Tank: R&B Singer Talks Abs, R. Kelly & His New Relationship

While singers like Janet Jackson and Usher have been known to gain weight in between CD releases and touring, R&B star Tank told BlackVoices.com that he maintains his chiseled chest physique even when he's not in the spotlight.

"I don't do that. I don't go that far," he laughed, when asked if he's been victim of the off-season potbelly.

"I'm always doing something physical," he continued. "Always playing ball or at the gym. I'm always doing something because for me it's not always about the image. For me, it's a lifestyle; it's how I want to live and feel. I just feel great and it's more health conscious than it is an image. Fortunately, it works out that way because people want to see it so I take that too. I just do it to feel good."

His athletic nature always has the Milwaukee, Wisconsin-bred and Washington, DC-raised singer (born Durrell Babbs) up for a challenge. The release of

his fourth CD , 'Now or Never' on Dec. 14 has him going up against Michael Jackson, Kandi Burruss, Diddy Dirty Money, R. Kelly and Ciara for same-week retail dollars.

"You've got to get in the ring and at least throw some punches and you have to be in shape," he said about his competition. "I feel like I'm very much in shape and ready to contend. Michael Jackson is coming out on that date so I don't know if anybody is really in that kind of shape."

After having released three CDs on his previous label, Blackground Records – 2001's 'Force of Nature,' 2002's 'One Man' and 2007's 'Sex, Love & Pain' – the 34-year-old singer is now signed to Atlantic Records and the singer "feels good" about the new marriage.

"It's amazing. It's everything that you should come to expect when you have a deal with a record label. I would say that they're doing their part, but they're overdoing it. I can't even begin to explain and I didn't even imagine it. It works perfectly because as an artist, singer, writer, producer and performer I overdo it as well so we're working well together," he expressed.

As a songwriter and producer, Tank has crafted hits for artists like Chris Brown, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, LeToya Luckett and Monica. Having carved out a niche for him

self with a signature sound in R&B, Tank is now ready to branch out.

"I would really like to cross genres. I am getting ready to have the opportunity to work with Lalah Hathaway, which will give me the chance to get more intricate from a musician's standpoint because she does a lot of jazz things. We've been trying to get with Anita Baker and do something great, along with Josh Groban. I'm just trying to figure out some different ways to do things," he shared, before adding: "Maybe me and R. Kelly should get in the studio and put something down together. Two major R&B crooners in the studio getting real ugly."

Since he brought up collaborations, BlackVoices.com had to find out if the music recorded for the TGT project – that's the group Tank had formed with R&B buddies Ginuwine and Tyrese – would ever materialize.

"You never know. Maybe one day," he concluded.

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