The first time most people heard about rapper, singer and Chicago native Tink was during a Power 105.1 Breakfast Club interview where her mentor Timbaland deemed her his protégé. I got my first taste of what Tink is capable of from listening to her single “Treat Me Like Somebody” off her mixtape Winter’s Diary 2. If that track hadn’t made me a fan, Timbaland’s praise toward the artist definitely would’ve sealed the deal. “She was music and she saved my life,” Timbaland stated in the interview, also claiming Tink’s upcoming debut album has been some of his best production work since Aaliyah’s One In A Million album released in 1996.
With a co-sign that huge, the music has to live up to the hype and Tink is not disappointing. At the age of 20, Tink already has four successful mixtapes under her belt (Her first mixtape came out when she was 16). The critics are already hailing her as the next one to watch and she also has numerous buzz singles (“Movin’ Bass”, “Around the Clock”) leading up to her latest release “Ratchet Commandments”.
Tink’s impressive flow is complimented by Timbaland’s signature production on this track. The punchlines are playful, “We act belligerent/ Generation of ignorance / Bitches live for the gram so their life ain’t got no significance.” Yet they offer genuine observations on some of the youth’s mentality. Hearing some of Tink’s lines toward the end of each verse like letting people know they need to keep their priorities straight “If your rent due / get the f*** out the club.” is hilarious yet honest. Sometimes we need a mirror held up to ourselves to see the issues our celebrity obsessed society has brought us.
I love that Tink can go from sounding so soulful on the chorus giving a nod to the classic “Mean Girls” film “Ya’ll can’t sit with us.” to rapping like she’s a veteran in the game. With critics and listeners comparing Tink to the legendary Lauryn Hill, it’s only a matter of time before the world takes notice. If you haven’t got on board the Tink band wagon I predict you’ll find a spot by the time this year ends.
It’s crazy that Tink is only 20 and I expect her music to mature and continue to get better as she gets older. A lot of rappers tend to sing on certain records but most don’t have the voice for it. Tink definitely has a singing voice suited for R&B and she showcased that a lot in her mixtapes so it’ll be interesting to see how she incorporates that in her debut album. From upbeat tracks like “Ratchet Commandments” and “Around The Clock” (Featuring the often unfiltered radio host Charlamagne Tha God) to tracks that open up discussion about racial issues that are so important today (“Tell the Children”), Tink is ready to claim her well-deserved spot in the rap game.