"He’s not even singing" - Internet reacts to Ginuwine being spotted performing at SeaWorld

2023 ESSENCE Festival Of Culture™ – Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - Day 3 - Source: Getty
Netizens react to Ginuwine performing at SeaWorld (Image via Paras Griffin/Getty Images for ESSENCE)

R&B singer Elgin Baylor Lumpkin, aka Ginuwine, was recently spotted performing at SeaWorld, and videos from the event have now gone viral on the internet. In a clip posted by X page @ArtOfDialogue_ on August 17, the singer entered SeaWorld sporting an all-white outfit and performed multiple tracks on stage.

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The video garnered traction, amassing over 360K views at the time of writing, leading discourse among netizens on Lumpkin's stint at SeaWorld.

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Commenting on Ginuwine's performance, an X user tweeted:

"He’s not the same. Hasn’t been for a while. He’s not even singing"
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Internet users questioned SeaWorld’s choice of inviting the R&B singer, while some commented on his performing skills:

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On the other hand, netizens recalled the Toxic Pony singer falling off the stage during a 2023 performance at Usher's Lovers & Friends. During his 2023 performance, the singer attempted to move from the main stage to a smaller platform. However, he couldn't stick the landing and fell in the space between the stage and the platform.

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Despite the criticism, some fans expressed support for the performance and praised the event.

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"I love the fact I didn’t fail"- When Ginuwine reflected on his sobriety journey

Ginuwine was born on October 15, 1970, in Washington, D.C. The R&B singer began his career as a member of Swing Mob, a New York-based record label where he met the late singer-songwriter Stephen "Static Major" Garrett, rapper Missy Elliott, and producer Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley.

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The singer released his debut album Ginuwine...The Bachelor in 1996 and its first single, Pony, became a popular track. It ranked at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was featured in the video game Grand Theft Auto IV in 2008.

While Lumpkin delivered multiple hits throughout his career, he also battled alcohol and drug addiction. During an interview with Essence dated October 2020, the singer revealed that he turned to alcohol and drugs to cope with the loss of his parents in 1999 and 2000.

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Lumpkin's Instagram post celebrating his sobriety (Image via Instagram/ @ginuwine)
Lumpkin's Instagram post celebrating his sobriety (Image via Instagram/ @ginuwine)

At the time, the R&B singer mentioned that his father shot himself and his mother died from cancer the following year. Admitting to having contemplated suicide himself, Ginuwine added:

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"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."

However, the So Anxious singer celebrated 2 months of sobriety via an Instagram post in September 2024. In a lengthy caption, he mentioned how 60 days must seem like a little time to his fans, but it was a lifetime for him. Encouraging people to reach out for help, Lumpkin wrote:

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"I love the fact I didn’t fail !!!! I stood TEN10 toes down, IT made me know I got this!!!! I am worthy, I am strong, I am deserving of better, I know what is in store, I know the fight, I knew what was to come and so I stood strong,!!! yep !!!we ain’t waivering…"
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Lumpkin concluded his caption by addressing those battling drug and alcohol addiction, asking them to look within themselves and encouraging them to do better.


In other news, Ginuwine performed at the Summerfest festival in Milwaukee on June 19, 2025. However, his set received mixed reviews.

Edited by Ameen Fatima
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