Everybody knows “Pony,” the 1996 debut single from Ginuwine, produced by a just-breaking-big Timbaland. It’s more than just another pop R&B hit from another era. “Pony” has been featured in countless movies, TV shows and video games and covered, remixed and sampled by dozens of artists.
It’s the song that defines Ginuwine (real name: Elgin Lumpkin) but he’s no one-hit wonder, as you’ll learn if you make it to comedian Mike Epps’ Las Vegas Soul Festival at the Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel this weekend. In fact, once you admit to yourself how much you like “Pony,” you should probably check out other Timbaland-produced midtempo jams from Ginuwine’s first album (Ginuwine…the Bachelor) like “Tell Me Do U Wanna,” “Only When Ur Lonely” and “I’ll Do Anything/I’m Sorry,” and sophomore record 100% Ginuwine’s standout tracks “What’s So Different?,” “So Anxious,” and “None of Ur Friends Business.” Timbaland’s fresh production made Aaliyah a star around that time, but his similarly impressive work with Ginuwine isn’t remembered as well.
We caught up with Ginuwine to talk about the music and the mania of “Pony” as he prepares to play the Hard Rock, where he also hosts a concert afterparty at the Vanity nightclub space on November 19.
You’re playing with Keith Sweat and Dru Hill in Las Vegas, and touring with lots of other different artists. What’s it like to spend time around your peers and others who influenced you? It’s really good for me simply because I love to perform and go to different places and stay in touch with the people, that’s what’s most important. You get to see the fellas and hang out and drink a little bit, and catch up with the people I came up with in the music industry and the people I admire. But it always feels good to be on stage with a legend, and Keith Sweat is a guy I grew up listening to. To be on stage with him is always a pleasure, and there have been a lot of times he’s called me back out to perform with him. It’s important to show love to the people that came before you.
What’s your setlist like? You have seven solo studio albums. Do you stick to the hits or dig deeper into some of your own favorites? People definitely want to hear the songs they heard on the radio and the ones they watched the videos for, basically the hits, so you have to have the main ones that they came for. But I have what is really a good problem in that sometimes I only get 45 minutes, and it’s well over 60 minutes to do [the songs] people know. So that’s a good thing, because it allows me to switch things around sometimes. But I’m always doing “Pony” and “Differences” and “Same Ol’ G” and all those.
You’re playing at the Hard Rock, the casino that will bring in Channing Tatum’s “Magic Mike Live” male revue show next year. Oh really?
Yeah, which is kinda funny considering the movies that show is based on made heavy use of “Pony.” But it’s not surprising because “Pony” is pretty much the greatest and most used strip club song of all time. Definitely. [laughs]
You should have some sort of trophy or plaque that makes that designation official. Nah, I don’t have that. [laughs] It’s definitely one of the songs everyone uses to strip to. I never understood it.
It’s been covered by a lot of people, too. Do you have a favorite cover version? Not really. I like ‘em all, the ones I’ve heard. I love mine. [laughs] People remake it all the time and it’s just one of those songs that’s gonna stay around for a long time. It could come out right now and do some damage. It’s a good thing to be a part of.
What do you think it is about that song that makes it so memorable? When Timbaland produced it, he had such a new sound and was using these effects that no one had heard before, and coming out of the New Jack Swing era, that was like the turn of new music. That song kinda sparked it off. I guess people today just remember how strong it was when it came out.
You’ve been making music and touring and acting recently. What are you focused on right now? Doing a lot of touring, and that’s my favorite part, but I’m going to get back in there soon and get some new music out. I don’t like the way a lot of music is going these days. No one buys it. But I don’t want to change [my music] too much because then you start to sound like everybody else. You have to update a little, but you don’t have to stray too far from where you started.
Mike Epps Presents: Las Vegas Soul Festival with Keith Sweat, Dru Hill and Ginuwine November 19, 7 p.m., $29-$200. The Joint, 702-693-5222.
