The First 12"Single

Our first project was a 12-inch vinyl release featuring:

• ELGIN BAYLOR (my brother’s pre-Ginuwine artist name)
• Myself as DJ DOUBLE J inspired by the character “Double K” from the film Beat Street

The featured R&B ballad “I Want You” (no relation to the Marvin Gaye hit) was written by myself and Georges Jamison II, a former Finesse Five member. My contributions included instrumental hip-hop tracks with turntablism and scratching.

The concept was strategic: In New York, radio DJs were evolving from mixtapes into releasing compilation albums. In DC, that model had not yet taken hold. Before DJs locally were pressing records, prior to figures like DJ Kool, I wanted to introduce ourselves into the market through an atypical pathway by releasing DJ oriented projects that would ultimately evolve into projects for R&B and Hip Hop artists.

The 12” received airplay on 1450 AM WOL with "The Moonman" playing the R&B ballad my brother recorded on his overnight show and "Big Brother Konan" playing the instrumental hip hop tracks.

This project also attained airplay on WDJY 100.3 FM.

Notably, DJ Kool would play the ballad at Triples Nightclub, unusual for a slow R&B record in a club environment at that time.

DJ Kool is the first DJ to ever play a “Ginuwine” record in a club before the name Ginuwine officially existed.

Project X & Early Radio Airplay

The next release under Groove Tip Records was PROJECT X, an EP retail cassette project under my updated moniker DJ JAMES X.

By this time I had joined the Universal Zulu Nation after being personally invited by Afrika Bambataa and leaned more into Hip Hop production.

This second project featured neighborhood collaborators X.L. and Silky C, with Elgin Baylor (Ginuwine) providing background vocals on the Hip Hop track “Never Take a Loss” by X.L. The record received airplay from Michel Wright on 95.5 WPGC FM.

Former members of Finesse Five later formed the group REIGN and released a 12” single featuring the song “Let Me,” written by myself and Georges Jamison II.  That single was produced by Al Johnson.  Best known for his collaborations with Deniece Williams, The Whispers, Norman Conners and his own DC based R&B Group The Unifics. 

Around this time, Cayman Kelly (now known for his work on SiriusXM’s Heart & Soul and The Breakfast Club) featured my unreleased music as a bed on his radio show The Redlight Special on 93.9 WKYS FM.

Transition & Digital Pioneering

As Elgin joined DeVante Swing’s "Da Bassment" camp (from the group Jodeci) and later became internationally known as Ginuwine, I pivoted.

Groove Tip Records entered hiatus as I embraced another frontier: The Internet.

I became one of the early pioneers building websites for Black radio personalities, and later buidling websites and digital marketing for legendary artists including The O'Jays and Go Go Legends Rare Essence, as well as sports and entertainment figures such as Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Townsend, and Martin Lawrence.

I also provided digital marketing support for early Kevin Hart films directed by Russ Parr.

In 1999, I reunited with longtime collaborator DC Pablo to produce music and build the first website for a Washington, DC rap group with integrated e-commerce,  ICC (Inner City Cartel) of Soundproof Entertainment. I also performed live as a keyboardist with Soundproof Band, sharing stages with Go-Go legends Lil Benny, Go-Go Mickey, and Stinky Dink.

Return to the Label

In 2015, I informally released the instrumental R&B single “Night of the Retromance” under Groove Tip Records.

Today, Groove Tip Records is being relaunched for the digital era.  Not just as a label, but as a living archive and creative arm connected to the upcoming autobiographical documentary film:

BIOVENT: The “Life Music” & Opinions of StJamesIII

Under the StJamesIII brand, I operate across film, music (R&B, Jazz, LoFi, Film Scoring and Production) and technology.
Under James X, I produce Hip Hop and DJ driven work.

Groove Tip Records represents the origin point where street culture, vinyl, radio, and entrepreneurship intersected and where independent ownership began long before “independent” became a marketing term.