What a time we had in the 90's especially with the reign of Bad Boy Records, and all the talents affiliated whether hip hop or R&B. We had a ball, didn't we (speaking for the generation X and Baby Boomers)?
The music scene changed, on steady incline, where rap group’s made epic hits, and songsters regulated emotional ballads, evocative, and unequivocal break-ups to make-up songs.
Gina Thompson is one of the acts that shared those spaces for entertainment. She wrote and performed music that’ll light up the horizon with good vibes, till this day.
Thompson grew up singing that old fashioned hymn music in church—It wasn’t until the famous producer, Rodney Jerkins, discovered her that she became more caviler and trusting of her vocals, and making a name for herself in the world of entertainment.
Thompson a vivacious artist, which struck out, to be a game changer for the culture, was an artist from that era. She signed a deal with Rodney Jerkins (Mercury Records), for her first album Nobody Does it Better (1996), with original score “Things You Do,” that Missy Elliott and Puff Daddy remixed (Polygram Mercury), making it an sensational hit. The song rocked the billboard charts, prompting Missy Elliott to form alliance with the young singer, in a mentorship type way as sisters helping sisters climb the ladder to success.
Thompson released another banger “Ya Di Ya (1998)" from unreleased album If You Only Knew, featuring Missy Elliott (Electra Records), though the single created a nice wave, it didn't chart like "Things You Do."
This provoked the label to do what they do best, when the numbers (dollars) aren't quite where they want them, which is to abandon the project. We've seen it happen time and time again to even the most endowed artist.
Facing industry hurt, and having her projects shelved, took a toll on Thompson. She stepped away from the spotlight altogether, to focus on family, and other aspects of her life until about several years ago... “After I took a break and regained my mental,” Thompson explained. “I decided to just move forward and do a couple other things, and started another career. Fast forwarding again, as you can see I was absent for a while, and then this opportunity to do the pass the mic with DJ Cassidy comes along, and I did that March of 2021.”
When opportunity knocked, Thompson opened the door after praying to God, and affirming that it was her time to work on new music again.
Thompson signed to digital label Infanity Web3. ‘They are all about what we call NFT’s," she conveys. Thompson also shares that the deal is better than a traditional record deal allowing more control, and larger reach, to interact and entertain fans.
The singers newest single “Starving,” released from the same platform bolsters Infanity’s existence with soothing vocals from Thompson in a corporal and craving tone, about love and the guilty pleasures--falling deeply into the complexities of passion with that special someone. The instrumentals are strummed in B flat, harmonizing with Thompson’s sweet tone, that’s symbolic of the 90’s era hanging in the balance of old school, and new generation keenness.
Starving is available on all streaming platforms including Infanity Web3.
Thompson says that the song is versatile than what she normally sings, and it was challenging to record it in sultry, and smooth jazzy-funk tones.
Click link below to watch entire interview:
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