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His 1996 platinum debut album Ginuwine The Bachelor, with its million-selling single ³Pony,² established 550 Music recording artist Ginuwine as one of the industry¹s most exciting new stars. Now the Washington, D.C. native returns to the spotlight with a potent new sophomore set that is simply 100% Ginuwine.

This fierce 14-track disc boils over like a cauldron of lyrical passion, accentuated by bomb beats, clever and sensuous scenarios, and the charismatic singer¹s soulfully sincere delivery. Kicking things off is the blazin¹ lead single ³What¹s So Different,² produced by prolific hit-maker Timbaland and accompanied by a striking video directed by Francis Lawrence, whose lens credits include Wyclef¹s ³Gone Till November² and Timbaland¹s own ³Here We Come.²

³Tim produced my first set,² notes Ginuwine. ³Considering how good that turned out, and that we¹re close friends with strong, productive studio chemistry, he had to be down on this one too. He¹s about the best in the business, and helped make 100% Ginuwine the best record I¹ve ever made.²

³What¹s So Different,² he continues, ³is about a girl I was involved with who had another man at the same time, and lied about dropping him. So the song is saying Œwhat¹s so different¹ about me that if I were the first guy on the scene, that she wouldn¹t have done the same thing. And you can flip it to reflect what the ladies go through. Let¹s face it, women get cheated on too.²

This personable and distinctive style of storytelling is the foundation of 100% Ginuwine. Here are a few of the album¹s highlights:

³Two Sides To A Story,² a heavyweight heartfelt ballad of extreme quality and substance;
³Wait A Minute,² a pulsating love lost anthem and the world¹s first blues-R&B-rap song;
³So Anxious,² a lament of carnal anticipation;
³Same Old G,² Ginuwine¹s Top Ten airplay cut from the platinum Dr. Doolittle soundtrack, which The Village Voice called ³the most beautifullest [sic] song of the year²;
³Final Warning,² a powerful duet between Ginuwine and r&b princess Aaliyah; ³She¹s Out Of My Life,² an inspired cover of the Michael Jackson classic.

The Story So Far

Ginuwine was born and raised in Washington, D.C. (he now lives in Maryland), and grew up listening to a wide cross-section of music including R&B, hip-hop, jazz and gospel. ³The two artists who influenced me most were Michael Jackson and Prince (n/k/a The Artist). I liked the fact that both of them gave everything of themselves in their performances. So when I got the chance to do it, that¹s how I approached singing and performing too. It had to be 100% or nothing.²

Ginuwine graduated from Prince Georges Community College, where he studied for and received a paralegal degree. ³Law was something I had been very interested in,² he says. ³See, although I knew that music was going to be my life, my mother taught me that nothing is guaranteed, so having something substantial to fall back on was essential. It was hard going to school and breaking into the music business, but so far both have worked out pretty good.²

Ginuwine didn¹t travel alone on his road to stardom. He, Missy ³Misdemeanor² Elliot and Timbaland helped hone each other¹s skills, and shared dreams that one day each would reach the top. ³We¹ve been friends for a long time,² Ginuwine recalls. ³Back in the day when we were all trying to get a deal, we swore that when one of us got signed, he or she would make sure the others were down with the project too. It¹s a promise we¹re still keeping.

³And we still basically work the same way in the studio too. For instance, when Timbaland and I do a song, he works on the music by himself, then he leaves the room. Then I write the lyrics by myself. By the time we get in the studio we have a great song. That¹s how ŒPony,¹ ŒWhat¹s So Different,¹ and most of both albums were created.²

Ginuwine The Bachelor was released on 550 Music in October, 1996. Featuring the No. 1 R&B/No. 6 Pop platinum single ³Pony,² the album reached No. 19 among Billboard R&B Albums and No. 45 on the Top 200; SoundScan sales were over 1.5 million in the US, with worldwide sales of more than 2 million copies. The singer was all over the airwaves with subsequent radio hits like ³Tell Me Do U Wanna,² ³I'll Do Anything/I'm Sorry,² and ³Only When U R Lonely.² He performed numerous club dates and large-scale concerts, including (in August 1997) a major US arena tour co-starring Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, and Dru Hill. In its review of one of these shows, The Dallas Morning News called Ginuwine ³the star of the show,² adding ³he might be the most valuable new singer in hip-hop, but he proved himself to be a master showman, too.²

³Performing live is why I got into this business,² Ginuwine admits. ³Being able to touch people, especially the ladies, with my voice, turns me on too. It¹s a pretty good feeling knowing I can do that. In fact, when I¹m out there doing my thing on stage, I feel more at home than any place else.²

In November 1998, Ginuwine made his dramatic acting debut in the CBS action series ³Martial Law.² He plays Zeke, a singer and the nephew of Arsenio Hall¹s character. ³Acting is something that has interested me for a long time, and I¹m very excited about getting the chance to do it,² says Ginuwine. ³But on the real, music‹my first love‹will always be my career priority.²

³Longevity is the key,² he insists. ³Recording good, memorable, heart-and-soul songs, that people everywhere can relate to, puts the odds in my favor that me and my music will be around for a very long time to come.²

100% GINUWINE: Accept no substitutes!

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Page Updated Fri Jan 21, 2000 4:28pm EST