Tank And The Bangas

Biography

Tarriona “Tank” Ball, the charismatic lead vocalist of Tank and the Bangas, grew up in a family of New Orleans pastors, where her powerful voice initially suggested a path in preaching, but she discovered slam poetry in middle school and won two National Poetry Slam championships in high school. After Hurricane Katrina displaced her to Indianapolis, where she graduated from Pike High School in 2006, Tank returned to New Orleans and began performing at open mic nights at Black Star Books & Caffe around 2011, blending her poetry with music. There, she met key bandmates Joshua Johnson (drummer and musical director) and Norman Spence (keyboardist and bassist), forming the group initially as Tank and the Blackstar Bangas from the Liberated Soul Collective, evolving into Tank and the Bangas by 2013 with the release of their debut album Think Tank.[1][2][4][5]

The band's career skyrocketed in 2017 when they won NPR’s Tiny Desk Contest with their eclectic performance of “Quick,” which garnered over 14 million YouTube views and praise from artists like Miguel and Anthony Hamilton. This breakthrough led to three albums, two EPs, national TV appearances, a shoutout from Michelle Obama, Grammy nominations including Best New Artist in 2020, and a 2025 Grammy win for Best Spoken Word Poetry Album for The Heart, The Mind, and The Soul. Their sound fuses alternative R&B, funk, hip-hop, soul, jazz, spoken word, and poetry, characterized by high-energy, genre-blending performances that evolve with their collaborative creativity.[1][2][3][5]

Hailing from New Orleans, Tank and the Bangas embody the city's vibrant spirit, exploring life's tender journeys through Tank's quirky raps, poetry, and rich melodies. Their live shows are renowned as among America's best, emphasizing vulnerability, originality, and communal energy, with recent works like the three-part The Heart, The Mind, and The Soul showcasing production collaborations that highlight their morphing style.[2][3][5]

Fun Facts

• The band's name reflects their dynamic energy: Tank explained, 'A tank does nothing but make noise and blow shit up.'[5]
• They stood out among over 6,000 entries to win the 2017 NPR Tiny Desk Contest with 'Quick,' praised for its organic feel.[5]
• Tank loves New Orleans cuisine, indulging in jambalaya and strawberry snoballs with ice cream during festival seasons.[5]
• NPR Music has called them 'one of the best live bands in America' for blending poetry, hip-hop, gospel, funk, and rock.[5]

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Family pastors - Grew up in family of New Orleans pastors who influenced early assumptions about her vocal destiny (N/A) [Childhood]
• Sister and New Orleans slam poetry team - Influenced Tank's passion for slam poetry, shaping lyrical and performance style (National Poetry Slam championships) [Middle school to high school]

Key Collaborators

• Joshua Johnson - Drummer and musical director, met at open mic (Tank and the Bangas albums including Think Tank) [2011-present]
• Norman Spence - Keyboardist and bassist, met at open mic via Liberated Soul Collective (Tank and the Bangas albums) [2011-present]
• Albert Allenback - Alto saxophonist and flutist, joined after Think Tank (Tank and the Bangas live shows and albums) [2016-present]
• Iman Omari - Producer for The Mind part of album (The Heart, The Mind, and The Soul (The Mind)) [2024]
• Robert Glasper - Jazz musician and producer for The Soul part (The Heart, The Mind, and The Soul (The Soul)) [2024]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #contemporary-r&b, #hip-hop, #jazz