Emergency” and featured Brown on “Foreplay.” The singers reunited for the single “Lonely,” a track that landed on Tank’s This Is How I Feel (2012), his third album to top the R&B/hip-hop chart. As TGT, Tank, Tyrese, and Ginuwine then teamed up for the similarly successful Three Kings (2013), Tank’s second Grammy-nominated LP. From that point through the end of the 2010s, Tank was more prolific than ever. Within six years, he issued four albums. Stronger (2014) and Sex Love & Pain II (2016) entered the R&B/hip-hop chart at the top, and were followed by Savage (2017) and Elevation (2019), sets that showed the artist continuing to adapt to mainstream R&B trends. Early the following decade, he released the EPs While You Wait and Worth the Wait (both 2020), and the single “Can’t Let It Show” (2021), another Adult R&B Songs chart-topper. Tank’s tenth studio album, R&B Money, appeared in August 2022. The singer returned in 2024 with Fabolous-assisted ballad “Before We Get Started” followed by “Toxic,” a collaboration with T-Rell. ~ Andy Kellman & Jason Birchmeier