Timbaland & Zane Lowe (Beats1 Interview)

Zane talks to Timbaland about working with Ginuwine, Aaliyah, Missy Elliott and ZAYN. He also talks about his new album 'Textbook Timbo', the new artists he's working with and wanting his own holiday.

7 Songs You Didn’t Know Timbaland Had A Hand In Creating

The world has been dancing to the beat of Timbaland’s drum for two decades now. The Virginia native’s distinctive production style has been the musical backdrop for a laundry list of acts, including himself.

Timbo’s entry into the industry can be traced back to the ’90s as part of the creative collective, “Da Bassment,” which was spearheaded by Jodeci member DevanteSwing. After paying more than enough dues with the Jodeci camp, he along with fellow Bassment members Missy Elliott and Ginuwine struck out on their own to create music history. We obviously know about the monster records he’s created with the likes of Missy, Aaliyah, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado and countless others. In honor of his amazing musical legacy, and more recently his work on the hit series Empire, let’s take a look at some of those unexpected moments in Mr. Mosley’s catalog.

“No More Pain” – 2Pac (1996)

Although Devante Swing is credited as the producer, it was long suspected that Timbaland had a hand in this song’s creation. Back in 2011, Timbaland confirmed his involvement with a simple tweet.

 “Diamond Dogs” – Beck (2001)

Many moons before he offended Kanye for winning Album of the Year, Beckteamed up with Timbaland for a David Bowie cover, the end result appeared on theMoulin Rouge Soundtrack. 

“True Love” – Coldplay (2014)

Although he didn’t flat out produce this, Timbaland hooked Coldplay up with his signature drums for the third single off their latest album. Is it us, or does the groove sound similar to another song in Timb’s discography??

“Twisted” – New Kids On The Block (2008)

NKOTB’s 2008 comeback album The Block,was full of top-notch appearances. Names such as Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo, Akon were all attached to the project. Timbaland got in on the action, as he produced this unexpected collab for the boys from Boston.

“Good Life” – Kanye West (2007)

When two of the greatest producers hip-hop has ever seen get together, history has to be made right? Kanye is on record saying drums are his “Achilles heel,” this might explain Timbaland taking over drum programming duties on this smash.

“I Don’t Have To Sleep To Dream” – Cher (2013)

This is probably the most unexpected collaboration of them all, Cher linked up with Timbo on her 25th studio album Closer to the Truth. Unless you’re a die-hard Cherfan, who owned the deluxe version of this album, then you more than likely missed this one.

“Stronger” – Kanye West (2007)

Kanye once again sought the wise counsel of Timbaland when it came time to get the drums right for his future hit. This time around, someone was wise enough to document this meeting of the minds. Teamwork certainly makes the dream work.

Missy Elliott and Timbaland featured in Rolling Stone's "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time"

"If you listen to my songs, they tell stories," Missy Elliott has said. 

"I write almost as if I'm in conversation with somebody." 

Rolling Stone Announces Top 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time, Missy & Timbaland Featured On The List and Peaked at #96 The list has a balance of old school greats: Marvin Gaye, The Bee Gees, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, Lennon, McCartney- they are all there. But equally the new kids on the block are holding their own: Taylor Swift and even Mr. Kayne West. The Irish manage to make a dent with Bono and The Edge in at a respectable number 35 while Van Morrison slides in at No.22. But undisputedly, the list is topped by the much adored Bob Dylan. Dylan reigns at the op spot #1 - His prolific career led him to the top and his timeless songs keep him there.  

the President of TeamTimbo Missy Elliott
Posted by Timbaland on Friday, January 15, 2016

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Timbaland Puts Tamela on the Hottest Beat

Tamel Mann Working with Timbaland in The Studio For Her New Album
watch the video below:

Timbaland Accepts The Top Network Series Award for 'Empire'

Composer Timbaland accepts the Top Network Series award for 'Empire' onstage during the 2016 ASCAP Screen Music Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on March 24, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California.

Timbaland: "This is Only The Beginning"

Last Night ASCAP Awards  
Posted by Timbaland on Friday, March 25, 2016

Timbaland, best known for producing artists like Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott, Nelly Furtado and Madonna, won the Top Network Series award for his work on Empire. In his gracious acceptance speech he made it clear that he is interested in more screen work. “I’m a newcomer to this film and TV world,” he said. “I love movies more than I probably love music. I want to join some of you great composers. Hans Zimmer is my favorite.”

http://officialtimbaland.tumblr.com/post/142062621367

Keri Hilson Announces New Album ‘L.I.A.R.’

The wait is almost over. More than five years since her last studio album, Keri Hilson is looking to heat up the charts again with the release of her newest musical project L.I.A.R.

L.I.A.R., an acronym for Love Is A Religion, will see Miss Keri Baby team up with heavyweights Chris Brown, Polow Da Don, and Timbaland for her third full-length effort that she vows will address her years away from the music industry.

“I promise, I will tell my fans everything on this album. Why I was really gone, what actually happened, what didn’t, what I could control, and what I couldn’t,” she said. “Never will I ever again take a break from music.”

Miss Keri Hilson is coming back in 2015 !
Posted by Timbaland on Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The project will be led by “Again,” Hilson’s first official single since “Lose Control (Let Me Down)” featuring Nelly was released from her second album, No Boys Allowed. The new track, which has been described as a “raw mid-tempo R&B anthem” and dubbed the 33-year-old’s most honest song to-date,” will premiere on Friday (March 18) via Zone 4/Mosley Group. Hilson’s new cut is produced by her fellow Georgia native Mike WiLL Made-It and co-written by R. City, a duo largely known for their work with Rihanna, Beyoncé, and Jennifer Hudson.

@kerihilson !!!!!! New new !!!!!! Ms Keri babe!!!!!!!

A video posted by Timbo the King (@timbaland) on Mar 13, 2015 at 9:33pm PDT

Timbaland History in 40 Sec with Trevor Noah

Let's take a moment to remind the world that a lot of people who do not even know what they are - your fans. Look at this list, it's just crazy ... you - the person who is behind the work of Missy Elliott, Magoo, Aaliyh, Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z, Nelly Furtado, Madonna, One Republic, Drake, Beyonce, Usher, Tupac, Beby face, Lil 'Kim, Snoop Dogg, Eminem !

Posted by Timbaland on Thursday, November 19, 2015

BOOM! :)

Timbaland's Ultimate Workout Playlist

Producer Timbaland was on ESPN's campus earlier this week, and we couldn't let him leave without sharing his ultimate workout playlist. He didn't disappoint with his wide-ranging musical selections. Check it out below:

Timbaland On Women influencing His Music

Timbaland On Women influencing His Music
Posted by Timbaland on Sunday, November 1, 2015

The super beats-smith stopped by ESPN's Bristol, Connecticut, office on Tuesday to chat with the espnW team. As the newly minted executive music producer of Fox's smash-hit series "Empire," he discussed his writing process and working with strong yet distinctively different women artists, from the late pop star Aaliyah to Canadian vocalist Nelly Furtado.

Timbaland with Michael Smith on ESPN

Michael Smith reaches out to Timbaland to produce some fire theme music for his show; but it seems like someone already beat him to the punch.

Justin Timberlake - Love Of My Life (Instrumental)

Justin Timberlake - Love Of My Life (Instrumental) (C) 2013 Zomba Recording & Jive Records, LLC.

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Happy Birthday Timbaland!!!

“You can accomplish anything you put your mind to if you stay persistent and disciplined"

Happy bornday to Norfolk, Va.-native Grammy Award-winning record producer, composer, and rapper @Timbaland!!

While attending high school, he began a long-term collaboration with rapper Melvin Barclif who he performed with in the duo Timbaland & Magoo. He also DJ’d under the moniker Tiny Tim, (later named by Jodeci member Devante Swing after the Timberland boot) he started producing music as a member of Swing’s Swing Mob crew known as Da Bassment to S.B.I. that also featured Neptunes Pharrell Williams.

 he fully produced Supa Dupa Fly, the debut album of Missy Elliott, who had been a childhood friend of Mosley. In this album Timbaland continued with his now trademark electronic production style, but since Missy frequently rapped the music was considered hip-hop. Timbaland's sound was something very different from typical hip-hop up to that point, which often had a "grimey" sound and used samples. Timbaland's clean, electronic, and non-sample based productions were something very new to hip-hop audience

R&B singer Ginuwine’s hit single “Pony” and debut LP Ginuwine…the Bachelor, was produced by Timbaland, introduced a  style that defined the new wave of music in the ‘90s: “R&B and hip hop mixed with an eclectic smorgasbord of effects held together by complex syncopated snare beats.” At the same time, his partnership with high school friend Missy Elliott led to the delivery of Aaliyah’s double platinum One In A Million and later making them one of music’s most successful production/songwriting teams. Missy looked to Timbaland, who helped define her as an artist and their work together.

Timbaland Helped Nelly Furtado On Her third Album "Loose"  in 2006 as a fairly wholesome pop singer who logged a few thoughtful, if dry hits over two solo albums. The third time around she felt like shaking up the formula, so she tapped Timbaland and Danja for the bulk of production on 2006’s Loose, whose international Top 10 smash “Promiscuous” "Say It Right" & "Maneater" rang in her sultry new hip-hop persona with production full of brashly artificial flutes and outsized marching band drums.

FutureSex/LoveSounds is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on September 8, 2006, by Jive Records and the Zomba Group of Companies. After a two-year hiatus during which Timberlake felt unable to record new material, he returned to collaborating with record producer Timbaland. Along with the latter's dependent,Danja, the three in general wrote FutureSex/LoveSounds and much of the album's contents were produced in Timbaland's Thomas Crown Studios.

#HappyBirthday@Timbaland the man who have changed the sound of music time & time again!#Facts👑May u enjoy this day❤️ pic.twitter.com/GC5lpnQdET

— Missy Elliott (@MissyElliott) March 10, 2016

Posted by Timbaland on Friday, September 4, 2015

Timbaland - Mega-Medley | Vol.2
Posted by Timbaland on Thursday, November 13, 2014

And Still The King ♛ #TlMBALAND
Posted by Timbaland on Monday, January 19, 2015

Happy Birthday  Thank you for changing Music Forever 
Posted by TimbalandMusic on Thursday, March 10, 2016

http://officialtimbaland.tumblr.com/post/140818966306/timbaland-44-yrs-old-today

Happy Born-Day, my brother! We've done so many special things together through music but, your friendship and brotherhood away from the spotlight goes way beyond that!! Love you for life, man!!!! Enjoy your day! --JT

A photo posted by Justin Timberlake (@justintimberlake) on Mar 10, 2016 at 3:12pm PST

Happy birthday @timbaland [ 🎶#applecobbler || The DEFinition] pic.twitter.com/xr4oZxQSzc

— LLCOOLJ. (@llcoolj) March 10, 2016

Tink Feat. Timbaland - Circle the Block

Tink has been prepping her debut for some time now, but it seems we are inching closer to it’s release. The Chi-town MC releases the hard-hitting new single “Circle The Block.”featuring Timbaland


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Tink is riding around looking for her target in her latest visuals for her banger “Circle The Block”. Check it out below:

The 25 Greatest Timbaland Instrumentals Of All Time

In honor of Timbaland and his induction into the VHI Hip Hop Hall of Fame, Complex Magazine gave it's top 25 Timbaland tracks/Instrumentals of all time. They are: 

#25: Cee-Lo f/ Timbaland "I'll Be Around"

Released: 2004
In between Goodie acclaim and Gnarls stardom, Cee-Lo spent the first half of the past decade pursuing a solo career to mostly deaf ears. It wasn't fot for a lack of great records, though, as his sole Timbo collabo demonstrates. Tim brings Lo a brass-band bounce, and the chorus hints at both acts' gospel influence. As a rapper, Tim is easily out-styled by Cee-Lo's ridiculous flow, but compensates with a certain goofball charm.

#: Nelly Furtado "Say It Right" 

Released: 2006

Nelly Furtado tapped Timbaland and Danja for the bulk of production on 2006’s Loose, whose international Top 10 smash “Say It Right”

#24: SWV f/ Missy Elliott "Can We"

Released: 1997
The lead single from SWV's final album (and the Booty Call soundtrack!) embodied the changing of the guard in modern R&B. Out went the sample-based hip-hop-informed sound that made them stars, in came Tim's space funk. You can hear Mr. Mosley trying to lace them with a more traditional-sounding beat, but it's bursting at the seams, his ticks and twitches seeping out from behind the lead guitar.

#23: Young Jeezy "3 A.M."

Released: 2006
By the middle of the ’00s, it seemed like Timbaland had all but put hip-hop behind him. His rap collaborations were infrequent and usually leaned towards the pop side of the spectrum. "3 AM" served as a reminder that he could still get down on the grimy side of things, playing in frequent Jeezy producer Shawty Redd's sandbox and blending his trademark twitchy programming with Atlanta's then-standard of darkened d-boy drama synths.

#22: Missy Elliott f/ Eve, Nas & Q-Tip "Hot Boyz (Remix)"

Released: 1999
For the most part, when Timbaland used samples they accounted for just a small element in a larger blueprint but Missy's "Hot Boyz" is entirely sample-driven, hinging on the stop-and-go chops of an unidentifiable string sample. Eve and Nas tear this down with ease, while Q-Tip just confuses with an surrealistically uncharacteristic verse about how much heat he holds and how he intends to "hit it ’til it's numbness."

#21: Ginuwine "What's So Different?"

Released: 1999
Ginuwine presents his theory on the transitive properties of cheating lovers: "If you cheated on him, you'll do it to me." Simple enough. Tim tempers this logical lament with a jittery bassline, harpsichords, and the roars of an enraged Godzilla. Which would seemingly make the nameless love interest...Rodan?

#20: Aaliyah "We Need A Resolution"

Released: 2001
To say Aaliyah and Timbaland found a formula and ran with it would be an understatement. "Resolution," of clanging bottles and blame games, bears quite a few of structural similarities to both "Are You That Somebody" and "Try Again" before it, right down to the half-adlib half-rap Timbaland vocals. But the template was so close to perfect that you can hardly blame the duo for not deviating more.

#19: Fabolous f/ Ne-Yo "Make Me Better"

Released: 2007
Ne-yo and Fab's smash collaboration about collaboration. Tim interpolates the same eerie string sample that RZA used for Raekwon's "Rainy Dayz." It's his most restrained production; all the requisite Timbo-isms are absent. No skittering drums, no vocal samples, just bubbling kicks, claps, and strings. But it works.

#18: Bubba Sparxxx "Deliverance"

Released: 2003

Though Bubba and Timbaland had already scored a minor hillbilly rap hit with "Ugly," it was Bubba's sophomore record Deliverance that found both artists presenting the most mature work of their career. Tim's heavily blues-influenced beats basically forced Bubba to grow up...or maybe it was the other way around.

#17: The Game "Put You On The Game"

Released: 2005
Another infrequent Timbaland track that maintains a street vibe, "Put You On The Game" puts The Game onto spastic chipmunk chants and perilous G-Unit style pianos. And Timbo is just showing off when he starts chopping up his own beat in the closing bars. But the track might have seen its most memorable life as a mixtape favorite, with everyone from The Clipse to Chamillionaire claiming it as their own.

#16: Playa "Cheers 2 U"

Released: 1998
Playa were perhaps the most underrated of Timbaland's R&B collaborators. The "Cheers" beat bears a striking similarity to Jay-Z's "Nigga What, Nigga Who" (released the same year), but Timbaland's sound was so adaptable that even the same track could be used for multiple purposes. A few changes here and there, and a heartfelt ballad is suddenly a fast rap battle track.

#15: Nelly Furtado f/ Timbaland "Promiscuous"

Released: 2006Nelly Furtado came into the game in 2000 as a fairly wholesome pop singer who logged a few thoughtful, if dry hits over two solo albums. The third time around she felt like shaking up the formula, so she tapped Timbaland and Danja for the bulk of production on 2006’s Loose, whose international Top 10 smash “Promiscuous” rang in her sultry new hip-hop persona with production full of brashly artificial flutes and outsized marching band drums.

#14: Timbaland & Magoo "Luv 2 Luv U (Remix)"

Released: 1997
Timbaland's longtime rhyme partner Magoo—often pronounced "Mag-ah-noo" if he needed to fill out a bar—has never been mistaken for a lyrical monster. He stumbles in a Q-Tip falsetto at any tempo, and it's not like Tim was that brilliant of a spitter himself ("I'm the man with the power / I get booty calls fifteen after every hour"). But their production was always more than strong enough to carry the both of them across three albums. Here, Timbo rocks Donna Summers through a musical fisheye lens.

#13: Tweet f/ Missy Elliot "Oops (Oh My)"

Released: 2002
Easily the best Timbaland song about taking off all your clothes, "Oops" is an ode to the playful fake accident. Tweet, generally a more commanding vocalist, falls back to Tim's haunting strings and stop-and-go drum sequences of an indiscriminate ethnicity, all while Missy plays hypeman.

#12: Aaliyah "Try Again"

Released: 2000
There's no doubt that if any human was born to ride Timbaland's beats, it was Aaliyah. Perhaps only she could truly tame a track like this, giving life to its sub-bass synths. Tim does his part on the ad-lib tip, turning wisdom-soaked Rakim boasts into goofy jewels.

#11: Nicole f/ Missy Elliott & Mocha "Make It Hot"

Released: 1998
"Make It Hot" is one of those Timbaland cuts that gives off a haunted aura (and not only for the horror-score scream samples either). The track feels hollow and ominous, even when bookended by Missy's ridiculously cheesy rhymes ("I don't know / if y'all heard / I can fly / like a bird!") and the rightfully forgotten Mocha ("it's a pity that / y'all look like id-iats!").

#10: Justin Timberlake f/ T.I. "My Love"

Released: 2006
One of the more ambitious cuts from Timberlake's second record, "My Love" is driven by an arpeggiating trance synth and, like the best of Tim's work, is densely packed with sounds and layers that reveal themselves on further listens. One such understated element in the track: the dismembered and distant female in the background of the hook. Dismembered and distant female vocals are certainly not uncommon in a Timbo beat, but these might be the most dismembered and distant of them all. Also, T.I. raps well.

#9: Petey Pablo "Raise Up"

Released: 2001
Though there's no question that deep Virginia is southern in mentality, Timbaland's own sound has always seemed more tangentially attached to the Southern rap movement, invoking a more otherworldly feel than any specific American locale. But "Raise Up," a high energy collabo with North Carolinian Mystikal biter Petey Pablo, found Tim making a more explicit nod to the then-bubbling crunk movement.

#8: Jay-Z f/ Big Jaz & Amil "Nigga What, Nigga Who (Originator 99)"

Released: 1998
More often than not, when Timbaland makes your beat, the beat is the star. This might be why so many great rappers either floundered on his production or never worked with him in the first place. And why his own stable often seemed so mediocre—a rapper with dead fish presence like Magoo was straight-up trampled by the sound. Jay-Z, of course, was the main exception. "Nigga What" is Jay and his old mentor Jaz staring directly into Tim's headlights and effortlessly fast-rapping their way around the impending collision.

#7: Aaliyah "One In A Million"

Released: 1996
Aaliyah's sophomore record saw a dramatic shift in sound, thanks in part to the inclusion of Timbaland (then an up-and-comer). "One In A Million" was the producer's coming out party, and came out firing, hi-hats exploding in every direction and mindfucking the squares who were expecting another "Age Ain't Nothin But A Number" from Aaliyah.

#6: Missy Elliott "Get Ur Freak On"

Released: 2001
Arguably Missy's most memorable hit, "Get Ur Freak On" found the two collaborators bouncing off each other's oddness in the best way possible. Nobody changes a beat up like Tim, and all that upbeat tabla madness feels like a necessary tightening before the release that comes with the "QUIET!" breakdown on Missy's third verse.

#5: Justin Timberlake "Cry Me A River"

Released: 2002
The beat-box has always been one of the most valuable weapons in Timbaland's arsenal; it's stunning how much flexibility he's gotten out of manipulated samples of his own voice. With "Cry Me A River," Timberlake makes Timbaland's voice box squelches and fakey scratches that line the track seem absolutely emotive and—vice versa—those elements give Justin just enough of an edge to outgrow his boy-band image.

#4: Ginuwine "Pony"

Released: 1996
Despite its mechanical nature, Timbaland's work has always dripped with a certain sexuality. Not robot-sexy, either—human sexy. Android ballads, perhaps. "Pony" is a great example of this, as Ginuwine lays down absurd equestrian innuendo over sheet-metal beats and croaking frogs.

#3: Jay-Z f/ UGK "Big Pimpin'"

Released: 1999
"Big Pimpin'" not only introduced the mainstream rap world to Port Arthur's finest rap group, it was also the most visible of Timbaland's tracks to be built around Arabic music, flipping Egyptian star Abdel Halim Hafez's "Khosara." Tim would continue to draw on that part of the world as an influence throughout his career, and many other hip-hop producers picked up on the trend in the decade that followed.

#2: Missy Elliott "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)"

Released: 1997
"The Rain," complete with its bugged-out Hype Williams video, attached a visual—and more importantly, an appropriately quirky personality—to Tim's music. His earlier work's oddness was often to the detriment of his vocal collaborators, but Missy and her trash-bag-in-a-tunnel aesthetic was the perfect vehicle for Timbo's weirdness.

#1: Aaliyah "Are You That Somebody?"

Released: 1998
Timbaland's true crossover moment. "Are You That Somebody" was such a hit that it forced the moment where "The Timbaland Sound" stopped being a curiosity and became the norm. Suddenly, urban radio rolled out the welcome mat for hiccuping drums and crying baby samples, Aaliyah was thrust to superstar status, and Timbaland became the most important producer of his generation.