Ginuwine

R&B singer/sex symbol Ginuwine was born Elgin Lumpkin in Washington,
D.C. in 1975. Inspired by Michael Jackson, he began his music career in the
late 1980s with an amateur hip-hop group called Finesse Five. After a stint
singing for a local band called Physical Wonder, Lumpkin was discovered by
a member of Jodeci, and in 1996 he made his debut as Ginuwine, a name
chosen because he considers himself down-to-earth.
His first album for 550 Music, Ginuwine...the Bachelor, was produced by
Timbaland. The album blends soulful R&B, danceable hip-hop, and synth
funk in a unique style that many critics compared to Prince. Ginuwine...the
Bachelor reached double platinum status thanks to the No. 1 R&B single
"Pony." Ginuwine's success continued with his second album, the 1999
release 100% Pure Ginuwine, which reached sales of 1.7 million. The R&B
crooner's latest effort, The Life, was released in April 2001 and was followed
by a brief U.S. tour.