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Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine ( ), is an American R&B singer. He began his career as a member of the musical collective Swing Mob in the early 1990s. As a solo act, he signed with Epic Records to release his 1996 debut single, "Pony". The song peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of his debut studio album, Ginuwine...the Bachelor (1996), which received double platinum certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second and third albums, 100% Ginuwine (1999) and The Life (2001), both peaked within the top five of the Billboard 200, while the latter spawned the single "Differences", which peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and remains his highest-charting song.
His fourth album, The Senior (2003), spawned the top ten single "In Those Jeans", as well as the top 40 singles "Hell Yeah" (featuring Birdman) and "Stingy". His fifth, Back II da Basics (2005) peaked within the top ten of the Billboard 200 and served as his final release with Epic; he signed with Warner Records to release his sixth album A Man's Thoughts (2009), which performed similarly despite mixed critical reception. Serving as his final release on a major label, his albums Elgin (2011) and A Ginuwine Christmas (2011) followed thereafter.
According to Billboard, as of 2013, Ginuwine has sold an estimated 6.98 million albums in the US. Aside from his solo career, he formed the R&B trio TGT alongside contemporaries Tyrese Gibson and Tank in 2007, with whom he has released one studio album.
His second album, 100% Ginuwine, was released in 1999 and featured the hit single "So Anxious". After 100% Ginuwine, Ginuwine and Timbaland grew apart. Producers such as R. Kelly and Troy Oliver have crafted hits for him since then. In 2001, Ginuwine had a number-four hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with the single "Differences", which also peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
Within a year, Ginuwine lost both of his parents. He later wrote and recorded a song that is featured on his third album, The Life, entitled "Two Reasons I Cry". In 2002, he was a featured artist on Sean Combs's number-one hit "I Need a Girl (Part II)". Later that year, Ginuwine started his own label, Bag Entertainment. Ginuwine's third album, The Senior, was released in 2003. It featured the hit singles "Stingy", "Hell Yeah" and "In Those Jeans".
Ginuwine's fifth album, Back II Da Basics, was released on November 15, 2005. The album debuted at number 12 on the Billboard 200, selling close to 100,000 copies. Ginuwine stated on BET's Top 100 countdown that the album went Gold with sales of 500,000 copies.
In May 2007, an album entitled I Apologize was released in stores. Although attributed to Ginuwine, the release was an unauthorized album and included only three Ginuwine songs – apparently from stolen masters – and ten songs by other artists. Ginuwine spoke against the unofficial release on both his Myspace page and through YouTube. (February 26, 2007). In 2007, Ginuwine collaborated with Canadian hip-hop artist Belly in the latter's debut solo song "Pressure", which was featured in Belly's debut album the Revolution, released in June 2007.
Ginuwine's sixth album, entitled A Man's Thoughts, was released on June 23, 2009. The album was produced by The Underdogs, B Cox, Timbaland, The Runners, Johnta Austin, Oak and Polow Da Don. The album includes guests appearances from Brandy, Missy Elliott, Bun B and Timbaland. Ginuwine formed a group with Tank and Tyrese Gibson named TGT. Their first single was a remix of Tank's "Please Don't Go". They were supposed to tour but plans fell apart due to conflicting schedules.
Ginuwine announced on his Myspace blog on August 21, 2008, that due to label and legal issues, they will not be able to release an official TGT album. Ginuwine is the founder and CEO of LoveSong Incorporated, after completing his contract with Epic Records. Ginuwine announced on his Myspace blog on August 21, 2008, that he signed a major label deal with Notifi Records/Warner Brothers.
Ginuwine introduced producer MELROG and rapper Young Knight a.k.a. Knightron on the Back 2 Da Basics album. Currently Knightron is working on his own album under Ginuwine's label BAG ENT. Ginuwine's seventh studio album, Elgin, was released on Valentine's Day in 2011.
In 2014 Ginuwine was working on a studio album called Same Ol' G...the Bachelor and confirmed that Timbaland and Missy Elliott were executive producing the project. The album was never released.
Ginuwine appeared on Half & Half as R.J. Jackson in the episode "The Big Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls Episode" that aired in 2004.
In February 2011, Ginuwine co-starred in the Gospel Music Channel's debut of John Ruffin's stage play The Ideal Husband, which also stars Darrin Dewitt Henson, Jackée Harry, Clifton Powell, Shirley Murdock, Shanti Lowry and Erica Hubbard.
Ginuwine appeared on the UPN television sitcom Half & Half where he played R.J. Jackson, the friend of Spencer's (Chico Benymon) which aired in November 2004.
In the NBC series Parks and Recreation, character Donna Meagle is Ginuwine's cousin. He appeared on the show as himself twice: the season six finale "Moving Up," (performing at the Unity Concert) and the seventh-season episode "Donna & Joe."
On January 5, 2018, Ginuwine entered the UK reality show Celebrity Big Brother 21. He was evicted on January 23, 2018, and came in 11th place.
In 2023, Ginuwine competed in season ten of The Masked Singer as "Husky". He was eliminated in "I Wanna Rock" alongside Sebastian Bach as "Tiki".
Ginuwine was married to the rapper Tonya M. Johnston, better known by her stage name Solé. Ginuwine met Solé in June 1999 and they began dating in October 1999. They were married on September 8, 2003, in the Cayman Islands. They lived in Maryland. They have two daughters together: Story (b. March 29, 2001) Sole/Ginuwine have daughter and Dream Sarae Lumpkin (b. November 1, 2002). G tells Niki of Sister 2 Sister mag that his second daughter was born on November 1 and that he has had a vasectomy He has a son, Elgin Jr. (b. January 30, 1991), from a previous relationship, as well as four other children with three different women. In February 2009, Ginuwine announced he has seven children: Ramonda, Tiffany, Elgin, Ginel, Tahjair, Story and Dream, plus two step-children through his now-ex-wife Sole: Dejan and Cypress. In November 2014, he announced he and Solé had separated. Their divorce was finalized July 22, 2015.
In the 2023 memoir The Woman in Me, Britney Spears stated that Justin Timberlake had acted inappropriately and put on a blaccent when meeting Ginuwine. However, in December 2023, Ginuwine stated: "I can tell you I don't remember that happening. I truly don't remember that happening ... If Justin would've did something like that, I probably would've looked at him like, 'Why are you acting like that?' If he did that, that would be something that I would remember. That would've definitely stuck out."
He also has cultivated an image as a suave and romantic artist, earning him the nickname "Ladies' Man" in the R&B world. He also has been considered a sex symbol in the media.
| 2002 | Juwanna Mann | Romeo | |
| 2003 | Honey | Himself | |
| 2006 | Da Jammies | G (voice) | Video short |
| 2008 | Baby Dil Deewana | Short | |
| 2011 | The Ideal Husband | Reggie | TV movie |
| The Bachelor Party | Trey | Video | |
| 2014 | Chocolate City | Pharaoh | |
| 2016 | Paid in Full | Brad | |
| 2017 | Pharaoh |
| 1998 | Martial Law | Zeke Meadows | Episode: "How Sammo Got His Groove Back" |
| 2000 | Moesha | Khalib | Recurring cast: season 6 |
| 2003 | Platinum | Hoody Rob | Episode: "Loyalty" |
| 2004 | Half & Half | R.J. Jackson | Episode: "The Big Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls Episode" |
| 2014–15 | Parks and Recreation | Himself | Episode: "Moving Up: Part 1 & 2" & "Donna and Joe" |
| 2018 | Your Husband Is Cheating on Us | Himself | Main cast |
| 2023 | The Masked Singer | Himself/Husky | Season 10 contestant |
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