June 18
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The school of R & B hard knocks can be overwhelming but it will never hold a survivor down. No one knows that better than Ginuwine, who has experienced the joys and perils of the fickle music biz and helped lay the blueprint for many of today's younger soul brothers.

The once eligible bachelor has traded in his player's card for a loving family life with his wife (former rapper Solé) and their children. G's latest offering (his sixth album), "A Man's Thoughts," is a melodic reflection of his past and present lives.

We caught up with the Baltimore native to discuss those crazy Justin Timberlake comparisons, his suicide attempts, and why he is helping the mentally disabled.

ESSENCE.COM: Welcome back, G! Your new album, "A Man's Thoughts," is a 14-track labor of love. Was it difficult getting back in the swing of things after being away so long?


GINUWINE: (Laughs.) Well, I wrote 45 songs in all. I believe you can listen to my album from beginning to end. Of course, some might love certain songs better than others, but overall I'm proud of it. Plus, I have everyone from Timbaland to Missy to Bun B and Brandy on it.

ESSENCE.COM: Your album is typically you with an all-star lineup, but folks are accusing you of swagger-jacking Justin Timberlake because of the Timbaland-produced anthem "Get Involved." How do you feel about that?

GINUWINE: (Laughs.) Are you serious? If that's copying Justin Timberlake I want to know whether people say the same thing about him when he hooked up to work with Tim, whom I've worked with for years? People are real funny.

ESSENCE.COM: On a more serious note, you lost both your parents in 1999 and 2000. How have you been coping?

GINUWINE: After my father shot himself to death and my mother died from cancer less than a year later, I really didn't want to be here anymore, I didn't want to live and tried to commit suicide more than once. There was no one around that I really loved at the time, so I turned to the drinking and drugs like weed and ecstasy.

I was done mentally and emotionally to the point that I had to go see a psychiatrist, but that didn't do any good because I wasn't interested. In fact, the two times I visited him I was high. I was depressed and felt like I had nobody to talk to that could relate to me.

ESSENCE.COM: Wow. What was the turning point for you?

GINUWINE: I had one friend who intervened and begged me to get help. Even though I didn't continue with my therapy, I went to church and received counseling from my pastor and got straight spiritually.

I was able to turn away from all those things that were destroying me and finally think clearly. I had to ask myself whether or not I wanted to go out like my dad and have my kids hurt the way I was hurting. I've been clean for about seven years. Now, I keep all that stuff away from me, especially when I'm on the road.

ESSENCE.COM: Despite your adversity you've remained positive and are working with the mentally disabled.


GINUWINE: My wife and I own mentally disabled homes in Kansas City where the mentally disabled board through a program called SPRUCE (Special People Requiring Unique Care Equally).

Many people don't realize that once they turn18 they are often thrown out the house and are homeless. At the home, they are able to learn the basic fundamentals of life, like finding a job, how to take care of themselves, clean their rooms, and other things. My heart always likes to give, and if I'm going to help somebody it might as well be someone who can't help themselves.
[Edited 6/18/09 13:59pm]

I'm glad he got his mind right.

wow ..good he's better now

Glad he got with Tim again...wish he produced the whole album with Missy.

Good for him. So he's still with Sole, huh?

Poor Ginuwine he was having some rough times back in the days. He's still with Sole, she said she ain't uprooting her kids over some affair rumor with Lisa Raye. Lisa Raye is pretty I believe he was gulity to some degree. Sole left him for a brief period over this and went back abruptly. I guess she knows where her bread and butter is...

I like the new song "Last Chance" he has out. It sounds like he's singin' it to his wifey.
[Edited 6/18/09 19:22pm]

nice 2 see the G back at it...

remember his doves cry cover...he released for a single...lol

it was o.k....the production was terrible though...

love his 1st album....

nyse said:

I couldn't stand that cover!

If he was poppin XTC pills it would explain this single here!!!
http://www.youtube.com/wa...CBN3F-HPa4 PONY, everybody was probably gettin freaky to that song.

nyse said:

He needs his mouth slapped for that shit . . . STILL.

Must've been the drugs that made him think he's a legend. Can someone school him on THAT next?

Glad he made it through. Losing the parents one after the other like that must have been beyond horrendous.

ernestsewell said:

I heard the Missy and Tim song..its coo.

Damn, hadn't heard about his hard times Glad he got himself together. I still play "So Anxious" on my IPod

CalhounSq said:

So meet me at eleven thirty?

really?

bboy87 said:

In his dream of dreams.....

Boy that's fucked up. I'm glad he considered his kids and pulled through the rough times. I'm glad he had somebody that cared enough to hammer some sense into his skull.

He still aint cute though. And he still butchered WDC. But other than that he's cool.

he had to have been high in order to have slept with missy elliot

tat2s said:

What's wrong with Missy Elliott? She has lost all that weight I think she looks okay enough for him to smash. Missy and Timbaland helped him a great deal before he got started out. Ginuwine was damn near homeless before his career took off, they all shared an apt together in New York.

ernestsewell said:

ROFLLLL!

I PROMISE THAT YOU WON'T WANT TO GET OFF! ()

paisleypark4 said:

I love it when you're talkin' dirty
said I'm sssssooooo anxiousssss

I liked the "When Doves Cry" remake.

Cinnie said:

CalhounSq said:

I know. I have yet to meet another person who did

Cinnie said:

I bang The Bachelor from start to finish.