Ginuwine: Thoughts of a Man
By Michael A. Gonzales
Like many artists of his generation, Ginuwine doesn’t bite his tongue when it comes to talking about how the late Michael Jackson influenced him. “I was a little kid when I saw the wonder that was the Motown 25 special,” Ginuwine remembers. Sitting at the desk in his manager’s midtown Manhattan office, his voice is gentle as his demeanor.
“After that I became the boy in the mirror,” admits the man born Elgin Baylor Lumpkin in Washington D.C. “My aunt gave me a glittering glove, my mom bought me a red leather jacket and I spent all my time dancing and singing.”
Returning to the music world after a four-year hiatus from making records, Ginuwine is back with new material and his trademarked laidback style. “I’ve matured a lot since I was last on the scene in 2005,” Ginuwine says. “I wanted that growth to be reflected in my music. Forgot about singing about a club or some drink, I’m trying to take it back to the blueprint that Marvin Gaye and other soul legends designed.”
With the release of his sixth disc A Man’s Thoughts (Notifi Records) last month, Ginuwine has lost none of the soulful prowess that first made him a star in 1996—the year his debut The Bachelor, or more precisely the single “Pony,” changed the sound of urban pop.
An instant classic, “Pony” reached the number-one spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks for two weeks in late 1996, and peaked at number six on Billboard’s Hot 100. But 13 years later, Giuwine is not about to rest on his laurels.
“This is a new beginning for me, and the work I put into A Man’s Thoughts makes me proud,” says the singer. “I’m a married man with a family, so I like to think that I’m wiser than I was ten years ago. I’m not doing back flips on stage nor am I singing songs that are as raunchy. I’ve come into my own, and I think the songs reflect that growth.”
Leading off with his newest single “Last Chance,” an exquisite collaboration with producer Bryan Michael Cox, the R&B veteran has recorded an anthem for dudes who are tired of being players. “I wanted to make a song that men could definitely relate to,” Ginuwine explains.
Having known producer Bryan Michael Cox since the beginning of his career, Ginuwine says, “When I was ready to go back into the studio, Bryan was there for me.”
Joining his first group, Finesse Five, when he was 12 years old, Ginuwine left home at 17 after more than a few clashes with his parents. He worked various jobs including stints as a KFC counter person and a construction worker. Yet it wasn’t until he hooked up with producers/songwriters Timberland, Missy Elliott and the late Static Major (all of whom were discovered by former Jodeci leader DeVante Swing) that Ginuwine’s career began to take off.
“When Timbaland and I did The Bachelor, that was one of the biggest moments in my life,” Ginuwine recalls. He was 21 years old with a #1 single and the world at his feet. “Not everyone has the opportunity to be so popular with their first release. Believe me, I know I was blessed.”
While some folks might have written off Ginuwine a pretty boy destined to end up a passing fad, he proved the naysayers wrong when he returned with the brilliant sophomore project 100% Ginuwine. Featuring a slew of hits including “So Anxious,” “What’s So Different,” “Same Ol’ G” (which was also showcased on the 1998 Dr. Dolittle soundtrack) and “None of Ur Friends Business.”
100% Ginuwine was awarded Best R&B/Soul Album at the 2000 Soul Train Awards. That same year, he was also nominated for an American Music Award in the Favorite Male R&B category; Ginuwine was also nominated for the same award in 2002 and 2003. Call him a pretty-boy if you will—and his obvious appeal to the ladies remains undiminshed till this day—but he’s got the musical chops to back up his good looks.
Though Ginuwine’s presence has been missed on the charts during his absence, he has been doing much touring both domestically and overseas. And the singer is no slouch when it comes time to take it to the stage.
“I’ve performed in London, Paris, Italy , and the appreciation factor is so great,” says Ginuwine. “The audiences always show me such love and understanding. I’m not playing when I get on that stage. Still, it was for the love of my fans and the audiences that turns out to see me that I decided to record new material.”
Teaming up with a few creative collaborators, the well-toned crooner put together a rhythmic collective that he could trust. “Putting together a good album is like making a puzzle,” he says thoughtfully. “You have to make sure all the pieces are in order for the picture to be right.” The musical line-up on A Man’s Thoughts include songwriter R.L. Hugger of Next, singer Brandy, rapper Bun B (formerly of UGK) and the production talents of The Runners, The Underdogs, Polow Da Don, Johnta Austin, and the aforemention B.Cox. And of course Ginuwine he had to work with Timbaland.
“Tim and I are like brothers,” Ginuwine says of the supa producer who laced him with the hypnotic second single “Get Involved.” Leaning back in his chair, Ginuwine smiles. “We still have a good vibe in the studio and, once we started working, it felt like no time was lost at all.”
In his down time, Ginuwine still listens to vintage R&B groups like New Edition, Jodeci, Mint Condition, and Boyz II Men. “I’m not hating, but I just can’t muster much enthusiasm when it comes to newer artists,” he says tactfully, sounding every bit the grown man that he is. “The music is good, it’s just not as good as it used to be.” But with the release of A Man’s Thoughts, Ginuwine is doing his part to reverse that trend.
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