Better known by his stage name Ginuwine, Elgin Baylor Lumpkin is an American singer/songwriter dancer and actor who began his career in the early 1990s as a member of the Swing Mob – a New York-based record label. Other artists in the group include Missy Elliott, Magoo, Timbaland, and many others. In the mid-nineties, Ginuwine went solo, signed with Epic Records and released a number of best-selling albums and singles which placed him among R&B’s top artists during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Find out more about him below.
Ginuwine – Background Info (Age, Ethnicity)
Lumpkin was born in Washington DC on the 15th of October 1970 to parents of African-American ethnic origin – James II and Sandra Lumpkin. His parents are both dead, his dad committed suicide while his mom died of cancer. Elgin Baylor was named after an NBA legend who is also a native of Washington D.C. In his family, he has two siblings – a brother named James III and a sister named Latisha.
Ginuwine attended Forestville Military Academy, Forestville, Maryland (the school was formerly called Forestville High School). After graduating from high school in 1989, he headed to Prince George’s Community College, Largo, Maryland, where he earned a paralegal associate’s degree.
He had always wanted to become a singer since he was very young. Growing up, Elgin had Prince and Michael Jackson as his music icons and model. At the age of twelve, he formed a hip-hop group with his friends called Finesse Five and he began performing in local bars despite being underage. Elgin began imitating his musical hero – Michael Jackson’s dance steps in his performances, including moonwalking. He was also a member of a band called Physical Wonder before taking a break from music to bag a degree from Prince George’s Community College.
The Washington-born musician kicked off his career fully as a member of a Rochester New York-based record label and music compound called Swing Mob. There he met other artists like Missy Elliott, Magoo, Timbaland, Stephen Garrett, and many others. After Swing Mob folded in 1995, the artists continued working together on several other projects including Ginuwine’s debut album Ginuwine…The Bachelor, which dropped in 1996.
His first single Pony became a major hit which peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single also topped the R&B charts, and the album earned a multi-platinum status. Pony has continued to trend even after many years. In 2008, it was used in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV, and in 2012, it was performed by Channing Tatum in the comedy-drama film Magic Mike.
His second album, 100% Ginuwine hit the shelves in 1999, with hit singles which include “None of Ur Friends Business” “So Anxious”, and “Same Ol’ G.” He collaborated with Timbaland for his first two albums but they parted ways afterward and he began working with producers like R. Kelly. Ginuwine has since then released several other albums including The Life, The Senior, Back II Da Basics, A Man’s Thoughts, Elgin. In 2011, his “Differences” peaked at #4 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 and also made it to the #1 spot on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.
In 2007, the R&B star teamed up with Tank and Tyrese to form an R&B group called TGT. They released a debut album Three Kings in 2013 which earned them a Grammy Award nomination. He is currently working on his 8th album titled “Same Ol’ G…the Bachelor“, with Missy Elliott and Timbaland serving as the project executive producers.
Apart from his music career, Ginuwine has also tried his luck in acting, and believe me, he has not done badly at all. He has originally cast in the 2004 film You Got Served but was later replaced by Marques Houston. In 2011, he co-starred in Gospel Music Channel’s stage play The Ideal Husband. He has made appearances on the CBS show Martial Law (TV series) and on NBC’s Parks and Recreation.
In January 2018, he entered the UK reality show Celebrity Big Brother 21 and was evicted on January 23, 2018, after eighteen days.
His Net Worth
The net worth of the American singer/songwriter is currently not certain as there are conflicting figures as to how much he is actually worth. Some sources estimate his net worth at $5 million, while some others are of the opinion that he earns more than that.
Family – Wife, Kids or is Ginuwine Gay?
The artist has not identified with the gay community. He was married to rapper Tonya M. Johnston popularly known as Sole from September 2003 to July 2015.
Ginuwine and Sole met back in 1999 and began dating, after almost four years together, they decided to walk down the aisle in 2003. After eleven years together, Ginuwine announced their separation in 2014, their divorce was finalized in 2015. They have two children together – Story born in 2001 and Dream Sarae born in 2002.
In 2009, the musician revealed that he has a total of nine children; two from his ex-wife, five from his previous relationships, and two step-children.
Height
The multi-talented musician is considered among the tall guys in the music industry, he stands at the height of 1.87 m; that is 6 ft 1 inch.
