Tank Leads With Love on NPR’s Latest ‘Tiny Desk’
Tank surely put a tangy twist on Tiny Desk this edition.
Durrell “Tank” Babbs wasted no time stealing our hearts on the latest feature for NPR Music’s Black Music Month series on Tiny Desk.
All month long, the series is showcasing some of the best Black artists–old and new–in an effort to commemorate its historical influence on our lives while also recognizing the importance of keeping the black sound alive today.
In June of 2022, artists featured included Usher, FKA Twigs, Larry June and more, all of which got to perform on the tiny-but-mighty stage for an intimate, yet impactful performance. Legends like Charlie Wilson and Babyface have already made their mark this month, performing classics like “There Goes My Baby” and “Superwoman”.
The Milwaukee-born r&b singer-songwriter and producer is known for his smooth singles like "Maybe I Deserve", "Please Don't Go", and "When We". Grammy-nominated, he has produced for artists like Jamie Foxx, Aaliyah and Kelly Rowland.
His sultry sound that initially put him on the map still resonates with the sound of today. He is also, ironically, recognized for singing backup for Babyface in his long-standing career.
Background vocalists included singer-songwriter-actor Luke James, singer Brooke Valentine and songwriter and producer Lonny Bereal, supporting Tank in his 14-song set.
"Some of these songs make you wanna make up. Some of these songs make you wanna breakup and some of these songs make you want to participate in various sexual activities," Tank playfully fair-warned prior to the start.
The artist went on to serenade our souls with hits such as “Slowly”, “Naked”, and “Dirty”, clearly heating things up for a humble crowd. Paired with a swanky bass and pillowy piano, this spicy stage-act was guaranteed to get your blood pumping.
Fans are already gushing over the Tiny Desk turned “the big, nasty Desk”, as coined by NPR.
One user commented, “Man!!! These Tiny Desks are out of control!!!” Another, impressed by the group choice said, “I love how the mainstream artists are using other mainstream artists as background singers. This is 🔥!!!”
Tank helped us “See Through Love” with his bold ‘bedroom’ hits on this Tiny Desk feature.
