Ginuwine
TCC: Your new single, "Last Chance," is fantastic; it is a perfect re-introduction of your music after a four-year hiatus. Are you nervous about how your new album, "A Man's Thoughts" is going to be received by audiences?
Ginuwine: Thank you. I'm kind of anxious, a little nervous also because you know the music business has changed and you never can tell. I listen to a lot of stuff that is on the radio today and there are things on the radio that you know I wouldn't have called as a hit so it's one of those situations where you just have to sit back and hope for the best because music has changed so much. I am just hoping that I can get my place back in there in R&B.
TCC: How do you think your music has changed from your first album to this one?
Ginuwine: Oh, wow, I think that anybody that's been successful and as successful as I have and been in the business as much as I have, they grow. And me, as an artist, that's exactly what I've done with me personally and in the business. I think the difference from then to now is really maturity, and I think that's really significant in listening to my music and hearing my music or whatever because my music now is on such a different level, although still relevant and still current. It's just more mature and more about things that are really real and really happening today. It's not just things, just anything. It's deep music, but it's not too deep to where you can't get it. It's just R&B at its best I like to call it.
TCC: I know a few musicians/artists that like to sing about, talk about, write about things that really mean something, like Pink and Kanye West, they always like to make a statement. Do you think that is what this album is going to do; was that your intent with this album?
Ginuwine: I'm absolutely positive that that's what this album represents in R&B. It just represents that true R&B feel, that true R&B substance. When people hear it, they will definitely be able to relate and relate in a way where their lives connect with the everyday situations, with the everyday happenings. That's pretty much what I told my guys that were writing for me to just talk about because I just always felt like listening to the radio that that's not really here no more. I mean, there are a couple of artists that do it but it's not enough. So I wanted to be putting out an album where, whether they listen to R&B or not, my name definitely comes up. That's where I focused and that's where, hopefully, they will categorize me as an artist. As the relevant artist of '09 of R&B, of that substance of R&B, that R&B is back and it's been reinvented by Ginuwine.
TCC: Do you feel that R&B has strayed from what it used to be since you've been in the music business?
Ginuwine: Absolutely. I just believe that. I mean, it's not a bad thing though. But I think that because of all the other genres of music have been exposed as much as they have been exposed, we really want to collaborate a lot and it kind of takes away from really that category, it kind of starts getting to be something other than R&B. Which sells and which is good but me, I just wanted to speak to the roots of R&B and that's when you talk about love and the ups and downs of love, the happy times, you know, everything. So I believe it's been a little watered down but that's not a bad thing because it's been selling. But I just wanted to stick with what's in my heart and what people remember R&B to be about and that's why I went back to that and that's what you get when you buy my CD this time, "A Man's Thoughts."
TCC: Is there one track in particular that you relate to more than the others?
Ginuwine: "My Last Chance" [is] pretty much my first single. I believe it's a universal song where a lot of guys can understand where I'm coming from. A lot of women will know what I mean, what I'm saying. It's one of those things, one of those songs where I believe that 80 percent of couples have went through and that's why I called it such a universal song because everybody has had their ups and downs. Be it if it's a situation where the income is not right, infidelity, things that come up in a relationship that really split people apart. That's a song that you really can relate to, saying, this is it, this is 'my last chance,' these are the things that I would do and contribute to the relationship in order to make it work. That's where I'm at with that song and that's what it's talking about.
TCC: You've been an influence in music for over a decade now. What for you was the most defining moment? What made the biggest impact on your life?
Ginuwine: The biggest impact on my life I think really is yet to be seen. I think, I mean really, after I made my start in '96, and when I say "made it," I mean got my deal and came out, that had a big impact on me period. But there's been trials and tribulations that I've overcome and obstacles that I've conquered or whatever throughout me being Ginuwine that I could say that really had an impact on my life but none that's had an impact on my life that's really taken me to a point where it's like "ok, I'm just going to do it this way or that way." I've just rode the wave the whole way. You know, some things make you stronger, some things you want to forget, some things you really wanna remember. But one of the situations I will say that happened in my life where I had to stand strong and man up and do what I had to do as a man was when my mom and my dad passed. I fell, but I had to pick myself back up and realize that you know no one's going to do it for you and you still have a lot to accomplish and have people, kids, and everybody to support. So you are a main tool in this situation where you know if you broke down, a lot of other people would break down because you're not willing, you're not out there doing what you're supposed to do. I view that as a stepping stone and use that as energy and enthusiasm and doing everything to get back in line to do what I'm supposed to do and luckily, I made it through that. But a lot of people wouldn't have made it through that.
TCC: Did you think at that moment when you felt your darkest, did you ever think that you would be where you are today?
Ginuwine: It's one of those situations where when it happened, I did fall, but during the period of me not being able or not wanting to do what I'm doing now, I'd talk to myself and just realize that you are responsible not only for you, but you're responsible for a lot of other people. You're responsible for people you don't even know. There's been many times where people have come up to me and said my music has changed their lives, so once you've taken on the position that I've taken on, you are responsible for a lot more than you actually realize. So, I realized that and I had to pick myself up and give myself strength to pray and do what I'm supposed to do as a man and you know, tell myself, you got to pick yourself up. And you know, it helped that my family was around, it helped that my fans was around, but ultimately, I had to do it myself because people can push you all day, but you're the one that has to get up and do it. So that's what I did and you know it was just the help of everybody and the wanting of me to really want to make a difference and make a change and do better, so I did it.
TCC: You said that you haven't reached your most defining moment in your life yet. Is there something in your life that you wish you could accomplish that you think would be your defining moment that you haven't already gotten to?
Ginuwine: Oh yeah, there's many. One is a Grammy. Number two is headlining my own arena tour. Number three is being in a movie where I'm the star. There's a lot of wants and I believe a lot of defining moments will come out of those big situations. Right now, I've been blessed to have and maintain what I have as an artist, and as a father, as a husband, and you know do what I'm supposed to do. But as far as defining moments, there's really been none in this area of music where I mean that's what people will always say, "That's Ginuwine." I just don't believe I have that. Other people might think that, but I'm my worst critic so you might have to ask a couple of other people about that, not only me.
TCC: So besides your latest music endeavors and taking care of your family, I read that you do a lot of charity work. What type of work are you involved in right now as far as that goes?
Ginuwine: Well, me and my wife, we opened up four houses, we own four houses in Knasas City where we help mentally disabled adults. We have an assisted housing program where they live in those houses and we teach them everyday type skills: how to tie your shoes, how to work, how to maybe cook and things like that. Because a lot of times, when they are mentally disabled, people get off age, they get to 18 and a lot of homes they are in want to kick them out because they are not responsible for them no more after 18 and I just didn't like that. In my heart, it's just pure when it comes to that. So I just wanted to make a difference. You know as an artist you get so much praise for things that we do, but the real things that should be done with the praise is to help others, and that's what I try to do.
TCC: What got you started on charity work, have you always done it throughout your life or was it something that when you realized that you had all you wanted that you wanted to give back?
Ginuwine: All my life I've had the heart to want to do it, but not the means to do it. I believe that's when the change and the difference came in. Like I think there is a lot of people out there that want to do things, but they just can't. When you're in the situation that I'm in, where people are looking at you where people will do things just because you're who you are, you know you have the ability to go in and say something and talk to people and they do it just because you're you. I think that's something that all artists should take advantage of. I totally love the fact that Barack Obama is one of the first presidents to me that really want to give back and feel like everybody should be working with everybody and there just shouldn't be anyone in America looking down on another one saying "I'm better than you." We all need to get together and try to make a difference in the world and that's one of the things that I've just always believed and always tried to do so now that I can do it and as much as can do it, I will. So, like I said, we opened up housing in Kansas City and we plan to expand, so hopefully it'll work.
TCC: Now is there a website for that or is it just something private you do?
Ginuwine: The website is www.SpruceKC.com and SPRUCE stands for Special People Requiring Unique Care Equally. So, www.SpruceKC.com.
TCC: I know last year you did an interview with your wife and you talked about 10,000 Backpacks. Is that continuing every year?
Ginuwine: Yeah, we will. There's a lot of times where a lot of kids don't have backpacks and we wanted to make sure that we were there to give them backpacks. I was one of the kids in high school that really didn't have a backpack. We just felt like if we could bring awareness to that and make a change in some of the kids' lives, they would be enthused about going to school. A lot of people don't understand that when a kid goes to school and he don't have the necessary tools to learn and the necessary tools to be in school, they don't want to go. So we just wanted to try to do as much as we can. Like I said, if you're a celebrity, not only do you own your houses and your cars, but it's time to give back. So that's basically what we did. We went out and got them backpacks and wanted to be apart of that and give back. All the backpacks were given to them and all the stuff was donated. We just wanted to give them out and we donated pencils, paper, and all kind of stuff inside the backpacks. So it was a great day, all the backpacks were taken and it was one of those situations where it happened to be a difference that we made.
TCC: Do you try to instill that in your daughters, the idea of giving back?
Ginuwine: Oh, yeah, my daughters always. They were out there with me, like anything that I do, my wife and my daughters come along with me because I want them to see that life isn't always as easy as they have it. People sometimes don't have as much as a backpack like we did, so that way they're grounded. And I keep them grounded at home, regardless anyway, but they actually see it. Because seeing it on TV and hearing about it is so different from actually witnessing it. So that's what I'm always instilling in them. Life isn't as easy as it always seems and once they go to these things and they see the things that I do, they actually see that everything that I am doing is a good thing and hopefully it will be something that they can take with them throughout their life and you know contribute.
TCC: You definitely seem like a wonderful father trying to instill these values in your daughters. Having four daughters, what's the toughest of being the only man in the house? As a father, what's the toughest part for you, trying to raise your daughters and raise your daughters right?
Ginuwine: Well, it's connecting now because I'm not just the type of father to say it, I want them to know that sometimes I'm going to have to you know spank their little hind parts and I have to punish them sometimes, you know all the things that a parent does, I do. And that's really again, me instilling in them you know what is right and what is wrong because I'm not the type of father that's gonna take things to a point where they can do anything that they want and they take to me any kind of way. You know, I'm your father, I'm not your friend, I'm not there to play with you, it's straight business when it comes to me. We have our playtime, but I'm not your friend, I'm your father, so don't get it twisted, don't get it wrong and think you can say anything to me, because you know, that's not happening. And you know, I believe that's the best way to be because you can watch on TV a lot of the reality shows where the kids talk to their parents any kind of way, and that's just not going to happen. Because for the kids, there will be some repercussions and the repercussions is something they don't want to take. So I definitely make sure that my kids know that it's not playtime, it's real time when it comes to dad. But at the same time they know I'm loving and I take care of them and we can play and they love me. I mean when I come home, they jump on me, they have signs for me, "Hey welcome home Daddy!" Because when I go out of town, sometimes I'm out of town for weeks and stuff like that but they know, and that's why I love them and they love me.
TCC: Have they ever heard your music? How do they feel having their dad be a big music star?
Ginuwine: Well the two little ones, they don't understand it, they always wonder why people want to take pictures of me but the two older ones they do. And they like it at times, and sometimes they might feel uncomfortable or whatever but most of the time they are cool with it, but they little ones still don't understand.
TCC: Well thank you very much. It was absolutely a pleasure.
Ginuwine: Thank you, so much and I look forward to talking to you again when my songs blow up!