Collectively, you guys have released 17 albums. How has R&B changed since then, and how have your lives changed?
Tank: My first major deal was in ’96. I think the harmony in music was a little different in those days. I remember the music, but I was hungry. I needed the advance. I needed a means to be able to do music carefree, stress free and to be able to just focus on music. I think that’s the big difference in making music then and making music now. I’m not making music under duress. I’m making music now because I love to make music. Financially, we’ve done what we needed to do. Musically, we’ve established what we needed to establish. Now it’s just about elevating music and taking it to the next level.
Tyrese: If I had to speak on what my mind and my mentality was from back then to now, I would say I had no control. I had no control of where my career is destined to be. It’s all God. I’ve done the work to maintain the blessing. But you realize at some point when you’re young, when you’re excited for the opportunity, that you have no control. Your life’s blueprint was already figured out long before you got here. There’s a whole lot of stuff that I never saw myself doing or being interested in doing.
Ginuwine: Of course we have a different world today. When I first signed, the Internet had not played a major role in the music business. A lot of people weren’t on it. That’s pretty much the only difference. The money is a little different now because of the Internet. We don’t have as much support because of downloads. I miss those times back when I first signed. It was a totally different world. From the endorsements to the tour support from the label. They don’t do too much of that now. They’re really going to throw you out there. If you make it you make, if you don’t, it’s like f–k it.
