R&B Artist Tank took to social media to express his frustrations with the music industry. Not too long ago, Tank ranted on Twitter about his TGT group (Tank, Ginuwine, & Tyrese) losing the “Best Group” category to Young Money at this past year’s BET Awards (catch up here if you missed it).
Now, Tank says that he is completely worn out by all of the hard work and dedication he has put into his music only to receive little to nothing back in return. He is confident that he is one of the best singers, producers, writers, and performers in the game. If he were “white” he says his sales would be through the roof and he wouldn’t be stuck in the “urban” category.
Tank’s last album Stronger sold a little over 22k in the first two weeks. Those numbers are very…well.
As a result, he has decided that it is no longer worth it to put energy into his dying career. Instead, he chooses to focus on his family and more important things.
Read what he had to say below:
Via Tank’s Instagram
If I look tired it’s because I am. I’m deeply saddened and disappointed that “Stronger” will not get a video or the continued promotion it deserves! I’d love to blame Atlantic Records but that would be a lie! It’s tough for record companies to continue to fund music that people don’t support! I pride myself on giving you real musicianship, real singing, real lyrical content and being true to the music that inspired my very existence. The problem is there aren’t many people left that want to hear it or buy it and if there are they won’t stand up and be noticed! Who am I doing this for? Who am I maintaining this so called integrity for? Not many as u can tell by my first wk sales..lol. The artist that don’t give a f— sell the most and do the most! Should that be my new route? Maybe I should have been born white then all of my music would go straight to mainstream and pop radio instead of urban ac.. A format that continues to kill the true R&B artist! (Not mad at white artist just to be clear!) What I do know is that i will not continue to be faithful to something or someone that is not being faithful to me. I love you but I have a family. I have a mom and dad just like you. I have goals and dreams just like you. I refuse to work hard for nothing. I look better, sing better, produce better, write better, and perform better than dam near everybody and this is the thanks I get?.. Again I’m not angry I’m just tired.. Please enjoy my last real R&B album “Stronger” cause you’ll never get another one! #letterfromaking
Is R&B really dead? Do you agree with what Tank has to say? I mean, K. Michelle reached 87k in sales the first week and she’s an R&B artist. Chris Brown is an R&B Artist and he sold 145,000 copies his first week of releasing the X album. Could it just be the artist and not the genre that is the issue here?
No, I definitely do not think it is the artist, but the changing tastes of the target market. I absolutely love, love, love Tank. His voice is great and I personally feel he serves the TRUE*
RNB genre well. When I was growing up RNB WAS THE SHIT! Listening to the radio, buying CD’s and illegally downloading from Napster was the only way to get my 247 RNB fix from artists like Jagged Edge, Donell Jones, Case, 112, Ginuwine, TLC, Maxwell, Carl Thomas, 702, Sunshine Anderson, and of course Tank, the list can go on however, and include names like Jimmy Ruffin, Ben E. King, Eddie Floyd, Teddy Pendergrass, Michael Jackson, Isley Brothers etc etc etc, the list can go on and on. These artists to me have, and will continue to
be TRUE RNB ARTISTS.
Talk to someone in their teens and ask if they know who half these people are
and I guarantee majority wont know who the hell any of them are, and will
probably find their music boring or unrelatable. I have noticed it myself, I
hardly hear any decent RNB music, most of the time it is plagued with wack ass
rap or hip hop lyrics, and I can no longer distinguish RNB from Pop, or Hip Hop.
I am disappointed Tank sales flopped but the reality is the songs of my teenage
years are nowhere near the songs I hear young people listen to now. The artists
that continue to top the charts have succumbed to the masses, and if the artist
is young enough, and has a good label and marketing team to promote their new
and improved musical ventures, they sell.
Look at Usher, he was on top of his game for a minute especially with his Confessions album, but lo and behold, in the last 5 years or so, songs like Oh My God, and Scream have topped the charts, THAT SHIT IS NOT RNB, but POP BULLSHIT with electronic, fast beats, and
pubescent lyrics like ” honey got a booty like pow pow pow, honey got some
boobies like wow, oh wow” like REALLLYY???? Little ass teenagers say corny
ass shit like this, not grown folks, and they damn sure don’t sing this type of
shit and label it as RNB…
The music industry has changed, and in my opinion this genre is a dying breed
not because the artists lack the talent, drive, skill or motivation but because
musical tastes have changed and listening to heartbreaking, sexy love songs
isn’t necessary anymore..I could be wrong about all of this… but from my
experience and knowledge ( or lack thereof) this is my take on it …
Sincerely,
RNB Fan
P.S: FUCK TODAYS MUSIC
No, I definitely do not think it is the artist, but the changing tastes of the target market. I absolutely love,love, love Tank. His voice is great and I personally feel he serves the TRUE*
RNB genre well. When I was growing up RNB WAS THE SHIT! Listening to the radio, buying CD’s and illegally downloading from Napster was the only way to get my 247 RNB fix from artists like Jagged Edge, Donell Jones, Case, 112, Ginuwine, TLC, Maxwell, Carl Thomas, 702, Sunshine Anderson, and of course Tank, the list can go on however, and include names like Jimmy Ruffin, Ben E. King, Eddie Floyd, Teddy Pendergrass, Michael Jackson, Isley Brothers etc etc etc, the list can go on and on. These artists to me have, and will continue to
be TRUE RNB ARTISTS.
Talk to someone in their teens and ask if they know who half these people are and I guarantee majority wont know who the hell any of them are, and will probably find their music boring or unrelatable. I have noticed it myself, I hardly hear any decent RNB music, most of the time it is plagued with wack ass rap or hip hop lyrics, and I can no longer distinguish RNB from Pop, or Hip Hop.
I am disappointed Tank sales flopped but the reality is the songs of my teenage years are nowhere near the songs I hear young people listen to now. The artists that continue to top the charts have succumbed to the masses, and if the artist is young enough, and has a good label and marketing team to promote their new and improved musical ventures, they sell.
Look at Usher, he was on top of his game for a minute especially with his Confessions album, but lo and behold, in the last 5 years or so, songs like Oh My God, and Scream have topped the charts, THAT SHIT IS NOT RNB, but POP BULLSHIT with electronic, fast beats, and
pubescent lyrics like ” honey got a booty like pow pow pow, honey got some boobies like wow, oh wow” like REALLLYY???? Little ass teenagers say corny ass shit like this, not grown folks, and they damn sure don’t sing this type of shit and label it as RNB…
The music industry has changed, and in my opinion this genre is a dying breed not because the artists lack the talent, drive, skill or motivation but because musical tastes have changed and listening to heartbreaking, sexy love songs isn’t necessary anymore… why let my imagination work through melodies and lyrics when taking a selfie while listnow I could be wrong about all of this… but from my experience and knowledge ( or lack thereof) this is my take on it
…
Sincerely,
RNB Fan
P.S: FUCK TODAYS MUSIC
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