R&B has changed tremendously since you guys were first signed. A lot of the music is oversexed. Has this generation not been taught how to love?
Tyrese: We’re just not living in a generation of what I consider real men right now. Most of us have been raised by wolves. A lot of guys are way more educated on going about things the wrong way versus the right way. How do you love a woman versus being taught to cheat, lie, sneak, get away with some s—? There is a way for you to go about respecting a woman, cherishing and adoring her. Also, a lot of women are not secure these days on their own. A woman who gets attention from a real man can really make her feel loved up to where her love tank is full. Where she feels secure. Where she believes her man can be anywhere in the world. He has made her feel so secure in what they have, that the thought of him cheating or being with another woman would never even cross her mind. That’s on us to create that in that woman. It doesn’t happen on its own.
Tank: I don’t think a lot of young guys have really learned what it means to love. We are all reflections of our examples. I learned from the music I had. I had New Edition, I had Babyface and R. Kelly. Those were the examples I had musically to give me direction. But also, the music helped me in life. When Babyface said, “I’ll pay your rent, I’ll cook your dinner too, as soon as I get home from work.” I was like, “you know what, I’m going to really do that.” It’s just that musically, we have gotten away from those things. Those things are not necessarily cool anymore. But I think as long as we have fans out there still supporting Ginuwine, still supporting Tank and still supporting Tyrese, it’s our responsibility to keep that type of R&B music alive.
Ginuwine: When I say we’re bringing R&B back, we’re bringing R&B back as we know it. Back in the day, we came up on certain music. That’s what we’re trying to bring back; the music we grew up on. I don’t really like to say that the artists that are out here now aren’t doing R&B. That’s their generation. That’s what works for them. When we were listening to our music, our parents were like, “oh, that ain’t no damn R&B.” Every generation has their music. As far as the kids knowing about love, I think they’re just doing what they see. They know as much as they’re being taught. As far as artists, it comes out in their music. We were taught different. Just like kids don’t say, “yes sir, no ma’am.” My kids do, but generations are different. We have to set the standard. When you don’t, that’s what you get.
