Tank

Biography

Durrell Artaze Babbs (born January 1, 1976), better known by his stage name Tank, is an American singer, songwriter, actor, record producer, and podcaster. He began his career as a backing vocalist for Aaliyah and Ginuwine, and signed a recording contract with the former's record label, Blackground Records as a performing act in 1998. His 2001 single, "Maybe I Deserve" peaked within the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and led his debut studio album, Force of Nature×Force of Nature13 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Throw Your Hands Up3:112My Freak4:083Maybe I Deserve4:494Can't Get Down5:125Designated Driver4:146What What What3:157Lady on My Block4:468Want You Now4:059Street Life10Slowly3:4111Kill 4 You6:0712Let It Go4:3013Bounce & Grind3:4914I Don't Wanna Be Lovin' You5:12 (2001). It peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200, while his second album, One Man×One Man29 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Interlude1:002One Man (intro)1:003One Man4:254Supa Sexy4:225My Place5:386Unpredictable3:417Cake & Ice Cream4:228Close3:499I'm the Reason5:0210Make Me Wanna Sing3:4711Let Me Live4:0312Party Like a Thug4:0613I Wanna Be That3:5014No Way3:4715Club4:1916So Many Times4:2617Better Man3:5718I Still Believe5:02 (2002), peaked within the top 20 and was met with mixed critical reception.
After a five-year hiatus, he entered a joint venture with Motown to release his third album, Sex, Love & Pain×Sex, Love & Pain15 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Coldest6:522I'm Coming Home3:053My Body3:514Please Don't Go5:545I Hate U5:156Heartbreaker4:317Who Dat3:508When6:219Wedding Song4:3910My Heart4:1411I Love U4:0212I Love Them Girls (Timbaland remix)3:5713I Still Love You4:3414Cry4:05 (2007). Yielding his furthest commercial success, it peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and was preceded by the Billboard Hot 100-top 50 single, "Please Don't Go". He parted ways with the labels in favor of Atlantic Records to release his following albums: Now or Never×Now or Never13 December 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Showtime1:312Sex Music3:413Celebrating4:134Emergency (intro)0:475Emergency4:156Scream4:037Keep It 1004:078Foreplay4:039Can I (intro)1:3310Can I3:3511Amazing4:0112You Mean That Much3:4013I Can’t Make You Love Me3:5614Let Me Know3:4515Sex Nights (remix of Sex Music)4:01 (2010), This Is How I Feel×This Is How I Feel8 May 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Lonely4:542Your One3:473Compliments4:124Don't Give Up3:285Nowhere3:316Off Your Hands3:377This Is How I Feel4:168Next Breath3:309Better Than Me3:5310Lost It All4:42 (2012), Stronger×Stronger8 August 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1You're My Star5:042Nobody Better4:203Dance With Me6:204I Gotta Have It3:075Missing You5:316Same Way5:167Hope This Makes You Love Me5:428Stronger5:319Thanking You6:1110If That's What It Takes5:37 (2014), Sex, Love & Pain II (2014), and Savage (2017), the latter of which spawned the platinum-certified single "When We". Following his ninth album Elevation×Elevation24 October 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Overture3:522Elevation2:223WWJD3:484Champion3:435No Cap3:166I Don’t Think You’re Ready2:447Dirty3:458Somebody Else3:209Do You3:5010I Promise3:4111You Mean More3:3512This4:3213Our Song3:2814Dirty (remix)2:58 (2019), his tenth album, R&B Money×R&B MONEY19 August 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1R&B MONEY1:292When You Dance3:093Home3:424No Limit3:275Slow3:206Morning2:587Can’t Let It Show3:378See Through Love3:509Spoil Her Alert3:2610I Deserve3:4911Too Late3:4612Make Sure3:2713Let’s Take A Ride4:1314It’s Nothing3:1015Awesome3:1116Regular3:3017Summer Killa2:27 (2022), was announced as his final due to hearing loss in his right ear, which hampered his musical ability.
In 2007, he formed the R&B trio TGT with contemporaries Ginuwine and Tyrese, with whom he released one studio album (2013). Along with recording, Tank has been credited with songwriting and production work for other artists, including Kelly Rowland, Chris Brown, Monica, Jamie Foxx, Aaliyah, Omarion, LeToya Luckett, NLT, and KeKe Wyatt. He founded the record label R&B Money, which has signed frequent collaborator J. Valentine; the two began hosting a namesake podcast in 2022, which interviews prominent figures in the genre. Tank has been nominated for four Grammy Awards, a Soul Train Music Award, and his podcast was nominated for Best Work of Music Journalism - Multimedia at the 2023 International Music Journalism Awards.

Early life

Babbs was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, then he moved with his family as a child to Clinton, Maryland. He was a multisport athlete in high school and was offered the opportunity to play college football. However, Tank decided to focus on music, with his vocal talent being recognized to the point where R&B singer Ginuwine gave him an opportunity to sing background vocals for him during one of the latter's tours. Tank also became a backing singer for Aaliyah, whom he had met through Ginuwine in 1997.
Tank later signed as an artist with Aaliyah's record label Blackground Records.

2001–2007: Force of Nature, One Man and Sex, Love & Pain

In 2001, Tank released his debut album Force of Nature×Force of Nature13 March 2001 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Throw Your Hands Up3:112My Freak4:083Maybe I Deserve4:494Can't Get Down5:125Designated Driver4:146What What What3:157Lady on My Block4:468Want You Now4:059Street Life10Slowly3:4111Kill 4 You6:0712Let It Go4:3013Bounce & Grind3:4914I Don't Wanna Be Lovin' You5:12 which spawned the moderate hit Maybe I Deserve". Also in 2001, Aaliyah released two songs that Tank had written for her, "I Can Be" and "What If", on her album Aaliyah.
In 2002, Tank released his second album One Man×One Man29 October 2002 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 18 tracks1Interlude1:002One Man (intro)1:003One Man4:254Supa Sexy4:225My Place5:386Unpredictable3:417Cake & Ice Cream4:228Close3:499I'm the Reason5:0210Make Me Wanna Sing3:4711Let Me Live4:0312Party Like a Thug4:0613I Wanna Be That3:5014No Way3:4715Club4:1916So Many Times4:2617Better Man3:5718I Still Believe5:02 and a single of the same name. Tank provided vocals for I Care 4 U, Aaliyah's posthumous compilation album, featuring on the album's final single, "Come Over".
Tank released his third solo album, Sex, Love & Pain×Sex, Love & Pain15 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Coldest6:522I'm Coming Home3:053My Body3:514Please Don't Go5:545I Hate U5:156Heartbreaker4:317Who Dat3:508When6:219Wedding Song4:3910My Heart4:1411I Love U4:0212I Love Them Girls (Timbaland remix)3:5713I Still Love You4:3414Cry4:05, in May 2007. The lead single of the album was the minor hit "Please Don't Go", which peaked at number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. Later that year, Tank, alongside Ginuwine and Tyrese Gibson, formed the group TGT. The group was put on hold due to contractual issues, but signed with Atlantic Records in September 2012 to release their debut collaborative album, Three Kings the following year.

2010–2014: Now or Never, This Is How I Feel and Stronger

Tank released his fourth studio album, Now or Never×Now or Never13 December 2010 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 15 tracks1Showtime1:312Sex Music3:413Celebrating4:134Emergency (intro)0:475Emergency4:156Scream4:037Keep It 1004:078Foreplay4:039Can I (intro)1:3310Can I3:3511Amazing4:0112You Mean That Much3:4013I Can’t Make You Love Me3:5614Let Me Know3:4515Sex Nights (remix of Sex Music)4:01, in December 2010. Tank collaborated with artists who included Chris Brown, Drake, on this project. The singles were "Sex Music×Sex Music29 June 2010 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sex Music3:44", "I Can't Make You Love Me", and "Emergency".
Tank released his fifth studio album, This Is How I Feel×This Is How I Feel8 May 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Lonely4:542Your One3:473Compliments4:124Don't Give Up3:285Nowhere3:316Off Your Hands3:377This Is How I Feel4:168Next Breath3:309Better Than Me3:5310Lost It All4:42, in May 2012. Tank collaborated with the artists Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, T.I. and Kris Stephens on the album. The song "Compliments", featuring Kris Stephens and T.I., was released as the lead single in October 2011.
On September 14, 2013, Tank sang the U.S. national anthem before the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Canelo Álvarez fight in Las Vegas, Nevada.
His sixth studio album Stronger×Stronger8 August 2014 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1You're My Star5:042Nobody Better4:203Dance With Me6:204I Gotta Have It3:075Missing You5:316Same Way5:167Hope This Makes You Love Me5:428Stronger5:319Thanking You6:1110If That's What It Takes5:37 was released in August 2014. It featured the singles "You're My Star" and the title track. They did not make the US Hot 100 but both peaked in the Top 20 of the US Urban AC chart. The album marked a slight departure from his previous releases, focusing on a "retro R&B sound" for the album. Following disappointing sales of the release, Tank had claimed the album would be his last.

2015–2020: Sex Love & Pain II and Savage

In February 2015, a mixtape album, If You Were Mine×If You Were Mine10 February 2015 · EP · Mixtape/StreetSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1All of Me2End of Time3If You Were Mine4Lost Without You5Someone Like You6Stay With Me, was released. Later that year, Tank premiered a new single, "You Don't Know", featuring Wale. It served as the lead single for his seventh studio album Sex Love & Pain II×Sex Love & Pain II22 January 2016 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1SLP24:452You Don’t Know4:063She wit the Shit3:374#BDAY5:125Fuckin’ wit Me4:026Relationship Goals4:417I Love Ya5:198So Cold4:019Better for You3:4110Already in Love4:0811Him Her Them5:1012Bishop Cognac (skit)2:2413Hold Up4:0114Don't Let Go3:28, released in January 2016. The album debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B chart (marking his 5th album to do so) and #15 on the US Top 200 Albums chart. A second single "#BDAY" followed later that year, in addition to a holiday EP A Classic Christmas Night×A Classic Christmas Night16 December 2016 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas3:182Silent Night4:033Chestnuts4:484White Christmas3:125Hark the Harold Angel Sings3:086Thankful for You3:01 in December, released independently.
In May 2017, Tank performed at Washington DC's Black Gay Pride event, garnering both praise and criticism and setting off a debate concerning the rare instances male R&B artists perform at LGBT events. In September 2017, Tank released his eighth studio album, Savage×Savage29 September 2017 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Savage2:592Everything4:043Do For Me3:554Only One2:575You Belong To Me3:296Good Thing3:367Sexy4:308When We5:099F It Up4:2310Nothing On5:2011Stay Where You Are3:34. The album's lead single "When We", has peaked at number 86 on the Billboard Hot 100. In October 2019, Tank released his ninth studio album ELEVATION×Elevation24 October 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 14 tracks1Overture3:522Elevation2:223WWJD3:484Champion3:435No Cap3:166I Don’t Think You’re Ready2:447Dirty3:458Somebody Else3:209Do You3:5010I Promise3:4111You Mean More3:3512This4:3213Our Song3:2814Dirty (remix)2:58. He then released a piano-laced EP titled While You Wait×While You Wait27 March 2020 · EPSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1You Never Knew4:132You4:563Self Esteem5:244Perfect4:095My Lovers4:456Facetime4:16 on March 27, 2020.

2021-present: R&B Money and Experience

On February 26, 2021, Tank released the single "Can't Let It Show" of which the chorus interpolates the 1989 Kate Bush single "This Woman's Work". Kate Bush is credited for the song alongside Tank. In August 2021, it was announced that Blackground Records would be rereleasing discographies of artists including Tank, Aaliyah, Toni Braxton and Timbaland & Magoo. Tank's first three studio albums were reissued on CD, cassette, vinyl, digital download and for the first time, streaming, on September 17, 2021. On October 29, 2021, Tank released "I Deserve" from his upcoming tenth and final album R&B Money×R&B MONEY19 August 2022 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1R&B MONEY1:292When You Dance3:093Home3:424No Limit3:275Slow3:206Morning2:587Can’t Let It Show3:378See Through Love3:509Spoil Her Alert3:2610I Deserve3:4911Too Late3:4612Make Sure3:2713Let’s Take A Ride4:1314It’s Nothing3:1015Awesome3:1116Regular3:3017Summer Killa2:27. The single reached the top 10 on the R&B Radio chart. Tank was nominated, for the first time, for an American Music Award for Favorite Soul/R&B Male Artist, held on November 21, 2021. He lost to The Weeknd. Prior to the release of R&B Money, Tank announced that it would be his final studio album, triggered in part by loss of hearing in his right ear in 2021.

On May 2, 2025, Blackground Records 2.0 released the single "Gone", by Aaliyah, with Tank co-writing the song and adding co-lead vocals. The single was released exclusively to the record label's streaming app, BLKStream, but saw a wider release to streaming and digital download sites on August 1, 2025. "Gone" peaked at number one on the Adult R&B Airplay Chart, and at number 13 on the R&B/Hip Hop Airplay chart. Following widespread criticism from Aaliyah fans regarding the quality of the single, Tank released a statement, writing, "[The song] featuring myself was supposed to be something good to preserve and continue the legacy of the amazing Aaliyah… This is not it. I’m out [...] The Aaliyah song you are hearing featuring myself, I did out of love for her. I had concerns and I expressed them. From the track to the vocals to the mix and to the visual [...] I still went forward knowing I would at least be able to approve the final products. I haven’t approved one thing you’ve heard or seen [...] Me thinking people had changed was my mistake and I own it [...] Aaliyah deserves better". On November 18, 2025, Tank released the single "Control". which is set to appear on his upcoming eleventh studio album, Experience×EXPERIENCE25 September 2026 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1EXPERIENCE3:172WHOLE LOT OF ME2:443WHAT ARE WE DOING3:264WHEN YOU COME AROUND2:585CONTROL2:456YES3:437YOU KNOW4:128RECOVERY3:439RECIPROCATE3:0710RICK2:5911GIDDY UP2:4712STILL3:0713HIGHLIGHT3:5114GIVE ME THE WORLD4:1315IT WON'T WORK3:1416HOW I NEED YOU5:49, slated for a September 25, 2026 release. An official music video, directed by Daniil Demechev, was released on December 17, 2025.
On April 2, 2026, Tank released the single "Turtleneck"; the single is not expected to be included on the Experience studio album. On July 10, 2026, he released "Yes". The single interpolates Floetry's 2023 single "Say Yes". An official music video, also directed by Denechev, premiered on the same day. On August 28, 2026, he released the third and fourth singles from Experience: "Highlight", which features Charlie Wilson and MK; and "How I Need You", which features Kirk Franklin, Eric Dawkins and Zacardi Cortez.

Artistry

Tank's music is typically soul-rooted R&B. Following his 2012 album This Is How I Feel×This Is How I Feel8 May 2012 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Lonely4:542Your One3:473Compliments4:124Don't Give Up3:285Nowhere3:316Off Your Hands3:377This Is How I Feel4:168Next Breath3:309Better Than Me3:5310Lost It All4:42, his music started to incorporate a more hip-hop sound. His lyrics mostly explore themes of love, relationships, sexuality and emotional expression, often delving into the complexities of romantic relationships. He mentioned Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Boyz II Men and R. Kelly as his musical inspirations.

Writing and producing

Tank's songwriting and production credits include working with Aaliyah, Chris Brown, Dave Hollister, Fantasia Barrino, Kelly Rowland, Marques Houston, Omarion, Jamie Foxx, Pitbull, Donell Jones and Monica as a member of the production team the Underdogs and with his own team, Song Dynasty.

Acting

He was a contributor to the score of the film adaptation of the musical Dreamgirls, in which he had a cameo. He was also featured in the movie Preacher's Kid. Tank played Donovan in Born Again Virgin (2015–2016). He also played recording company executive Jheryl Busby in the BET miniseries The New Edition Story (2017), The Bobby Brown Story (2018), and appeared in T.I. & Tiny: Friends & Family Hustle (2018).
In March of 2025, Babbs made his Broadway debut in Hell's Kitchen assuming the role of Davis, previously portrayed by Brandon Victor Dixon. He serves as a limited replacement and featured performer in the production for an 11-week engagement.
Tank is set to play Eric Cropper in the fourth season of Reasonable Doubt.

Podcast

Tank and his manager, J. Valentine, are the hosts of their own streaming podcast, R&B Money Podcast, where they interview popular R&B recording artists, songwriters, producers, and other legends of the genre, discussing industry topics with R&B music at its center. The podcast is most popular on the YouTube platform.

Personal life

Tank got engaged to his longtime girlfriend Zena Foster on January 16, 2017. The couple have two children, Zoey Babbs and Zion Babbs. They were married in Los Angeles, California, on July 22, 2018. Foster is Tank's second wife. He has three more children from previous relationships: Jordan Babbs, Ryen Babbs, and Durrell Babbs Jr.