Tink

Money ladies and gentlemen. My name is Tank Valentine. Oh and this is the R and B Money Podcast, the authority on all things what R and B. Oh, my goodness.

The last part that you forgot out, the money part, the independent money part.

Listen, man, I don't know where you're from. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, shout down. I don't know where you're from. I would have been through that. We've been through them street and I'm not I'm gonna say it, Shoutown's finest, y'all makes noise for taking the film. I'm listen. I'll be listening to your music and I'll be like, Okay, that's that's something I would have said, just in reverse.

So early we just started.

We told you we're different around here. This ain't no regular you know, I mean, you you say it the way it is, and and for me, like I'm a very visual, you know what I mean. I'm a very visual person. Like as soon as you start to sing or talk, I go straight into my imagination. And if you can visualize line by line, that's when you're a writer,

Absolutely, my ladies, they need it.

You know, it's raw, it's to the point, you know, you know how it gets as you say. I want to say this first, I'm so honored. Literally I have been listening to your music, your influence for years. So whatever you see in me is literally you know, me just taking from everything that I've heard from you, and I'm honored to be here.

Awesome.

I just have to throw that I'm such a student of the game and I can tell you just do not know.

This means so much to me.

Absolutely so we're blessed to have you because you cook it. Because you cook it, and I think that you know you represent I think we give, we give flowers, and we give celebration to anybody. What I say, who can get off that bench? You know what I'm saying and get into the space, because it's hard enough to just get in the game and to have some some success regardless of your level of talent. But you, for us,

My whole soul.

I get so much song when I hear when I hear your voice, your music, That's what I try to bring to the game, to my soul. So it was like, you know, you keep it robbing kind of straight to the point. I agree, it has to be felt.

Yeah, because your your truth resonates with with with everyone that's within that connective fiber, you know what I mean. You like you never you never really realize how many people now that are just listening but are connected to your journey. Like it it's beyond say that.

Yeah, oh my god, the journey. Yeah yeah, I've been making music so long y'all, so I felt that word the journey.

Get into that. When's the first time somebody said, bab this one right here? Got it?

Well, you know, I started making music in my basement, So my journey has been for years back in twenty twelve is when I got my start. So this is like Chicago days when I didn't have a dime and all I had was a computer and my father, he would have recorded me in my basement. Your father, your father's My father was my engineer. He recorded my first two mixtapes. Yeah, shout out to my father. He really

For a long long time. Yeah, So it's in me, really in me.

That is that family dynamic is crazy. Pops with the engineering and with the guitar. Was he was he in the in the space as a professional.

Well, no, he was the engineer and he also played He plays piano and guitar, so he would have artists come through the basement and I would kind of watch people record. My mom was a gospel singer, so she would be around the house singing all day. She also recorded her own songs and wrote her own material. So music is just like all throughout my family. My father would record her and I would just watch this as a baby growing up, just taking notes.

You know.

I would be trying to peek down the stairs, like who's coming in to day? You know which y'all recording what she talking about. But that's how I got my start, just watching, and I asked my father one day, can you record me or show me how to you know, show me.

How to record music?

And he gave me, you know, my first my first couple of records, and I took it from there.

That's crazy. So Pops was doing the tracks. Well.

I would find my beasts on YouTube, y'all.

This is like early so I would find, like, you know, found my beats wherever I could, and my father would engineer me and then he would kind of help me mix it down and add pieces guitar here and there. So my biggest record is like treat me like somebody. We recorded that in the basement. He had gave me two hours. You know, it was just a Saturday, and you know, like I say, he had a job, so he couldn't he couldn't record all day. I had two hours to come in and do what I had to do.

And it's dope because it gave you, in a sense, early studio etiquette understanding, like when.

I come here, I'm here to work.

That's what I mean.

It's it's very serious for me, like I didn't have time to play or you know, I had like maybe one loop to do the song and then we would go and do another loop of ad libs.

It wasn't like you can you know kind of.

And then none of that exactly.

It was a one take thing. I didn't have a the time. He didn't have a lot of time.

So yeah, you know that really just trained me to go in and have you have your music rehearsed. I was practicing before I went in that basement, and you.

Know what, that's that's lost. Practicing before you go in the studio. That's lost because I used to do that, Like if I would was writing songs or whatever before I actually because I would write it in my basement, make the tracks and do all the stuff, and I'd be singing it and figuring, and I'd figure out my my vibe and my mode where I wanted to land. And by the time I got to the studio on them a dat's you knew what you want to do. I'm recording four or five songs a day because I already

That Like I love that I still write on paper, I still make my notes and you know you'll see a scratch sheet with me arrow up. That means you need to be a little stronger. I rolled down gets solved. I still do that to this day. So that's crazy you mentioned that.

Yeah, it's like.

Yeah, because like Chicago is Chicago's Chicago, Chicago's music, Chicago is music, but Chicago also has this this this undercurrent of of foolishness that you can dip into easily. Was it was it your pops in the family that kept you from being part of that because those things kind of go hand in hand town mixed in.

With the streets.

I feel like it was a point in Chicago where I felt like I had to be visible. And you gotta remember, drill drill rap was a heavy part of music. So I did take a couple of years where I was like, you know, I also want to mess with the rap and I can get I see, I can get some fans if I put a little aggression behind my music. So you know, it was a It was a couple of years where you know, I shot away from the R and B and I was rapping.

So a lot of people don't know that too. I used to really I used.

To really rap, like drill rap, like very very much hard rap, and but for me, that was just me riding a wave and I knew that people wanted to hear it. So that's why I say I'm so, I'm so kind of like multi talented. I can also, you know, we can draw bars if we want to. I can sing, I can I can get hard if.

We need to.

So, yeah, I feel like Chicago got a lot of influence on my music. I try to keep the lingo in there. I make sure like I don't want to sound too polished. I don't want to sound too I never wanted to get to a point where the streets don't feel me. So for that reason, my R and B still feels tough, and I still keep the same lingo in the.

R and B.

It's relatable.

I'm blending it.

Yeah, because you're a rapper as well, don't start this. Yeah, he was a terrible rapper. You were you, I would say I wasn't a terrible rapper. I wasn't a terrible rapper. Okay, I'm gonna say this is a reoccurring theme that always happens because he tries to discredit me. I had a rap called Rated R that was killing the hood. He didn't get out of the church until he was twenty seven. I was rapping while on all the.

Church church, Yeah, half past.

Yeah, you know the Turks over here, you know what I'm saying. Hey, no, my Midwest. I was in Milwaukee rapping.

I get it.

I used to compete against like you know, Vice Lawds and the Gangster Disciples and all of them, and they beat this kid coming up rapping against them. It didn't go far. But while I was young, I had the gift. I didn't even you know what you had was way

For me, when I met Timbaland in twenty fifteen, I felt like that was a breakthrough.

Coming from the streets to Chicago.

That was a big deal and it also gave me the platform. You know, our situation it worked out the way it worked out, but I did take I did gain a lot of attention and fans so I'm grateful for that. We had a record call million, and I also just was able to go to different pace pla.

I was on a breakfast club rapping.

I had wrapped over a record with Jay Z and Rick Ross, so that kind of had like a New York in a in a big frenzy, and I just called a lot of attention off of those baby steps with Tim. So I think I had a fan base, but the world didn't really understand who I was. So when I met Tim, that gave me kind of a what would you call it commercial commercial attention?

Yeah, yeah, so that was a big deal for me.

I still thank him just for you know, giving me the promotion, and you know, I took what I could from that situation, but that helped me elevate so that I could shake hands with different producers. I got around him, and I was kind of able to see how, you know, the studio worked in these big corporate labels. So all my relationships, I just started making sure that I was, you know, keeping good graces with everybody I've met.

Yeah, and then so you say Timberland, who is my favorite producer.

Of course, of course legendary all times. So grateful that we got to make anything. You know, to be in a room with him, it's amazing.

So, yeah, he's he's one of those guys. Like when I was trying to figure out how to produce, I would recreate all of his beats from Aliyah to Genuine to Missy. I would get on this keyboard that only had nine tracks and try and figure out how Timberland was doing what he was doing.

It's crazy. You know.

He's one of the people who changed the sound of music a few times.

Yeah, he changed the sound of.

Music exactly, and that's what I appreciate With Tim. We definitely had a sound, and that made me branch out instead of focusing on drill. I was kind of like molding my sound and working on different type of different production and beats. So I do feel like that gave me a broader image of music and brought me out of the slums, you know what I mean, because I was, really,

So did you go to did you go to Miami.

Yeah, we were working at because that's a whole other world because, like you say, in the hood, going to hood studios, I know what that with the Timberland Miami studio sessions and that whole vibe is, that's a whole completely different world.

Completely different world.

Like I said, the studios and walking in and having fresh fruit, walking in and having fresh fruit and having a runner that can bring you tea, and you know, just having time to really master the song. All of that was so different to me. I was, like I say, working in bedroom studios. So when I met him, everything was just ten times more grand, and it made me kind of step my game up because I'm like, I'm in this room. I got to make sure that I'm presenting the music right, I gotta kind to go crazy.

I think that that introduction and validation was all I needed to hear.

Yeah, thank you.

I didn't even need to hear you do anything.

Thank you so much.

Okay.

Yeah, and Tim, like I said, he was my biggest my biggest you know, he was my biggest supporter. He was going on he was on the radios, yes, and he would just say whatever came to mind. And I appreciate that.

Though. You need people in your corner that are ten toes down.

So I'm sorry question for you.

Yeah, so you come from that or you go to that from where you come from, and then it don't work out maybe how it was planned to. I feel like you are an artist that should be or that even should be, an artist that is inspiring to all of the artists coming up because you're you didn't just have this this career that just went like this here, you know what I mean, Like you're still going and how how life really works, and that you're the story

Such like No, it's the whole thing to go to.

These things have to connect and you have to not give up. So my question to you is when that doesn't go maybe the way that it was planned for you, how does what is your mindset at that point when it's like, Okay, I had this record deal, I'm with, you know, one of the greatest producers of all time, and now I'm back by myself with it.

Oh my god.

It was.

It was extremely hard. I was.

I took a season and I had to kind of distance myself from music altogether.

I took a year away.

Literally, I didn't post, I was kind of I turned into a ghost on social media. But I had to. I had to go and find myself as an artist. That was the season for me to rebrand. And I think a lot of the greatest artists we have seasons they have seasons where they come back as somebody different, and I had to kind of, I guess, you know.

Become tink, you know what I mean.

Like I was young, like I said, I was maybe twenty, and at that time, I didn't have a chance to really grow the fuck up. And so that year I took time to, like I say, get my business in order, rework my team. I had to find new management, find a new attorney. I went back into my paperwork and just really focused on.

What was right for me.

Like I say, when I signed, I was so young, I was moving fast, so I just had to tighten up. And I think that's as an artist, every year were supposed to tighten up, and it's nothing wrong with taking some time to you know, rework your vision. So for me, I really needed that. I needed to sit down. I needed to think about what I wanted to present to the world. And it just gave me that push, you know what I mean, Like when you know you got something and it's like, okay, I'm trying it this way.

I took it personal. I really I really did. And like I say, I had to come hard and that's.

When I got in my independent bag and my music became more authentic.

And I wasn't trying to please the studio. It was for me, you know.

And who went on your way back? Who was the who? What was the call? What was the like, you know, oh we're fucking with this, we need to lock in with you.

Honestly, it wasn't a call.

It took years and to rebuild, you know what I was what I was trying to do, and I honestly owe it to my Day one fans. You know, I had to kind of go back and, like I say, reinvent and start at ground zero. And I wasn't a afraid of that. You know, I was mocked, I was laughed at and a lot of people, you know, I thought it was over for me, but I knew I had a cult fan base and as long as I could reach my fans on social media and I could tell them, hey, I have something to drop I'm gonna

How many projects do you know?

Oh my god, y'all I have at least, it's really crazy, I have at least I want to stay between ten to fifteen projects in total.

Wow, fourteen in total over the last decade so since.

I want to say in twenty fifteen, I had mixedtapes before I met Tim, had a lot.

So, yeah, it's a lot. I put out a lot of material.

I don't have the luxury of sitting back and I don't have the you know, I'm not at the level where I can relax, So for me, I have to be consistent. You know, as much music is dropping, y'all, music drops, so every.

Day, Yeah, you don't let them forget.

I can't let them forget. I don't have that luxury. And also though, just to just to mention, I love making music.

I would do that. I would do it regardless.

What is your first hit moment? I won't say hit record, what what song creates that hit moment for you?

For me, it was I had two records and I didn't know that they were hits until later. But there's a record called Treat Me Like Somebody R and B record nothing but Me and a guitar, And there's also a record called Don't Tell Nobody feature in Jeremiah. And at the moment, y'all, we didn't have a budget. I didn't put any money into these records. I didn't have a crazy video behind them. Don't Tell Nobody doesn't have

Absolutely, yes, thank you, literally treat me like somebody.

It's my it's my biggest song to perform, and it's shocking because it's over ten years old and I'm so tired of performing it.

But don't you do this? Don't you do it?

Sometimes I'm like, oh my god, we gotta do treat me like somebody, And they're like, they want to hear that one.

You can do a new one, but you gotta do that way.

So maybe I deserve will always be always like those They're just defining records. They are records that make you you right and connect that cult following to you. You you cannot deny the cult. They will come after exactly. They get upset, but that perform such and such right, we've been. We went through that with uh funow with me, I'll fuck with me for sure, definitely with me. I'm just saying the idea that we didn't know the streets. The streets had picked that record up and ran with.

Never a single, never Anye. It just came on, like you said, no visual, no video, nothing.

It came on during the show one day and people just got up and started screaming. I was looking around, like somebody walk out and niggas started screaming. I started singing the song. I was saying, well, let me put this body roll in this see we own. It's the people will. The people will let you know. You know what I mean. And the great part is that you're you're out here. You're out here on this prideless venture, hitting whatever spot you gotta hit list. It's gotta be that.

No ego with me. I don't.

I don't look at the game like you know, I'm too good for anything because I've seen I've seen how we can come up. And I've seen the lows too, So I appreciate the small venues. I appreciate the theaters. I appreciate when I have to do a host thing, you know, like I say, a season when nobody was calling and I couldn't get an opportunity to perform. So I'm taking every I'm taking everything that comes my way because I'm so grateful.

I've seen it with my own eyes. I got a call from my brother. He said, you need to come to Chicago. You gotta see it, Mike, all right, is my brother.

Nobody comes to Chicago. Let me say that people I saw.

I had no other reason to be there.

My reason for being in Chicago was for you because of the phone call.

Thank you. I appreciate that I look out for me.

I get the phone call from Mickey and I'm like, all right, I'm on my way.

I love y'all food. Let's start there and Tank and tell.

You forget, no, no, no on that food.

Chicago's food is amazing. And Tank will tell you that when they asked, like is Jay coming, and I'd be like, how's the food there? I go to the places where the food is good.

That's how they will get out in the street and walk around and uber around, walking around looking for food. I can't do it no more because of this damn podcast.

And now they'd be like, I'm just trying to grab you some of this U what is it called Luminati's pizza?

Y'all got out here and I'm trying to go to these steakhouses. I'm just trying to chill.

But so I get to Chicago and I don't really like I had heard of you. I'd heard of you, and i'd heard a couple of songs. And the other person that used to always scream your name to me was Coshion, always screaming your.

Names right, and gave me one of my biggest.

Records, always screaming your name right. So I'm like, okay, these these are my brothers. They they are vouching. I am going to Chicago and I'm like, Mack, Where's where's the show?

He's like, Chicago Theater. I'm like, Chicago Theater. I've been to Chicago Theater. That's thirty five hundred, one of the biggest theaters. I know what that venue.

Isn't Okay, So she's doing three three thousand plus seats. Let's see what it's about to be because I don't. I don't fully know yet. When I get there, it is packed all the way to the concession.

Stand and I'm like, Mickey, what the fuck? He's like here like Broski, I told you they love her.

Thank you.

When you got on that stage after and this is the other thing I loved about. You know what y'all all had set up. You got the glam on side of the stage. They getting you right before. I'm like, Okay, this ain't just in the in the dressing room. You're gonna go right here. They doing this, they you changing outfits.

I'm like, oh ship, no major label.

Oh yes, let's let's talk about that. Independent independence.

This is all independent off the strength of a maybe four person team.

You know, you know.

What y'all doing is incredible. You called me right after you.

I called I said, a tank. What I just saw there?

I said? She cracking up, cracking, I appreciate this is year. This is a good one. How many years back? Is this for sure? Yeah? Yeah? When he said Chicago Theater, I was like, not Chicagoo.

I called Tank and I called Ghazi because that's my brother, and I knew that. You know, you guys have been doing you know, your projects with him.

And I'm like, and I'm I'm glad you're talking about this because I'm very humble, so I don't really like put things in people's face.

It was packed out three thousands, but I appreciate that because y'all it's not easy to get on stage in front of you know, thousands, or even just to sell one hundred tickets. It's not easy for any of us artists. And like you said, the.

Hard tickets come on. But seriously, I'm putting a lot into my shows now. I'm not I'm not trying to be an artist that's here today, gone tomorrow. I want people to come back to see me and I want my tours to be memorable, and I think that's also lost in this game too. Like as as an R and B artist, I'm really dancing and I'm really using live vocals and we're working the tracks to make it, you know, to make things sound huge, and everything is done off the muscle.

I don't have a major label.

I'm signed under to myself as an independent artist. I'm signed to myself as an independent artist like MEA Records. So I don't have a major major. Winter's Diary Records. It's a partnership with the Empire, but my company is when it's Diary, So all of my music comes through w D Records. So and I've never said that I'm not I'm not here to like put in people's faces.

But today today let me.

Okay.

So yeah, everything is backed by me independent, you know what I mean? And that just says I want people to know, like I'm what am I trying to say? Yeah, I just want people to know this is not an easy thing. So the support means a lot. You know, I'm a black female. That that's another you know, just another fight and if you know, you know, so yeah, everything and everything that's on the way. It's really I'm

It's not You've got our full support.

Yes, yeah, I had to. I had no choice.

And that's that's why I say that year that I took away it built me.

You know what I mean.

I've been fucked up and I've had a year when nobody wanted to call me to put on a show. So when I get on that stage, I'm making sure my dancer is already and I making sure we are rehearsing weeks in advance, you know what I mean. I'm not just here for a moment. I want this to be a lifelong thing.

I remember running up on you because I am known for that. Yeah, because if I if I I'm just one of those type of people. If I fuck with you, I'm gonna tell you'll fuck with you at the Grammy party. At the Empire Grammy Party.

I'm like, when are you coming on this podcast?

Thank you? That's what I mean. I've been ready.

I've been waiting to see y'all for a long time, and I think the timing now is so much better, y'all. I was.

I was in a crazy space.

You know, the past couple of years have been a roller coaster, and I'm finally able to tell my story myself and I feel confident talking to y'all in I feel at ease, you know what I mean.

And I also just had to put in some more work.

I'm I'm so honored, Like I say, like, you know, I don't think y'all understand how legendary y'all lied to me. And even you know Tank, when we were speaking, you know, you had mentioned like you were going on tour, and I lost my mind about that. I was like, you know, did Tank just mention a tour? So I'm just grateful y'all in that moment, you know, I was ready. I told make like, we have to get this done. But the timing is perfect.

Yeah.

Yeah, Now listen, we were willing, we were willing to to wait until you are ready. Absolutely, because that's that's the other thing about us. Yeah, you know, for artists, because he don't do as much as I do. But like I see, and it's gonna make it even crazier my in my comments, but I see the artists that they ask for so when I see them, and I appreciate what people do. If I see you in person, I'm going to hey, yeah, we're ready when you are.

Why we did this.

Yes, we started this a genuine place that we just really care about other artists and showcasing their their gifts and talking about their journey.

And I'm thankful for that.

I do meet a lot of people like you know, if something, if something doesn't fall through, it's like in this industry is cutthroat, it's fuck you.

Was the love there for real? Y'all? Or you know? So I appreciate this. That says so much.

You know, like I say, I've seen a lot of people come and go in my life in this industry, and you know, to have people that are in your corner, I don't take that for granted.

Serious.

Let's talk about this Winter's Diary. Talk about it. Come on, because.

Now I didn't know that the label was named Winter's Diy.

I know about the you know the valumes.

Yes, it's so many layers. Yes, this is number five, This this has been a long journey. Since twenty twelve, I've been dropping w D you know, Winter's Diary mixtapes, So that's what makes this specialists the album and some

And yes, yes, well I'm I'm a lot older and I went through you know, it's your current, as they say in my threading, you know that's how I feel, you know, and I remember when social media first kind of broke out, you know what I'm saying, And and you know, of course our art is personal for us. You know what I'm saying, and people being in the comments, you know, saying whatever they want to say, making up whatever they want to make up, you know, in the

Be hurtful, they can be a lot absolutely social media, I've never never expressed this, but it gives me anxiety and this day. When when it first came out, I felt like it was a fun place and I felt like.

It was easier for me to jump on.

But now you know, I'm kind of I'm kind of I'm on it when I'm on it, and then I step away. You know, I'm not even looking through the comments anymore because it's what you say.

You know, it's not.

All love out here, and a lot of times people are just home and board, and you know, I can't. I can't feed into it because it'll affect my spirit. So, like I said, I post what I gotta post.

I talk to my.

Fans, the positive ones, and you know, I keep it moving. I try not to dwell. I'm not in the blogs in their comments. You know, if there's something big that happens, I'll ask my manager and my team, you know, let me know what you know, what's going on, what they're saying. But social media is a toxic place, so you have to use it for your for the good, and you know,

And I think that you know that the lesson for most artists is create the thing. Give them the thing that you want them to see, yes, the thing that they should have an opinion about, the thing that they should make a decision about. You can make a decision about this all day, you can like or love this all day, but I'm not going to give you the thing that It's precious to me for you to make a DICIPLEM you'll get none of that. I won't even know it exists. I know that he was, You're not.

Mm hmmm, Yes, it is crazy.

I know this is going to be a hard question. But what's your favorite one?

Okay, my favorite?

My favorite album it's called Hopeless Romantic and I dropped that maybe about three years ago, four years ago. But I feel like that, to me, was an album that I wrote entirely, so maybe that has something to do with it.

It was it was all. It was all on me on that way.

But you know what I mean, The songs really resonate in my soul. So and that was my first album to have like a gold or platinum record. So I saw I saw it pay y'all. So that gave me, you know, some some real motivation.

Money too, real money too. Yes, Yes, plaque talk.

Yes, when I walked in y'all, I've seen at least fifty plaques on the wall, and yeah, that did it for me.

Big Tank. Yeah, I've seen it.

I'm gonna get my I'm gonna give my plex up, y'all. But yeah, that album.

Give me a song from that album, I have a record.

Called cut It Out. It was a turning point for me.

I felt like I was I was quiet until I dropped Hopeless Romantic, and people really they just ate that album up. And I had so many songs on there that that were really like, you know, just going crazy, so cut it out. There's also a record that came after that album called Bottom Bottom Bitch. But I feel like that album gave me my LIGs, you know what

I was about to ask that was Hopeless Romantic, like you at your most authentic, like you and for the first time, like you know what, Yes, I'm gonna live and die with me, this is me exactly. Yeah.

I had no fear on that album and nobody, nobody was there to tell me, you know, do it this way, do it that way. So it was a lot of freedom, and I like freedom. I feel like my songs really register when I'm able to say what I want.

So yeah, you've been.

You've been saying what you want.

Absolutely yeah, yeah, talking about listen, I mean your record now is you know, songs about you?

You know what I mean. Like it's very direct, you know what I mean.

And I think even just even in collaboration with you in summer, you know what I mean.

I feel like I feel like people have been waiting.

On that yes for a long time, and I'm so happy we finally have it. And it's good because a lot of people I see online they like to compare, you know, who do you love more? And oh it just it just makes me feel So it gets me so angry when I read that because I'm a fan of her. And and if you go back, you'll leave and see someone Walker singing treat me like somebody. You know, she did like a cover of you know My my

There's so much camaraderie, especially in the fast. It's scary to our brothers in the game.

It's so scary.

It's like, you know, as much as they say it's a caddy caddy thing for women, a lot of it is caused by you know, the fans and social media and you know, people just making opinions on women. So just just I agreeable what you're saying. It's just a lot of competition. And I miss the days when you can see Miss Elliott, you know, Kim the Ladies night. I pray for times like that that we get to a level of unity.

Y'all are closer thanenough.

Yeah, yeah, well, you know I would say yes, because you know, y'all let each other.

Have y'all man, m.

Okay.

That's that's the part that they don't, you know, they don't really that's the part when when people ask, like, well, why don't these R and B male singers do records together?

Because they are trying to take the same ones.

Behind the ladies.

That's always.

But I thought, man don't really care.

I feel like they don't. Let them tell you that, it'd be a whole lot of pill of talking and dirty mack in and all. U never see those features together. Wow, because it's like men speak of a level of competition in this space, but they don't really want to compete. Y'all are putting it out there. I'll sing with whoever. Let's get Yes, let's let's get on it, let's get let's hit the road, whatever or whatever. I mean. I ain't gonna be mad at on tour us. Somebody gotta

You're right, It does elevate a lot quicker with me. You're right, and I haven't thought of it that way, but yeah, me and take it, take it to a new level, a new height.

Yeah, I thank god we don't have those issues at R and B money. We work with everybody. Yeah. Well, also to you know, you gotta get to to to the nuance of I had girls. I was a kid in church, so women.

Yeah, they used to bring me candy that's why I had civil tea.

If they haven't seen that simvilitude post that I made, that's why they used to bring me candy to school.

How brought this fend?

It was? It was def a thing like I was a background singer for the guy. I was the background singer for genuine Wine. There was no way you're gonna get a girl before genuine wine. You have to wait till he made his choice.

You have to wait whatever left, whatever, whatever, and then he might still walk choice to be willing to give that up for the greater cause it's bigger than me.

You know why you're cutting up.

But it's just like for the sake of the music and history to start coming together, we gotta start coming together. And I'm saying that. And that's why every like you know, with a lot of guys that come through to our platform, we let them know, Man, I fuck with you. Anything you need from us, it's up, let's do it. So you're moving around, yeah, yeah, around the country, the country and the world the world.

Have you done overseas I did last year.

We took the tour. We did about six cities in Europe, and that was an.

Experience different in Europe very different, very different.

And that can be that can be good and bad at the same time because it's so many differences.

Yeah, it built a lot of character because I feel like in Europe they're a little more reserved at your shows and as in America where we're screaming, acting a fool, we dancing, Europe is a little more they have a lot of more poise. So yeah, it was different, and like I say, they didn't I went to like a Paris and a lot of a lot of the spots I was that.

Didn't speak the language. So you have to perform without people, you know what I'm saying, being as loud or singing every single word. So it built character, you know.

And what they'll do, they'll wait until you're done and then they give you a great applause. And yeah, we really thugged it out when when we went out there.

It was me and my team.

You know, we didn't have the craziest budget when I went, so we put a lot of heart into that tour and like I said, I was doing it for the fans. So I can't wait to go back out there again for a bigger show.

They are appreciating you in a completely different way because it's it's it's an appreciation, but it's also like when is the next time we're going to see Tink? So we have to study and download all of this in the moment. We can't miss nothing.

Yes, that's what it feels. It feels like they're studying you.

And like I said, I know I'm unfamiliar face and some of those territories. So it was it sharpened me, like you have to keep a game face because.

Coming from this, you think it's something else.

I am.

Exactly.

We are so loud and we are so aggressive what I love and like I said, when you go out there, it's a new it's a new vibe at the at the show. So you know we had to adjustin you know, you got to fight through and as a performer, I had to learn to keep my face, you know, stay excited, stay in it.

So that built a lot of character.

Go through your progressions, run your place, yep, no matter who out there. And yes, I just I learned that from being overseas just just watching like like what are they what are they doing? They're watching you, watching, They're paying attend. They don't want to miss any note. They don't want to miss any core change they are watching and then after they're like, oh make man, so you did like it?

Okay, So y'all do fuck with me? Okay.

So you moveing around the country right now on something on something crazy you.

You and Arenas Yes, Oh my god, the Magic Autour, Jeneko Yes, and support of Janey.

Uh.

Such a crazy show, y'all. It's me, like I say, koy Lray.

Keanu, La Day and Umi and every night I get twenty five minutes to do my things.

Yes, it's a it's a it's a great it's a great.

Uh, like a camp of all my music. So fans, you know, like I say, I'm seeing new faces. I'm getting to see my day once. We're getting to see you know, Jane's support team, and I'm just meeting so many different people on that stage and I'm taking advantage of that moment.

It's a great, great tour.

You know, we got Cooy who brings that aggression, that rap vibe, and I feel like me and Janey we share a lot of fans too, with the R and B. So that's why it's special because I feel like, you know, I go back to the early you know twenty twelve days and her fans are familiar with that R and

You know, it's direct supporting me. That's that's the ultimat.

I feel like you made the most sense, Like I think when I look at.

Both of them, but there's so many girls she could have.

Yeah, have this do amazing rn B, I have this. I love that hood Hitaler.

It's like, don't like, I'm gonna make you this soup, but don't get it fucked up. That is that's how I feel when I listen to your music. It's like it's airy and it's flowy, but then it's.

Like, yeah, I stabbed your ass. You know what I'm saying that It just it to me. Y'all make perfect sense on the road together.

Thank you.

I can't wait topciate it.

Yes please, I'm in La were at the Crypto and this is an arena at the Crypto. Lakers playing big, big, big for a young lady from Chicago.

This is huge. So I'm giving I'm giving it all.

I got into your rap bag. Any well, I do.

Have a couple of songs. Don't tell nobody. It's on that wrap side. I out a couple of records I could really turn up, but it's the magic hour, so this is my gracious moment.

Yeah, I plan on.

I'm working on something special for my fans where I can really let and then incorporate everything. So I'm swinging. I'm swinging again next year. You know, be looking out for me.

You got another project coming well.

Tory, Okay, we're working on something special. I won't know when, but I am trying to make sure I serve my fans. They want to They want to tour so bad.

So let me ask you a question. You've at this point already done so much, and from the outside looking in and just even having this conversation with you, it feels like there's still so much more to do, so much. One what is what is I'm sure there are many goals, but what's what's an ultimate go What's one you can articulate right now where you see five ten years down the line, this is this, this is what and where I will be.

I'll tell you one one of my main goals, I want to run the charts. I feel like I haven't got the opportunity to really have I guess, a top tier and number one and.

You need it, you need it.

Yeah, it would just really make everything worthwhile. You know, I have so many songs that I feel like that was it, that was it. So I'm waiting on that billboard moment for me, and I want a record that stays on the charts like it's stuck there, she's she's there, it's in that top ten, even a number one. You know, I haven't really been able to just tap that chart yet the way I want to. So that's that's my next move. And it's going to take some some genius.

Tap in on that end.

I always say this, it's if you're if you're working, truly working and truly building It's never a matter of if, it's only a matter of when. And so as you continue to grow and build and work, yeah, it's going to come.

Oh yeah, I love that.

It has to.

Yeah.

It's just like it's like magic. It's like you just you just look up one day and you're like shit, I called this out like two years ago, and you look up. But you look up from from working. You have to hould up, am I number one way now?

About that? From working?

From working?

Yes, And that's why to just tie in with you guys said earlier, I have so much music because I cannot stop working. I don't want to stop, you know what I mean. I'm looking for something. You know, I haven't. I haven't scratched that off the list yet.

So be prepared.

You know.

There may be another album next year, maybe another album December. I'm like that.

Yeah, so crazy.

He's so crazy like that.

It's like when you talk that Billboard talk like I get it. I love streaming, I love I love I love all of these different mediums where our music it's played and people can hear it and absorb it. But something about that Billboard top ten just makes shit special.

Thanks.

I am with you my sister on this chase and this hunt to that hot one hun. R and B deserves it that part too.

And that's the thing why it's good to have this conversation here, R and B. You know what I mean, honestly, what genre is better than R and B? Am I opinion, we deserve so much more.

Quality R and B. So we deserve so much more.

You shouldn't be penalized because you can sing good, because you look good, because you perform good. That shouldn't be a knock against you. Because everybody can't do what you do. Come, that's the point of his ship. That's why I'm here to give you something that you don't have. God gives everybody their own measure. This is mind. Yeah, wow, my mother fucking flowers, come on, come on board.

Yeah, it's coming though, I wholeheartedly believe it. But like I say, it's it's just a matter of time, and like you say, it's not even if it's when.

Yeah, well, I think I feel like the tink Tank moment is gonna happen. It has to feel.

I'm so glad you said that.

I see all the time, like our names, I saw similar people mistake it so much I'm like a record together. We could do some crazy marketing. It's just some incredible promotion behind it.

Tink and Tank.

Yeah, that would just fuck my heart up.

Man. Please your top five R and B.

Singers, top five for me Beyonce, like when you started Beyonce, Rihannam.

You're just gonna start keep it there, Beyonna.

Mary j Blie, I love that a lot of influence.

I love that.

I had to say, Mary j Blis, Lauren Hill, you don't speak enough about the.

Queen Unicorn Yes on BT Awards her and her son Unicorn busy.

Mm hmm. My fifth.

If I could make Usher and Chris Brown into one, Usher Brown Chris Raymond, I have to give some credits to the fellas, uh Usher Chris Brown for my generation. I came up off Chris. That is my top five R and B. Yes, Usher Brown, that.

Is that's something. Listen when you said that, Mary Jay, pioneer, pioneer, trailblazer, No no one can compare.

Yes cut.

All absolutely and and like I said, the Chicago and me, the hood in me. I feel Mary on so many levels. Ndred percent, you know, per her demeanor, her stage presence.

You know the swagger.

She means it.

She means it.

IM playing with you.

Yeah, and that's that's it. She puts some fear in you when you're here. I said that like I slapped the ship.

Out of you.

Yeah.

Yeah, I've been on the road with.

Her, respectfully, respectfully Mary Queen.

Yeah, Oh it's been there for a minute. I thought it was on purpose. I thought we had a sponsorship. We had a sponsorship was going. I was like, okay, we're plugging sponsorship. That's that's exciting. Sponsoring up after that check to come in. They only sponsored timberlat my nerves. You get everything first. We're ready. We're good. Okay, Tink your top five R and B song Yes you are an R and B song writer.

Oh yeah, top five R and B songs. Okay, this is my perspective, y'all give me grace.

Kisha call. Love did something to my spirit.

It does something that every spirit that hears it every time it comes on. They got a commercial.

Now it's like a spiritual hair.

Father and his kids in the car and singing Love comes on. I said, it's amazing.

Come on, R and D.

Needs you bad. Jazmine Ellivant confessions us.

Sure why not. Why not. You're on a row.

You're on a row dangerously in love Beyonce?

Yes, have you seen her do it live? No, it doesn't even make sense.

No I haven't.

She's cheating like it said, cheat code. It's like, how can you sing up there?

Yes?

I was at her last story identical to her tracks.

Scares me to watch her perform the.

Like you said earlier though rehearsal, Yes, perfecting your craft. Yes, I be having an audit, just like I'm having to go a few times so I can really audit with what's happened?

What's happening?

If you only go once, you're be like what the just happened?

Yes, that was my experience, so in awe. Yes, so also stuck watching Beyonce and then uh class Timeless week by s w V taught me how to run, taught me riffs. I feel like I mimic them and so many of my records, you know, the breakdowns, the harmonies, the crying.

Yes, I think that's a five.

That's a great five. Yes, I love the s WV because Coco don't get enough credit.

Yeah, talk about it.

Coco is a building building block of this female R and B vocalshm. Let's do this. Let's build a vultron. You're super R and B artists, Okay, you're gonna piece them together. We want to know you can get the vocal from who you're gonna get the performance style from. Who you're gonna get the styling front, you're going to get the passion from. And since you are sid right to who's going to write for this artist, let's start

The vocal Whitney Euston.

Yeah, yes, I want to dance with somebody as well, with somebody who loves me. Ship that range everything it is. She is the voice, performance style on stage, what they're doing on.

Stage, Beyonce, Yeah, the greatest, the greatest, that's it.

Okay. Yeah, the styling, the drip, that's a great one.

That girl can't go wrong. Be flyes there, undeniable in her sleep on on on any level too.

Yeah, yeah, yes, you can catch your I fashion. Yeah, you know what you're doing. The passion of the artist, the heart of the artists, the.

Heart of the artist. Mm hmm, that's deep. Okay, passion.

Will make you feel something.

H Yeah, yeah, I study. I study.

This is why you are who you are? Yes, well studied. Yes, lost art. Who's writing for this artist?

Okay, Missy Elliott it's the mixed.

Yeah, the ballot.

She so talented.

I just went to that concert. I just went to Missy's concert. Yes, I was fucked up. My whole ride home, I was fucked up.

I'm like her catalog's crazy.

Thirty years. She said, she was like thirty years. High level, high level.

Shout out to Missy Elliott Mona Scott high hat that show.

Yeah, creative genius man.

Her energy too, I've seen, I've seen the videosh.

I got it. I got a phone full of them.

Her energy.

And I'm not even that I'm not even the kind of guy to be like I want to. Yeah, but I had to him, I'm like to film some of this, like this is crazy.

I agree.

Yeah, mister Ellie has the writer. Yeah, miss the meaner.

That's really hard.

It didn't seem like yeah, now you you you cooked, you cooked, But we got something else for you. We got we got more time before we let you leave. We know, we know you got ship to do. Ain't saying no nick. I ain't saying no names. I ain't saying no name. Ain't saying no na. Who he was? What you did? Don't say she? And I ain't saying no name.

Very special part of our show's card. I ain't saying no name. When you tell us a story funny or fucked up? Are funny and fucked up?

You know, kind of like some of the songs you be writing.

Okay, you know it's it's.

Like, it's not supposed to be funny, but all you can do is laugh at some of the ship and the name of this segment, and this portion is called I ain't saying no names.

With a rule to the game, she just can't say no names. Oh my gosh.

Okay, that's all. That's all.

And I have a lot of story in this in his mind right here. Okay, interesting story, funny story, no names.

Okay.

Interesting story about how one of my records just came together. I was in the process of making an album and at the time I was working with a few producers.

No names.

Okay, the time, I was working with a few people, and there was a song that we did that was literally on the cuff of blowing up and I'll never forget it because.

The producer or this is really hard y'all.

So the person working on the record.

He invited the other person to come into the lab.

And like I say, at the time, this song we were all working on was bubbling, and there was a moment when I guess paperwork wasn't right and something I've never witnessed. But these two people they ended up in the studio at the same time. Although we were working on the same project. Paperwork isn't being handled correctly. So we're all chilling in the studio working and the vibe is cool.

One person walks in, jumps on the.

Table behind that paperwork and demands demands that person and no names, but you know, behind paperwork a lot can go down. So I'm in the studio and I'm kind of in the middle of everything, and I'm not sure what to say because I'm just grateful to be here. But when a song is about to do what it's about to do, your paperwork gotta be right before you know, before it goes out, because there's a lot of a lot of emotion behind a dollar So something I had

But I never forget that.

I'll never forget that moment, and I think it just taught me to have business in order. We don't leave people out. We make sure everybody get taken care of. And to this day, I keep my sheets, my split sheets on me, or I make sure my attorney is handling stuff because people will walk in and jump on your table.

So my question is, did the table jumper get that percentage?

The song was never clear?

Wow mm hmm, that song was never still in dispute.

Yeah, and it's just unfortunate.

I think the way they handled it had something to do with that, so we could have handled it better a conversation, a sit down instead of a sit down instead of a jump up. But yeah, musicians, we are sensitive about our all right, So I understand both angles. But it's a time and place for everything.

Yeah, I think that's why, Like we've always adopted this thing where if you're in the room, we just all chop it up because of course you don't want those type of situations, right, those uncomfortable situations. But then at the same time, the bigger conversation is, we do so many records, why are we fighting over one?

But we're also choosy about the room. You have to be choosy about the room. And it's so and I'm sure you get this a lot. That's good as your you know, as your career is continuing to grow, and it's send more and more people are let's work, let's work, let's work. You can't work with everybody. You have to be choosy about who you work with because that same person that's yelling less work, let's work, less work, after something may get done, they may change their tone.

Absolutely, Like I gotta I gotta know you to work with you. I like to get to know people.

That's it.

Take me on the date, the energy, the energy. Yeah, you know what I'm saying, Let's get to know each other.

Yeah, you know, I like to work around people that feel like family, so we don't have to argue.

I want to see you eat. You want to see me eat?

Because you can hold your friends accountable as well. Absolutely, that's true. You can't. I really hope people you don't know accountable because you don't know them. Yeah, you're right, if you're gonna be helping me tell my story.

Yeah, I never want to be in the studio. And that's what the what it is somebody jumping on the table because and that person could have, like you said, you understand both sides of it. That person could have been right for jumping on that table, but even putting somebody in a position to have to do that, that's that's.

Not what I'm in.

Yeah, it's ways to communicate. Yeah, so I agree. You know, you got to work with good people and people that love you and want to see.

You when you know, well, I hope they both see this and then.

They let's get the money.

Let's get money, get the record to the people. Come on, now, that's just that's just one more record added added to the repertoire. Because Tink wants are plaques to come on? Say that more plans?

Yes, yeah, it's a long time coming.

Oh god, damn plaque on the way. Well think I think, thank yeah, yes you start app I think.

You will go to it, will go to the ladies love it.

You are so dope.

Thank you.

Now we appreciate I know for a fact you were just you were just scratching the surface. Even with all these big moments you've had to this point, you are just scratching the surface.

Made me cry. Thank you.

Sure of I'm sure of your billboard, I'm sure of your own headline tour and people wanting to see you do what you do from top to bottom. They want to hear all them albums.

Thank you, And this will be the interview we look back on when that when that billboard hit, when that chart, when when we tried on to you know, get there. I will look back on this and I appreciate you y'all for putting this in the air, manifesting it today.

Yeah, absolutely so, thank you.

This moment means so much.

Absolutely well. I mean, you're product of hard work and dedication and and true gift and so we support you, we appreciate you. This is not this is not a promotional stop. This is home for you. So anytime you need anything from any of us, it's We're a text away. You ain't got a call and a pull up and it's that easy.

Yeah, so we can go to the studio are Yeah, thank you so much too.

Sessions before yeah, yeah, came to listen to the music before. Yeah, I ain't gett no call, but you know what I'm saying, Yeah, get a call there always get you amongst family.

Thank you, you have beautiful Thank you. Thank you for welcoming me and of course like making me feel so comfortable. I really love it here.

Thank you absolutely well, Ladies and gentle money is Tank. I'm Turks Valentine. If you haven't seen, this is the Rmy Money podcast on all things R and B. Just amazing, man. Please make some noise for tanking