By Marley Malenfant/se news editor
Marcus Dinkins went from being a member of the James Bowie High School step team to opening shows for T.I., Young Jeezy and Keri Hilson.
Dinkins is a member of the then-five-member group GS Boys. The GS Boys had two national hits in 2009 with “Stanky Legg” and “Booty Dew.” “Stanky Legg” sold 1.2 million ringtones. It also peaked at No. 49 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Dinkins served as producer for the group.
Dinkins graduated from Bowie in 2008. Eight million hits on YouTube led Dinkins and the GS Boys to a record deal that November.
Two members (Prince Charming and South Side) left the group last year because of what Dinkins describes as artistic disagreements.
“People didn’t get paid what they thought they should’ve been paid,” he said. “Prince Charming and South Side [wrote] the song, and they brought the song to Slizz (another member of the group). I came in and did the production on the track. And it was a bit of tension that came later on about who did what.”
Dinkins, currently a full-time student, said getting booked for shows isn’t as frequent, so school was a way to fill time.
“It helps you stay focused and gives you a different outlook on music,” he said. “Right now, it’s not really moving the way it used to be. It’s better for me to be in school and continue to get my education. It keeps you moving.”
Dinkins said his favorite classes are Musical Instrument Digital Interface and a psychology course. He said he applies those courses for when he’s doing business or on the road. Dinkins currently doesn’t have a major.
“I spent the time to build my own studio, so I had to learn how to build computers,” he said. “So I could do computer engineering or computer science.”
Despite the GS Boys now being a three-man-group and no longer signed to a label, Dinkins said they still do shows.
“We recently went to Illinois, St. Louis and Indianapolis, and they showed a lot of love,” he said. “After a certain amount of time and a certain amount of records, your contract is up. We’re now independent.”
Dinkins said that he didn’t blow his first check and even put some away for a rainy day.
“A portion of it I saved because I don’t know what may end up happening,” he said. “The other part of it, I bought me an old-school Impala. I bought me a 1970 one. That was my first purchased car. Then I had to pay my tithes, too. I been blessed, so I wanted to make sure I gave back.”
In the summer of 2009, the GS Boys performed at the BET Awards. Dinkins said the show had their largest audience.
“It’s exciting to be in front of all those people,” he said. “There’s more people watching, which means there’s more people you have to put a show on for. And that’s just more people that are going to be talking about how great you really are.”
Dinkins said he met many celebrities but said the best celeb moment was when the group was stuck at a club in Atlanta.
“The person that was supposed to pick us up from the club never showed up,” he said.
“So we’re like, ‘How in the world are we going to get back to the hotel?’ Soulja Boy shows up and gives us a ride back to the hotel. We were just standing outside in the parking lot, and he pulls up and says, ‘Y’all need a ride?’”
Dinkins said he doesn’t have any regrets despite no longer being signed.
“Everything that happened then led up to me learning how to do everything now,” he said. “Remember to count your blessings.”
