Back II da Basics

Back II Da Basics
Studio album by Ginuwine
Released	November 15, 2005
Recorded	July 2003–2005
Genre	R&B pop
Length	52:32
Label	Epic
Producer	Danja Illfactor Kuya Troy Oliver Jazze Pha Cedric Solomon Trackmasters The Underdogs Alvin West Younglord
Ginuwine chronology
The Senior (2003) Back II da Basics (2005) Greatest Hits (2006)

Back II da Basics is the fifth album by American recording artist Ginuwine. Released by Epic Records on November 15, 2005 in the United States, production for the album originally began in July 2003. Although Ginuwine initially revealed that he was planning to reteam with longtime contributor Timbaland on the entirety of the album, their collaboration failed to materialize due to scheduling conflicts.^[1] Instead, Ginuwine worked with a diverse roster of collaborators, including Danja, Jazze Pha, Troy Oliver, Trackmasters, and The Underdogs, on most of the tracks.

Upon its release, Back II da Basics received generally mixed reviews amongst critics with many complimenting the album's mid-tempo material and more mature approach, while criticizing its uptempo tracks and somewhat outdated nature. Commercially, it debuted at number twelve on the US Billboard 200 with first week sales of 74,430 copies, becoming Ginuwine's first album to miss the top ten since 1996's Ginuwine...the Bachelor, his solo debut. It also debuted at number three on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart, scoring him his fourth consecutive top three entry.

The album spawned two singles, including lead single "When We Make Love" and "I'm In Love", both of which were not as successful as previous singles and failed to make the Billboard Hot 100. In support of the album, early in 2006 Ginuwine and label mates Jagged Edge linked up on the Ladies Night Out tour. A year later Epic produced a greatest hits compilation with almost no promotion presumably to end the album deal with Ginuwine.

Background

In 2003, Ginuwine released The Senior, his fourth studio album. It debuted at number six on the US Billboard 200 with first-week sales of 122,000 copies sold. It later was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales in excess of 863,000 copies.^[2] It produced three singles, with all of them appearing on the Billboard Hot 100.^[3] Production for his fifth album began the same year.^[1] Ginuwine revealed on 106 & Park that he was working with Timbaland on the entirety of the album, however, their collaboration failed to materialize due to scheduling conflicts.^[1] On the production process, Ginuwine elaborated: "I want to bring R&B back up to the place where it needs to be."^[4]

Reception

Critical response

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[5]
Artistdirect	[6]
Entertainment Weekly	(negative)[7]
The Situation	[8]
Vibe	[9]
Yahoo! Music	(unfavorable)[10]

Back II da Basics received generally mixed reviews from music critics. In his review for Allmusic, Andy Kellman gave the album three out five stars and remarked that "rather than gradually spin out with albums that steadily diminish creatively and commercially, [Ginuwine] has put together a series of releases strong enough to maintain his presence on radio." Generally critical with the club tracks on the album, he felt that without them Back II da Basics "would be an even better, bolder, more mature release [with] lush ballads and gentle mid-tempo material."^[5] Sophia Jackson from The Situation found that "it’s good to see that after a decade on the scene, Ginuwine can still hang out with the young ones in the over-populated R&B world. This is an above average comeback for Ginuwine fans and lovers of real back to the basics R&B to enjoy. Welcome back Ginuwine, you’ve been missed."^[8]

Vibe‍ '​ Imani A. Dawson rated the album three discs out of five commented that with "his fifth release, Back II da Basics – which builds on his silky vocals while keeping the sexual innuendo intact – proves he's slowly but surely growing up."^[9] She noted that "despite the occasional growing pains, when Ginuwine acts his age, it's a graceful erotic experience."^[9] Raymond Fiore from Entertainment Weekly felt that "for this R&B slickster, returning to da basics means regurgitating the assembly-line bump 'n' grind fare he's honed for a decade. And on his fifth disc, it also means being a few fancy footsteps behind the current pack of urban lotharios."^[7] Largely negative with the album, Justin Lewis from Yahoo! Music wrote that "there is one sad truth about Ginuwine's career that he has yet to fully acknowledge and accept; without Timbaland, he ain't sh!t. Plain and simple [...] And that fact is made painfully obvious several times throughout the course of Ginuwine's fifth album."^[10] He felt that with Back II da Basics, Ginuwine "went back to the basics but forgot absolutely everything he learned. So he best cut his losses and go straight back to the drawing board before he's completely laughed out the back door of R&B once and for all."^[10]

Commercial performance

Upon its release, Back II da Basics debuted at number three on Billboard‍ '​s Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and number twelve on the Billboard 200 in the United States.^[11] It has sold 176,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.^[11]

Track listing

Confirmed by iTunes^[12]

Credits

Visuals and imagery

Instruments and performance credits

Technical and production

Charts

Weekly charts

Release history

References

External links

• Ginuwine.com — official site