Tank (American singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Tank
Tank in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Durrell Artaze Babbs
Born	(1976-01-01) January 1, 1976 (age 49) Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Origin	Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Genres	R&B soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer actor
Years active	1995–present
Labels	R&B Money Empire Atlantic Blackground Virgin Universal

Durrell Artaze Babbs (born January 1, 1976), known by his stage name Tank, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, and music producer. He started his career singing backup for famous R&B artists like Aaliyah and Ginuwine. In 1998, he signed a record deal with Blackground Records.

His song "Maybe I Deserve" in 2001 became a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This led to his first album, Force of Nature (2001), which reached the top ten on the Billboard 200. His second album, One Man (2002), also did well, reaching the top 20.

After a break, Tank released his third album, ..., Love & Pain (2007), which was very successful. It reached number two on the Billboard 200. The song "Please Don't Go" from this album was a top 50 hit. He later signed with Atlantic Records and released more albums, including Now or Never (2010) and Savage (2017). The song "When We" from Savage became a platinum-certified hit. His tenth album, R&B Money (2022), was announced as his last because he started losing hearing in his right ear.

In 2007, Tank formed an R&B group called TGT with Ginuwine and Tyrese. They released one album together, Three Kings (2013). Besides singing, Tank has written and produced songs for many other artists like Kelly Rowland and Chris Brown. He also has his own record label, R&B Money, and hosts a popular podcast called R&B Money Podcast with J. Valentine. Tank has been nominated for four Grammy Awards.

Early Life

Durrell Babbs was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. When he was a child, his family moved to Maryland. In high school, he was a talented athlete in many sports and even had a chance to play college football.

However, Tank chose to focus on music. His singing skills led him to become a backup singer for the artist Ginuwine on tour. He also sang backup for Aaliyah, whom he met through Ginuwine in 1997. Later, Tank signed a deal to become a recording artist with Aaliyah's record label, Blackground Records.

Music Journey

Early Albums and Big Hits

In 2001, Tank released his first album, Force of Nature. It included the popular song "Maybe I Deserve". The next year, in 2002, he released his second album, One Man. Tank also sang on "Come Over", a song from Aaliyah's album I Care 4 U, which was released after she passed away.

Tank's third album, ..., Love & Pain, came out in May 2007. The main song from this album was "Please Don't Go", which reached number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that year, Tank, along with Ginuwine and Tyrese, created the group TGT. They signed with Atlantic Records in 2012 and released their album Three Kings in 2013.

New Labels and More Success

Tank's fourth album, Now or Never, was released in December 2010. He worked with artists like Chris Brown and Drake on this album. Some of the songs from it were "I Can't Make You Love Me" and "Emergency".

In May 2012, Tank released his fifth album, This Is How I Feel. For this album, he collaborated with artists such as Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, and T.I.. The song "Compliments" was the first single from the album.

On September 14, 2013, Tank sang the U.S. national anthem before a big boxing match in Las Vegas, Nevada.

His sixth album, Stronger, came out in August 2014. This album had a slightly different, "retro R&B sound." The songs "You're My Star" and the title track were popular on the US Urban AC chart.

Final Album and Retirement

In February 2015, Tank released a mixtape album called If You Were Mine. Later that year, he released a new song, "You Don't Know," featuring Wale. This song was the first single from his seventh album, ... Love & Pain II, which was released in January 2016. This album reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart and number 15 on the US Top 200 Albums chart.

In September 2017, Tank released his eighth album, Savage. The main song from this album, "When We", reached number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. In October 2019, Tank released his ninth album, ELEVATION. He also released a short album called While You Wait in March 2020.

On February 26, 2021, Tank released the song "Can't Let It Show." This song uses parts of the 1989 song "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush, who is also credited for the song.

In August 2021, it was announced that Blackground Records would re-release music from artists like Tank and Aaliyah. Tank's first three albums became available on streaming services for the first time on September 17, 2021.

On October 29, 2021, Tank released "I Deserve" from his tenth and final album, R&B Money. This song reached the top 10 on the R&B Radio chart. Tank was nominated for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist in November 2021. Before his album R&B Money was released, Tank shared that it would be his last studio album because he began losing hearing in his right ear in 2021.

Other Cool Stuff He Does

Writing Songs and Producing Music

Tank has written and produced songs for many other artists. Some of these include Aaliyah, Beyoncé, Kelly Rowland, Omarion, and Jamie Foxx. He has worked as part of the production team called the Underdogs and with his own team, Song Dynasty.

Acting Roles

Tank also acts! He helped with the music for the movie Dreamgirls and even had a small role in it. He was also in the movie Preacher's Kid. From 2015 to 2016, Tank played a character named Donovan in the show Born Again Virgin. He also played music executive Jheryl Busby in the BET miniseries The New Edition Story (2017) and The Bobby Brown Story (2018).

His Podcast

Tank and his manager, J. Valentine, host their own podcast called R&B Money Podcast. On the podcast, they interview famous R&B singers, songwriters, and producers. They talk about topics related to the music industry, focusing on R&B music. Their podcast is very popular, especially on YouTube.

Family Life

Tank got engaged to his longtime girlfriend Zena Foster on January 16, 2017. They have two children together, Zion and Zoey. They got married in Los Angeles, California, on July 22, 2018. Tank also has three other children from previous relationships: Jordan, Ryen, and Durrell Jr.

Music Albums

Studio albums

• Force of Nature (2001)
• One Man (2002)
• ..., Love & Pain (2007)
• Now or Never (2010)
• This Is How I Feel (2012)
• Stronger (2014)
• ... Love & Pain II (2016)
• Savage (2017)
• Elevation (2019)
• R&B Money (2022)

Collaborative albums

• Three Kings (with Tyrese and Ginuwine, as TGT) (2013)

Movies and TV Shows

Film

Television

Awards and Nominations

Grammy Awards

Soul Train Music Awards

International Music Journalism Award

See also

In Spanish: Tank (cantante) para niños