After two-plus decades in the music game, R&B singer, songwriter, and producer Tank is releasing what he claims is his final solo album in the form of R&B Money. As many R&B already know, in early 2021, Tank revealed that he was dealing with hearing loss in his right ear.
Nevertheless, the one-time football player didn’t let hearing loss slow him down and went to the studio to finalize the project. While Tank’s last few projects found the singer falling into R&B thuggery/trap soul, throughout his earlier album, Tank always showed he was a force in music. And his final album is a bit of a return to form.
The first single from R&B Money, “Let It Show,” arrived in summer 2021 and found Tank sampling Kate Bush’s classic “This Woman’s Work.” Over the song’s duration, Tank shares thoughts about some mistakes he made in his relationship. Tank finds himself in a vulnerable space as he reflects on his past mistakes. With his falsetto voice, he passionately sings, “I should have been all I promised / I shouldn’t have had to learn it from this / You should have been the first,” he passionately sings to his listeners.
Tank stayed in the sampling bag for the album’s second single, “I Deserve,” which found the singer putting a fresh spin on his breakthrough debut solo single, “Maybe I Deserve.” In this ballad, Tank is on his hands and knees, hoping to win back his woman after a series of relationship misconducts.
At the song’s conclusion, he lets the listener know that the object of his affection is now engaged, and her husband-to-be has met her parental units. This revelation indicates that his plans to make amends have been in vain, but it may not be for lack of trying. Whether male or female, it’s a lesson in love to ensure you tighten up before missing out on a great opportunity.
For the final single, “Slow,” Tank links up with J. Valentine for a traditional bedroom banger. I’ve rocked with J. Valentine since his project, The Testimony, so I was elated to see him make a return to music after his hiatus. The rest of R&B Money is somewhat of a mixed bag, but Tank hits more than he misses.
Tank enlists Chris Brown for the ballad “See Through Love,” Alex Isley shows up on “No Limit,” and Vedo makes an appearance on “Morning .”Given the age difference between Tank and the guests, I was surprised at how well these songs work. I can admit the vulgarity, and brash lyrics of “Morning” may deter the nineties babies, but Tank made it work for me.
Unfortunately, the CD lost me with the last few tracks. I think Tank should’ve given them to J. Valentine or the new supposed supergroup RSVP (Ray J, Sammie, Bobby V, and Pleasure P, for those not in the know). Nevertheless, while R&B Money isn’t the capstone of Tank’s career, the title is appropriate and worth the purchase.
R&B Money is available on all streaming platforms
For this week’s Second Listen Sunday, I want to revisit 2004 and highlight Romeo’s debut solo album, formerly of Immature. Titled “Food for Thought” and released on June 22nd, this project marked the singer’s change of name to Young Rome in an effort to distance himself from the youthful sound of his group, much like his bandmate Marques Houston had done a year earlier.
In the nineties, Hip-Hop reigned supreme, and every label CEO wanted a share of the lucrative R&B market. One strategy was to keep singers on their roster who could deliver catchy hooks, keeping everything in-house and saving money. Bad Boy had Carl Thomas, Death Row had Danny Boy, and Roc-A-Fella had Rell, our featured artist for this week’s Slow Jam Saturday
Growing up in the eighties, I was surrounded by incredibly talented male R&B singers who could deliver unforgettable love songs. Artists like Luther Vandross, Jeffrey Osborne, and Peabo Bryson dominated the airwaves, but Freddie Jackson was another voice that truly deserved recognition.