Elgin Baylor Lumpkin, 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.
Timothy Zachery Mosley, known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, and singer. Born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, he has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinctive "stuttering" rhythmic style. In 2007, Entertainment Weekly stated that "just about every current pop trend can be traced back to him—from sultry, urban-edged R&B songstresses [...] to the art of incorporating avant-garde sounds into No. 1 hits."
I Care 4 U is a posthumous compilation album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on December 10, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records. Following Aaliyah's death on August 25, 2001, Blackground decided to release a posthumous record in collaboration with Universal Music Group. The album compiles eight of Aaliyah's previously released songs alongside six previously unreleased recordings which were discarded from sessions for her eponymous third and final studio album (2001).
Ginuwine... the Bachelor is the debut studio album by American R&B artist Ginuwine. The second major Swing Mob album, it was chiefly produced by Timbaland and released October 8, 1996, on 550 Music. The distribution was handled through Epic Records. The album peaked at number 26 on the US Billboard 200 and reached number 14 on Billboard's R&B Albums chart. A steady seller, it was certified gold by January 1997. In March 1999, the album was certified double platinum in sales by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), after sales exceeding two million copies in the United States. Ginuwine... the Bachelor featured the singles "Pony", "When Doves Cry" and "Holler".
Back II da Basics is the fifth album by American recording artist Ginuwine. Released by Epic Records on November 15, 2005 in the United States, production for the album originally began in July 2003. Although Ginuwine initially revealed that he was planning to team with longtime contributor Timbaland on the entirety of the album, their collaboration failed to materialize due to scheduling conflicts. Instead, Ginuwine worked with a diverse roster of collaborators, including Danja, Jazze Pha, Troy Oliver, Trackmasters, and The Underdogs, on most of the tracks.
The Senior is the fourth studio album by American singer Ginuwine. It was released in the United States on April 8, 2003, via Epic Records. The album was primarily produced by Bryan-Michael Cox, with additional production from Scott Storch, R. Kelly, Brandon Howard and Joe Little III. The album debuted at No. 6 on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 122,000 copies and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The Senior was supported with the release of three singles, with all of them appearing on the Billboard Hot 100: "Hell Yeah" peaking at No. 17, "In Those Jeans" peaking at No. 8, and "Love You More" peaking at No. 78.
100% Ginuwine is the second studio album from American R&B recording artist Ginuwine. It was released on March 16, 1999, on 550 Music and distributed through Epic Records. The album peaked at number 5 on the U.S. Billboard 200 and reached the second spot on the R&B Albums chart. The album was certified Gold in June 1999 and double Platinum by August 2000. It featured the singles "Same Ol' G", "What's So Different?", "So Anxious", and "None of Ur Friends Business".
"So Gone" is a song by American R&B recording artist Monica. It was one out of several tracks rapper-producer Missy Elliott wrote and produced along with Kenneth Cunningham and Jamahl Rye from production duo Spike & Jamahl for Monica's fourth studio album, After the Storm (2003), following the delay and subsequent reconstruction of her 2002 album, All Eyez on Me. Incorporating elements of hip hop and 1970s-style smooth jazz as well as soul music, it features a sample from the 1976 song "You Are Number One", penned by Zyah Ahmonuel and performed by The Whispers.
The Life is the third studio album from American R&B singer Ginuwine, released on Epic Records in 2001. The album debuted at number 3 on the Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 152,000 copies sold in the U.S. and was certified Platinum by the RIAA. It also spawned a top 5 hit single on the Billboard Hot 100 with "Differences". The Life was the first Ginuwine LP not to be primarily produced by Timbaland, who only produced one track, "That's How I Get Down". The song "Two Reasons I Cry" is dedicated to the memory of Ginuwine's parents, who both died a year before the album was released.
LeToya is the debut solo studio album by American R&B singer LeToya Luckett. It was released by Capitol Records on July 25, 2006. Luckett who co-wrote nine of the album's 16 songs, worked with a variety of producers on the album, including Teddy Bishop, The CornaBoyz, Bryan-Michael Cox, Jermaine Dupri, Just Blaze, Lil Walt, Candice Nelson, Jazze Pha, J. R. Rotem, and Scott Storch. It marked her first solo project after her departure from girl groups Destiny's Child and Anjel.
"Differences" is an R&B song by American singer Ginuwine. It was written by the artist alongside producer Troy Oliver and recorded for his third studio album, The Life (2001). Released as the album's second single, the ballad spent four weeks at number-one on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. It was ranked at number 50 and number 68 in the 2001 and 2002 on Billboard Year-End lists, respectively, and was eventually certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). American rapper Pop Smoke sampled the song on his hit track released in 2020, "What You Know Bout Love".
"Pony" is a song by American singer Ginuwine, released as the debut single from his first album, Ginuwine...The Bachelor (1996). Ginuwine sung, co-wrote, and produced the song with Swing Mob associates Static Major, Digital Black, Smoke E. Digglera, and Timbaland; the latter made his breakthrough as a producer with the song. It peaked at number six on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Billboard Hot R&B Singles chart.
I Apologize, while credited to Ginuwine, is not an official release but has acceptance to his catalog. It peaked at No. 50 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
"I Can Love You" is a song by American recording artist Mary J. Blige. It was written by Blige along with her sister LaTonya Blige-DaCosta, Rodney Jerkins, and Lil' Kim for her third album, Share My World (1997), with Jerkins producing the song and Lil Kim having featured vocals. The contains elements of the song "Queen Bitch," a track from Kim's debut album Hard Core (1996), co-written by Carlos Broady and Nashiem Myrick. Due to the inclusion of the sample, they are also credited as songwriters.
"Same Ol' G" is a song by American R&B singer Ginuwine. It was written by Timbaland, Jimmy Douglass, and Static Major and recorded for the soundtrack of the American fantasy comedy film Dr. Dolittle (1998), with production helmed by the former. "Same Ol' G" describes Ginuwine having matured from his days of clubbing, drinking and thugging with friends as he now has his own album deal and appearing on television, but insists that he hasn't changed. Timbaland also contributed spoken adlibs throughout the song, primarily in between Ginuwine's sung verses.
"What's So Different?" is a song by American R&B singer Ginuwine. It was co-written and produced by Timbaland for his second album 100% Ginuwine (1999). The song is built around a sample of "Valleri" (1968) by the American band The Monkees. Due to the inclusion of the sample, Thomas Boyce and Bobby Hart are also credited as songwriters. Released as the album's second single, "What's So Different?" reached the top ten of the UK Singles Chart and entered the top twenty in New Zealand. It the United States, the song peaked at number three on the Rhythmic chart, also reaching number 21 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.
"So Anxious" is a song by R&B singer Ginuwine. It was written by Static Major, Benjamin Bush, and Timbaland for his second studio album 100% Ginuwine (1999), while production was helmed by the latter. The song describes the narrator anxiously waiting on his lover all night to return his calls so that she can meet him for romance. Released as the album's third single, "So Anxious" became Ginuwine's second top 20 pop hit. It also reached number two on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The music video was directed by Chris Robinson.
"Stingy" is a song by American R&B singer Ginuwine. It was written by Johnta Austin, Bryan-Michael Cox, and Jason Perry and recorded by the singer for soundtrack of the American comedy-drama film Barbershop (2002), then included on his fourth album The Senior the following year. Production on the song was helmed by Cox, with co-production from Perry. Released as the lead single from the Barbershop soundtrack, "Stingy" peaked at number 33 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top ten of the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
"Jump" is a song recorded by Barbadian singer Rihanna for her seventh studio album, Unapologetic (2012). It was written by Kevin Cossom, M. B. Williams, Stargate and Chase & Status, with production done by the latter two and Kuk Harrell. It samples the lyrics of the 1996 single "Pony", performed by Ginuwine. Its composition and structure received comparisons to not only Justin Timberlake's song "Cry Me a River" and Magnetic Man's "I Need Air", but also to some of Rihanna's previous songs, including "Rude Boy" and "Red Lipstick". A remix of the song called "Jump " by rapper Theophilus London was leaked onto the internet. "Jump" was serviced to Australian radio on January 24, 2014 as the album's sixth single.
"Take Away" is a song by American rapper Missy Elliott. It was written by Elliott and Timbaland for her third studio album, Miss E... So Addictive (2001), while production was helmed by the latter, with Elliott and Craig Brockman served as co-producers. The downtempo track features guest vocals from R&B singer Ginuwine. While the album version of "Take Away" credits background vocals by 702 member, Kameelah Williams, the single version replaces Williams's vocals with then-newcomer, Elliott's former protégée Tweet.
