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Three kings are always better than one!

Back in 2007, R&B singers Tyrese, Ginuwine, and Tank formed their supergroup TGT. The trio’s first song together was a remix of Tank’s “Please Don’t Go.” And after officially signing to Atlantic Records back in 2012, the guys are ready to bring their respective fans even closer as one cohesive unit with their upcoming debut album, 3 Kings.

GlobalGrind linked up with TGT to discuss touring, the chemistry within the group, their thoughts on the direction of R&B today, and more.

Check out the exclusive interview below!

GlobalGrind: You guys are on “The 3 Kings” Tour, do you have a few more tour dates underway?

Tyrese: We have a few more shows left, and then it’s time for us to go heavy into radio promotions…the album releases August 20th with these 17 missiles, these 17 R&B missiles. 

How is “The 3 Kings” Tour different? How is it touring together?

Tyrese: There’s nothing in the world that can compare to this. First of all, we’ve all been solo. We’ve all been on stage by ourselves. To now looking to your left and right, and be on stage with your family, your brothers. We’ve all been the best of friends for over 10 years. I was the best man at Ginuwine’s wedding. Tank got in the business singing background for Ginuwine in 2007…it’s just been love.

You guys seem like you have a good time and play around. Do you prank each other on tour?    

Tyrese: Yeah, it’s non-stop action. It’s crazy! We barely get anything done because we’re always laughing and having too much fun. I think if you do anything that’s significant and special without the foundation of friendship, it could definitely compromise the execution of something this big. I’ll be honest, we’ve realized at a certain point that this TGT album isn’t about us. It’s really about R&B. Right now, R&B is very insecure. A lot of singers feel like they can’t do a full album without 12 rappers on it, collaborations…I never heard of Marvin Gaye featuring Kurtis Blow. And a lot of R&B singers jump ship. They’re doing House, Techno, and EDM because nobody’s been selling albums. The R&B budgets at labels are slim, or have disappeared completely. We feel like this is the most important R&B album in the last 10 years because of the state of R&B.

What do you think some of the artists in the genre have to do to get R&B back at the forefront? One of the bigger issues with R&B is that people love the evolution of sound, and I think R&B artists haven’t figured out the evolution of sound in R&B without sort of selling out.

Tyrese: With all due respect, you have to go where the money is. At the end of the day, when you have kids and family and nobody’s selling any records, who wants to waste time doing R&B, if that’s the situation? This R&B album is R&B through-and-through. It wasn’t an opportunity. It was a responsibility to do this R&B album. We’re on tour, and we have Ginuwine, Tank, and Tyrese fans all under one roof, experiencing the greatest night of R&B ever. Close to two hours on stage doing our thing – no AutoTune – just really doing our thing live, back the way R&B used to be.

Who do you think has the craziest fans out of TGT?

Ginuwine: I think there’s no one who has the craziest fans. I think we all have some crazy fans. I get a lot of fans that give me things. I don’t know what happens to Tank or Tyrese. But if you want to call that crazy.

Tank: Yesterday, I had a fan that had a tattoo of me on them.

Ginuwine: With the tattoo thing, that has already happened to me back in the day quite a few times. So I don’t look at it as being crazy.

Tank: Well, it’s happening now.

Ginuwine: I’m pretty used to it.

Tyrese: Tank, to be honest, the tattoo didn’t really look too fresh. The tattoo was not only ugly, but it looked like it happened at least 17 years ago.

It was like a jailhouse tattoo?

Tyrese: Exactly!

What’s one thing the ladies can expect from you guys on tour?

Tank: Being the gorilla of the group, my shirt comes off nightly. There’s no telling when I’ll be shirtless.

Tyrese: When you ain’t smashing the stage every night, you gotta take your shirt off for additional screams. You gotta pull out all the antics you have left.

I know you (Tank) really like feet. Has there ever been a time where you really enjoyed a woman – everything was right – but you saw her feet, and you were like: “I don’t think we should date anymore?”

Tank: Absolutely!

Was it a hard decision?

Tank: No, it wasn’t a hard decision. If there’s no correctional surgery that can be had within the two weeks of us meeting each other…

I know you get the ladies nails and feet done. Maybe, you could take her to a podiatrist. Get some of those bunions removed.

Tank: Before I start spending that sort of money on a relationship, everything has to be up to par. There has to be feet I can work with. I’m part of the Build-a-Bear program. If there’s something we can build on, then we could build on it. Or you can kick rocks, because you probably already have been kicking rocks.

You guys have to understand women wear these shoes to look good for guys, and sometimes their feet pay a price for it.

Tank: Word of advice: Don’t sacrifice your feet. If you need a bigger size, get a bigger size.

I really like your new single “I Need,” collectively can you guys tell me three things you need from a woman?

Ginuwine: I need her to be truthful, I need her to be respectful, and I need her to support me. Because if you don’t have trust, support, and appreciation for me, then there is no relationship. I already have that. Everyone knows I’m married. That’s what I get from my wife.

Tank: I need the woman to let me be the man. I’m a very aggressive being in a relationship. I don’t want a yes woman, but I do want a woman to understand I have it taken care of. I need some cooking skills. I need a domestic woman. I have kids…I’m looking for a woman who just wants to be taken care of. You take care of me; I’ll take care of you.

Tyrese: I think these days women are way more aggressive. In the last 15 years, women in general, have become way more aggressive. And for me, it’s very attractive when a woman is in tune with her femininity. It’s very attractive for a woman to just be a woman. Just be strong, independent, have spirituality, love, and home cooked meals. Every aspect a man could ever want, that woman has it covered. But at the same time, that woman is still a woman. She gets aggressive when she needs to. But overall, she’s in tune with her femininity. She still loves doing the girly things. Having fun and laughing, putting that perfume on, getting her French tips done, and just being fly and sexy with it…I love it.