Tank Tears Up Recalling Aaliyah Validating Him As An Artist: "Makes All The Difference"

BY Erika Marie 2.0K Views
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Tank
Early in his career, Tank would hop on as Aaliyah's background vocals and he recently revisited a time when she encouraged him to keep going.

Regardless of what era of Hip Hop you develop in, making a name for yourself isn't easy. Although the culture may change from one generation to the next, getting one's foot in the door can prove difficult in an industry that is looking for a certain "it" factor. Many times, we see deserving talents passed over and it may take some exposure from one of their peers to attain their big break. 

On his episode of Drink Champs, R&B veteran Tank took a walk down memory lane as he spoke about working with the late Aaliyah all those years ago. He helped sing background vocals and collaborated on her smooth jam "Come Over."

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"Aaliyah told me, 'You're ready,'" said the singer. "You're ready for this sh*t. And like, nothing vali—" It was then that Tank stopped to compose himself as he was overcome with emotion. "Nothing validates you more than a woman. When Aaliyah says 'you're that guy,' that makes all the difference in the world."

In May of last year, Tank caught up with Elle's Song Association and talked about how his addition to "Come Over" came to be.

"The song you hear me on, 'Come Over,' I just happened to walk in the studio that day. We were going to check on baby girl, and she was working with Johnta Austin,” he said. “As soon as I walked in, she said, 'Tank can do it,' Johnta said, 'Tank can do it,' and I was like, 'Tank can do what?'"

Check out the clip from Tank's Drink Champs episode below.




About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.

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