Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972),
known professionally as Timbaland, is an American record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive.
He has received widespread acclaim for his innovative production work and distinctive "stuttering" rhythmic style. In 2007, ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' stated that "just about every current pop trend can be traced back to him — from sultry, urban-edged
R&B songstresses ... to the art of incorporating
avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
sounds into No. 1 hits."
Timbaland's first full credit production work was in 1996 on ''
Ginuwine...the Bachelor'' for R&B singer
Ginuwine. Further work on
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
's second studio album ''
One in a Million'' (1996) and
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
's debut studio album ''
Supa Dupa Fly'' (1997) made him a prominent producer for R&B and
hip hop artists. As a rapper he initially released several albums with fellow rapper
Magoo, followed by his debut solo album ''
Tim's Bio'' in 1998. In 2002, Timbaland produced the hit single "
Cry Me a River" for
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
and went on to produce most of Timberlake's subsequent LPs, such as ''
FutureSex/LoveSounds'' and ''
The 20/20 Experience
''The 20/20 Experience'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on March 15, 2013, by RCA Records, as the follow-up to his second studio album ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). It is considered ...
'' along with their respective hit singles.
The Timbaland-owned imprint label,
Mosley Music Group
Mosley Music Group (MMG) is a record label founded and formed by producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley. Founded in 2006, the imprint is distributed exclusively by Interscope Records and Def Jam Recordings.
History
The label was created after Timbala ...
, featured artists such as
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
, whose Timbaland-produced album ''
Loose'' (2006) was a commercial and critical success. In 2007, Timbaland released a solo album, ''
Shock Value'', which was followed by ''
Shock Value II
''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''.
Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' in 2009. Timbaland's production credits during the 2000s also include work with
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
,
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
,
Ludacris,
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
,
Bubba Sparxxx,
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
,
Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
,
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
,
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
,
OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. It consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist and violist Zach Filkins, rhythm guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellis ...
,
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
,
Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
, and
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
, among others. As a songwriter, he has written 85 UK hits and 99 US hits, as of 2014. With
Swizz Beatz, he created the popular webcast series ''
Verzuz'' in 2020.
Early life
Timothy Zachery Mosley was born on March 10, 1972, in
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
, to Latrice, who ran a homeless shelter, and Garland Mosley, an
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...
employee.
He graduated from
Salem High School of
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...
.
During his time as a DJ, he was known as "DJ Tim"
or "DJ Timmy Tim".
His brother,
Sebastian
Sebastian may refer to:
People
* Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films and television
* ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film
* ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film
...
, is reportedly around nine years younger. His sister Courtney Rashon is a makeup artist and an author from
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
. While attending high school, Timbaland began a long-term collaboration with rapper Melvin (Magoo) Barcliff. The teenage Mosley also joined the production ensemble S.B.I. (which stood for 'Surrounded By Idiots') which also featured
Neptunes
The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos, ...
producer, his cousin,
Pharrell Williams
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973) is an American record producer, rapper, singer, and songwriter. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s, with whom he ...
.
Mosley was also high school friends with brothers Terrence and Gene Thornton, who would become known as
Pusha T and Malice of the rap group
Clipse
Clipse, also known as The Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, chiefly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Mal ...
, respectively.
In 1986, when Timbaland was 14 years old, he was accidentally shot by a co-worker at a local
Red Lobster restaurant and was partially paralyzed for nine months. During this time, he began to learn how to DJ using his left hand.
Rapper
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
heard his material and began working with him. She and her R&B group, Sista, auditioned for
DeVante Swing, a producer and member of the successful R&B act
Jodeci. DeVante signed Sista to his Swing Mob record label and Elliott brought Mosley and Barcliff along with her to New York, where Swing Mob was based. It was DeVante who renamed the young producer Timbaland, after the
Timberland brand of construction boots. He and Magoo became part of SCI Zakys School stable of Swing Mob signees known as "Da Bassment" crew, joining artists such as R&B singer
Ginuwine, male vocal group
Playa
Playa (plural playas) may refer to:
Landforms
* Endorheic basin, also known as a sink, alkali flat or sabkha, a desert basin with no outlet which periodically fills with water to form a temporary lake
* Dry lake, often called a ''playa'' in the so ...
(
Smoke E. Digglera
Playa was an American R&B/ hip hop group, formed in 1990. The original lineup consisted of Jawaan "Smoke E. Digglera" Peacock, Benjamin "Digital Black" Bush and Stephen "Static Major" Garrett. Playa is best known for their 1998 hit song, " Chee ...
,
Static Major and Digital Black), and the girl group Sugah.
Timbaland did production work on a number of projects with DeVante, including the 1995 Jodeci LP ''
The Show, The After-Party, The Hotel
''The Show, the After-Party, the Hotel'' is the third studio album from American R&B group Jodeci, released July 18, 1995, on Uptown Records and distributed through MCA Records. The album was recorded at Dajhelon Studios in Rochester, New York.Jod ...
'', and Sista's (unreleased) début LP ''
4 All the Sistas Around da World
''4 All the Sistas Around da World'' is the debut and sole studio album recorded by American R&B group Sista, released September 20, 1994, on Elektra Records. One of the group members at the time was future rap star Missy Elliott.
Although the al ...
''. Elliott began receiving recognition as a songwriter for artists such as R&B girl group 702 and
MC Lyte. Due to Timbaland's connection with her, he was often contacted to produce remixes of her songs.
Career
1994–2005
Timbaland began his producing career for
R&B acts. In the early-1990s, he produced a few songs for R&B acts such as
Jodeci and Sista. In 1996, he made his mainstream breakthrough by producing the majority of both
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
's second album ''
One in a Million'' and
Ginuwine's debut album ''
Ginuwine...the Bachelor''. This included the major hit singles "
If Your Girl Only Knew
"If Your Girl Only Knew" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah for her second studio album, '' One in a Million'' (1996). The song was written by both Missy Elliott and Timbaland, with the latter producing the song. Musically, "If Your Gi ...
" by
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
and "
Pony
A pony is a type of small horse ('' Equus ferus caballus''). Depending on the context, a pony may be a horse that is under an approximate or exact height at the withers, or a small horse with a specific conformation and temperament. Compared ...
" by
Ginuwine. While Timbaland was initially producing for R&B artists, his trademark sound was very much rooted in
hip-hop with its fast-paced nature and clear drum breaks. He was taking a hip-hop sound and applying it to R&B, and in this way his sound was instrumental in blurring the distinction between hip-hop and R&B production. In 1997, he fully produced ''
Supa Dupa Fly'', the debut album of
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
, 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. Also in 1997, he released his first album with his partner
Magoo, ''
Welcome to Our World
''Welcome to Our World'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Timbaland & Magoo. It was released on November 11, 1997 through Blackground Entertainment and Atlantic Records. Production was entirely handled by Timbaland himself, exce ...
'', also a hip-hop album. In the late 1990s, his hip-hop production sound would become very influential and common as he produced for many high-profile hip-hop artists including
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
,
Nas
Nas (born 1973) is the stage name of American rapper Nasir Jones.
Nas, NaS, or NAS may also refer to:
Aviation
* Nasair, a low-cost airline carrier and subsidiary based in Eritrea
* National Air Services, an airline in Saudi Arabia
** Nas Air ( ...
, and
The LOX. In 1999, he scored a major hit with Jay-Z and rap group
UGK
UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, ''Too Hard to Swallow'', in 1992, followe ...
with the hit "
Big Pimpin'". He also fully produced Missy's second album in 1999, ''
Da Real World
''Da Real World'' is the second studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released on June 22, 1999, by Elektra and The Goldmind. The album is noted for adding a raunchier and darker style to Elliott's music, as well as inclu ...
''. During this time, Timbaland continued to produce primarily for R&B artists. He continued to produce for
Ginuwine and
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
, as well as contributing significantly to albums by
Xscape,
Nicole
Nicole may refer to:
People
* Nicole (name)
* Nicole (American singer) (born 1958), a contestant in season 3 of the American ''The X Factor''
* Nicole (Chilean singer) (born 1977)
* Nicole (German singer) (born 1964), winner of the 1982 Euro ...
,
Playa
Playa (plural playas) may refer to:
Landforms
* Endorheic basin, also known as a sink, alkali flat or sabkha, a desert basin with no outlet which periodically fills with water to form a temporary lake
* Dry lake, often called a ''playa'' in the so ...
, and
Total
Total may refer to:
Mathematics
* Total, the summation of a set of numbers
* Total order, a partial order without incomparable pairs
* Total relation, which may also mean
** connected relation (a binary relation in which any two elements are comp ...
. He remixed
Usher
Usher may refer to:
Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place:
* Usher (occupation)
** Church usher
** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony
** Fiel ...
's major hit "
You Make Me Wanna". In the early 2000s Timbaland produced songs including
Ludacris' "Roll Out (My Business)", Jay-Z's "Hola' Hovito",
Petey Pablo
Moses Barrett III (born July 22, 1973), known by the stage name Petey Pablo, is an American rapper from Greenville, North Carolina. He is best known for his 2003 Crunk hit single "Freek-a-Leek".
Biography
Born in Greenville, North Carolina, Barre ...
's "Raise Up", and
Beck
Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
's cover of
David Bowie
David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known professionally as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer-songwriter and actor. A leading figure in the music industry, he is regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the ...
's "Diamond Dogs" during this period. He also contributed three songs, all eventually released as singles, to
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
’s self-titled third album, the exotic lead single "
We Need a Resolution
"We Need a Resolution" is a song recorded by American singer Aaliyah, featuring a guest appearance by American musician Timbaland, for her eponymous third and final studio album (2001). It was written by Static Major and Timbaland, while the pr ...
" (featuring himself rapping a verse), "
More than a Woman", and the ballad "
I Care 4 U". He also makes an appearance in
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
's single "
Try Again", which he also produced and co-wrote.
Timbaland & Magoo’s second album together was slated for release in November 2000. ''Indecent Proposal'' was to feature appearances by
Beck
Beck David Hansen (born Bek David Campbell; July 8, 1970) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He rose to fame in the early 1990s with his Experimental music, experimental and Lo-fi music, lo-fi style, and became ...
,
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
, as well as new Timbaland protégés—some from his new Beat Club Records imprint--
Ms. Jade
Chevon Young (born 1979), better known by the stage name Ms. Jade is an American rapper from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
In 2002 she released her only album to date, ''Girl Interrupted (album), Girl Interrupted'', which featured the single (mus ...
,
Kiley Dean
Kiley Dean (born April 12, 1982) is an American contemporary R&B singer. Dean was born and raised in a small town in Arkansas. When she was about 7 years old, her family decided to move to Orlando. She grew up singing in school and church, which l ...
,
Sebastian
Sebastian may refer to:
People
* Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films and television
* ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film
* ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film
...
(Timbaland's brother),
Petey Pablo
Moses Barrett III (born July 22, 1973), known by the stage name Petey Pablo, is an American rapper from Greenville, North Carolina. He is best known for his 2003 Crunk hit single "Freek-a-Leek".
Biography
Born in Greenville, North Carolina, Barre ...
, and
Tweet (who was a member of Sugah during the Swing Mob days). The album was delayed for an entire year, finally released in November 2001. It was a commercial disappointment. Beck’s vocals for the track "I Am Music" were not included on the last version, which instead featured Timbaland singing along
Steve "Static" Garrett of Playa and Aaliyah. The first release on Beat Club was the début album by
Bubba Sparxxx in September 2001, ''
Dark Days, Bright Nights
''Dark Days, Bright Nights'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop recording artist Bubba Sparxxx from Georgia. It was released on October 9, 2001 via Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place at Westlake Recording Studios in Los ...
''. The loss of
Aaliyah
Aaliyah Dana Haughton (; January 16, 1979 – August 25, 2001) was an American singer and actress. She has been credited for helping to redefine contemporary R&B, pop and hip hop, earning her the nicknames the "Princess of R&B" and " ...
deeply affected Timbaland. In a phone call to the MTV show ''
Total Request Live
''Total Request Live'' (known commonly as ''TRL'') was an American television program broadcast on MTV that premiered on September 14, 1998. TRL featured popular music videos played during its countdown, and was also used as a promotion tool by ...
'', Timbaland said:
Timbaland contributed three tracks to Tweet's debut album, ''
Southern Hummingbird
''Southern Hummingbird'' is the debut studio album by American singer Tweet, released on April 2, 2002, by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records. The album features production by Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, Timbaland, Craig Brockman, Nisan St ...
'', and produced most of Missy Elliott's fourth and fifth LPs, ''
Under Construction'' and ''
This Is Not a Test!''. He also produced tracks for artists such as
Lil' Kim
Kimberly Denise Jones (born July 11, 1974), Those giving 1974 include:
*
*
*
*
* better known by her stage name Lil' Kim, is an American rapper and reality television personality. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York City, she lived much of he ...
("The Jump Off") and southern rapper
Pastor Troy during this period. Collaborating with fellow producer
Scott Storch
Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots.
Early life
Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Phila ...
, Timbaland also worked on a number of tracks on former
*NSYNC lead singer
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
’s solo debut, ''
Justified'', including the song "
Cry Me a River".
Late in 2003, Timbaland delivered the second
Bubba Sparxxx album,
Deliverance
''Deliverance'' is a 1972 American survival thriller film produced and directed by John Boorman, and starring Jon Voight, Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty, and Ronny Cox, with the latter two making their feature film debuts. The screenplay was adapted ...
, and the third Timbaland & Magoo album, ''
Under Construction, Part II
''Under Construction, Part II'' is the third and final studio album released by hip hop duo Timbaland & Magoo. It was released by Blackground and Universal on November 18, 2003, in the United States. The group's third album and Timbaland's fourth ...
'' Both albums were released to little fanfare or acclaim even though ''Deliverance'' was praised by reviews and embraced by the internet community. In 2004, Timbaland produced singles for
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith (born January 14, 1968), known professionally as LL Cool J (short for Ladies Love Cool James), is an American rapper, songwriter, record producer, and actor. He is one of the earliest rappers to achieve commercial success, along ...
,
Xzibit,
Fatman Scoop, and
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, and he produced the bulk of
Brandy
Brandy is a liquor produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35–60% alcohol by volume (70–120 US proof) and is typically consumed as an after-dinner digestif. Some brandies are aged in wooden casks. Others are coloured with ...
’s fourth album, ''
Afrodisiac''. Timbaland co-wrote two tracks ("
Exodus '04
"Exodus '04" is the 3rd English single (18th overall) by Utada and written by themself and Timbaland.
It was released on June 21, 2005. It hit #24 on the Billboard Hot Dance/Club Airplay chart. Similarly to that of " Devil Inside," no music video ...
" and "
Let Me Give You My Love") and produced three tracks of the American-Japanese Pop star
Hikaru Utada
, who is also known by the mononym Utada, is a Japanese-American pop singer, songwriter and producer. By 2010, Utada had become one of the most influential, and best-selling, musical artists in Japan.
Born in the United States to Japanese parent ...
’s second English album, ''
Exodus
Exodus or the Exodus may refer to:
Religion
* Book of Exodus, second book of the Hebrew Torah and the Christian Bible
* The Exodus, the biblical story of the migration of the ancient Israelites from Egypt into Canaan
Historical events
* Ex ...
''. He continued working on tracks for
Tweet and for Elliott’s sixth album, ''
The Cookbook
''The Cookbook'' is the sixth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released on July 4, 2005, by The Goldmind Inc. and Atlantic Records in Germany and the United Kingdom, and on July 5 in the United States and Japan.
Three singles were ...
'': "Joy (feat.
Mike Jones)", and "Partytime" and continued to expand his reach with production for
The Game and
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Affleck (' Lopez; born July 24, 1969), also known as J.Lo, is an American singer, actress and dancer. In 1991, she began appearing as a Fly Girl dancer on the sketch comedy television series ''In Living Color'', where she rema ...
("He'll Be Back" from her fourth studio album, ''
Rebirth'').
2006–2010
![Justin Timberlake ♫ SexyBack](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Justin_Timberlake_%E2%99%AB_SexyBack.jpg)
Timbaland started a new label,
Mosley Music Group
Mosley Music Group (MMG) is a record label founded and formed by producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley. Founded in 2006, the imprint is distributed exclusively by Interscope Records and Def Jam Recordings.
History
The label was created after Timbala ...
along with old friend and legendary Australian music producer John Servedio, also known as his stage name 'ServidSounds' who helped Timbaland bring in some talent from his former Beat Club Records label. On the new label were
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
,
Keri Hilson, and rapper D.O.E. In 2006 he produced
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
's second solo studio album ''
FutureSex/LoveSounds''. His vocals feature on the songs "
SexyBack", "Sexy Ladies", "Chop Me Up", "
What Goes Around... Comes Around" and on the prelude to "
My Love" entitled "Let Me Talk to You". Timbaland provided vocals on several singles: The
Pussycat Dolls' "
Wait a Minute", Nelly Furtado's "
Promiscuous", "
Ice Box" by
Omarion and
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
's "
SexyBack". In an interview published in August 2006 in the UK Timbaland revealed he was working on a new LP by
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
and that he had worked on tracks with
Coldplay's
Chris Martin.
Timbaland worked on seven songs for
Björk
Björk Guðmundsdóttir ( , ; born 21 November 1965), known mononymously as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, composer, record producer, and actress. Noted for her distinct three-octave vocal range and eccentric persona, she has de ...
's 2007 album, ''
Volta
Volta may refer to:
Persons
* Alessandro Volta (1745–1827), Italian physicist and inventor of the electric battery, count and eponym of the volt
* Giovanni Volta (1928–2012), Italian Roman Catholic bishop
* Giovanni Serafino Volta (1764–184 ...
'', including "
Earth Intruders", "Hope", and "
Innocence
Innocence is a lack of guilt, with respect to any kind of crime, or wrongdoing. In a legal context, innocence is to the lack of legal guilt of an individual, with respect to a crime. In other contexts, it is a lack of experience.
In relation ...
" and he later worked on tracks for the new
Duran Duran
Duran Duran () are an English Rock music, rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor (bass guitarist), John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger ...
album, ''
Red Carpet Massacre
''Red Carpet Massacre'' is the twelfth studio album by English new wave band Duran Duran, released on 13 November 2007 by Epic Records. Most of the music on the final incarnation of the album was completed in late 2006 following the departure ...
'', including one featuring his frequent collaborator Justin Timberlake. Later in the year, Timbaland produced songs for Bone Thugs-n-Harmony's LP, ''Strength & Loyalty'' and the song "
Ayo Technology
"Ayo Technology" is the fourth single from 50 Cent's third album, ''Curtis''. It was released on July 24, 2007. The song, featuring Justin Timberlake and vocals from Timbaland, who also produced the song along with Danja, has peaked at number f ...
" on
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
’s album ''
Curtis''. Timbaland also produced most of the tracks on
Ashlee Simpson's third CD, ''
Bittersweet World'', including the song "
Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)
"Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)" is a song recorded by American singer Ashlee Simpson for her third studio album, ''Bittersweet World'' (2008). The song premiered on AOL Music on November 30, 2007 and was released for digital download on December 11.
...
". On April 3, 2007, Timbaland released a collaboration album featuring artists including
50 Cent
Curtis James Jackson III (born July 6, 1975), known professionally as 50 Cent, is an American rapper, actor, and businessman. Born in the South Jamaica neighborhood of Queens, Jackson began pursuing a musical career in 2000, when he produced ...
,
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young (born February 18, 1965), known professionally as Dr. Dre, is an American rapper and record producer. He is the founder and CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and Beats Electronics, and previously co-founded, co-owned, and ...
,
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...
,
Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
,
Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
,
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
, and others called ''
Timbaland Presents Shock Value''. A rivalry flared up between Timbaland and record producer
Scott Storch
Scott Spencer Storch (born December 16, 1973) is an American record producer and songwriter. He started off as a keyboardist for the group the Roots.
Early life
Storch was born on Long Island, New York. He was raised in South Florida and Phila ...
in early 2007. The tension initially started on the single "
Give It to Me", when Timbaland anonymously backlashed Storch: "I'm a real producer and you
rejust the piano man". In an interview, Timbaland confirmed that he was talking about Storch. The dispute partly stemmed from controversy regarding writing credits for Timberlake's "Cry Me a River".
Timbaland helped produce many albums for various artists in 2008, including
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
's ''
Hard Candy
A hard candy (American English), or boiled sweet (British English), is a sugar candy prepared from one or more sugar-based syrups that is heated to a temperature of 160 °C (320 °F) to make candy. Among the many hard candy varietie ...
'',
Ashlee Simpson's ''
Bittersweet World'',
Keri Hilson's ''
In a Perfect World In a Perfect World may refer to:
* ''In a Perfect World'' (Aquarium Rescue Unit album), 1994
* ''In a Perfect World'' (Kodaline album), 2013
* '' In a Perfect World...'', a 2009 album by Keri Hilson
* "In a Perfect World", a song by Bananarama fr ...
'',
Flo Rida
Tramar Lacel Dillard (born September 16, 1979), better known by his stage name Flo Rida (, ), is an American rapper and singer. His 2007 breakout single " Low" was number one for 10 weeks in the United States and broke the record for digital dow ...
's ''
Mail on Sunday'',
Letoya Luckett's ''
Lady Love'',
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay Dee Lohan ( ; born July 2, 1986) is an American actress and singer. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, Lohan was signed to Ford Models at the age of three. Having appeared as a regular on the television soap opera '' An ...
's ''Spirit in the Dark'',
Chris Cornell's ''
Scream
Scream may refer to:
*Screaming, a loud vocalization
Amusement rides
* Scream (Heide Park), a gyro drop tower in Soltau, Germany
* Scream! (ride), a tower ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags New England
* Scream! (roller coaster), at ...
'',
JoJo
Jojo, JoJo or Jo Jo is a given name, surname, nickname or stage name used by several people and fictional characters, including:
People with the given name, nickname or stage name Musicians
*JoJo (singer) (born 1990), American R&B singer, songwri ...
's ''All I Want Is Everything'',
Nicole Scherzinger
Nicole Scherzinger (; born Nicole Prascovia Elikolani Valiente, June 29, 1978) is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, actress, and television personality. She is best known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls, one of the best-selling g ...
's ''Her Name Is Nicole'',
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
's ''
Block Party'',
Matt Pokora
Matt may refer to:
*Matt (name), people with the given name ''Matt'' or Matthew, meaning "gift from God", or the surname Matt
*In British English, of a surface: having a non-glossy finish, see gloss (material appearance)
*Matt, Switzerland, a mu ...
's ''
MP3'', Keithian's ''Dirrty Pop'',
The Pussycat Dolls's ''
Doll Domination
''Doll Domination'' is the second and most recent studio album by American girl group the Pussycat Dolls, released on September 19, 2008, by Interscope Records. The album's release was preceded by the departure of the group's longest-standing memb ...
'',
Busta Rhymes
Trevor George Smith Jr. (born May 20, 1972), known professionally as Busta Rhymes, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer and actor. Chuck D of Public Enemy gave him the moniker Busta Rhymes, after NFL and CFL wide receiver ...
's ''
B.O.M.B'',
Lisa Maffia
Lisa Maffia (born 16 June 1979) is a British singer-songwriter, musician, rapper, actress, fashion designer, model and presenter, who originally came to the public's attention as the main female member of So Solid Crew. Whilst in So Solid Crew, ...
's ''Miss Boss'',
Teairra Mari's ''Pressed for Time'',
Jennifer Hudson's
début album,
Dima Bilan's ''Believe'',
Samantha Jade's ''My Name Is Samantha Jade'',
New Kids on the Block's ''
The Block'', and
Keshia Chanté's ''
Night & Day''. Timbaland produced the Russian entry for the
Eurovision Song Contest 2008, "
Believe
Believe may refer to:
*Belief, a psychological state in which an individual holds a proposition or premise to be true, with or without proof for such proposition
*Faith, a belief in something which has not been proven
Arts, entertainment, and me ...
" by
Dima Bilan, which was co-written by Bilan and
Jim Beanz. The song then won the contest when it was held in
Belgrade
Belgrade ( , ;, ; Names of European cities in different languages: B, names in other languages) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Serbia, largest city in Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers a ...
,
Serbia
Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
in May 2008. In February 2008 the first ''Fashion Against AIDS'' collection -an initiative of
Designers Against AIDS and sold in
H&M stores in 28 countries- was launched, for which Timbaland designed a T-shirt print, posed for the campaign and spoke out in a video, to help raise HIV/AIDS awareness among urban youth and to advocate safe sex. On February 8, 2008, it was announced that Timbaland would be releasing an album exclusively for
Verizon Wireless
Verizon is an American wireless network operator that previously operated as a separate division of Verizon Communications under the name Verizon Wireless. In a 2019 reorganization, Verizon moved the wireless products and services into the divi ...
's V CAST cell phone service and was designated its very first "Mobile Producer in Residence". Timbaland was to be joined by
Mosley Music Group
Mosley Music Group (MMG) is a record label founded and formed by producer Tim "Timbaland" Mosley. Founded in 2006, the imprint is distributed exclusively by Interscope Records and Def Jam Recordings.
History
The label was created after Timbala ...
/
Zone 4 singer and songwriter
Keri Hilson to begin work on the mobile album's first track aboard the fully equipped Mobile Recording Studio. The only track to surface so far is Garry Barry Larry Harry "Get It Girl". In Timbaland's first effort within the
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
industry, he worked with
Rockstar Games to produce ''
Beaterator
''Beaterator'' is a music mixer released in September 2009 by Rockstar Games for the PlayStation Portable and in December 2009 for iOS. ''Beaterator'' was developed by Rockstar Leeds in collaboration with Timbaland.
The game is based on an Ado ...
'', a music mixing game for the
PlayStation Portable
The PlayStation Portable (PSP) is a handheld game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on December 12, 2004, in North America on March 24, 2005, and in PAL regions on September 1, 2005, ...
,
PlayStation Network
PlayStation Network (PSN) is a digital media entertainment service provided by Sony Interactive Entertainment. Launched in November 2006, PSN was originally conceived for the PlayStation video game consoles, but soon extended to encompass smartp ...
, and
iOS
iOS (formerly iPhone OS) is a mobile operating system created and developed by Apple Inc. exclusively for its hardware. It is the operating system that powers many of the company's mobile devices, including the iPhone; the term also includes ...
released in the September 2009.
Timbaland spoke to
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
's Shaheem Reid back in July 2008 to confirm that he was working on the follow-up to his platinum selling ''Shock Value''.
At the time he confirmed that he had one track with
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
which although recorded for her album ''
Hard Candy
A hard candy (American English), or boiled sweet (British English), is a sugar candy prepared from one or more sugar-based syrups that is heated to a temperature of 160 °C (320 °F) to make candy. Among the many hard candy varietie ...
'' it had not been used and could end up on this album instead.
[ He was insistent that he would also collaborate with ]Jordin Sparks
Jordin Sparks-Thomas (born December 22, 1989) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame in 2007 after winning the sixth season of ''American Idol'' at age 17, becoming the youngest winner in the series' history. Her self-titled debu ...
, Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
, Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers () are an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network. They consist of three brothers: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. Raised in W ...
, Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
and T.I.[ However, none of these collaborations (except Miley Cyrus) made it to the final track list. He also said that alongside T-Pain who would definitely appear, he hoped to get ]Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
on board,[ although he ultimately failed to do so. Timbaland began working on the sequel to ''Shock Value'' in July 2008. In March 2009, he filed a lawsuit against his label, Blackground Records, alleging that they attempted to ]blackball
Blackball, black-ball, black ball, blackballed, or blackballing may refer to:
* Blackballing, a rejection in a traditional form of secret ballot
Film
* ''Blackball'' (film), a 2003 film starring Paul Kaye
* '' Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Stor ...
him after he decided to move from music performance into production
Production may refer to:
Economics and business
* Production (economics)
* Production, the act of manufacturing goods
* Production, in the outline of industrial organization, the act of making products (goods and services)
* Production as a stati ...
.
In September 2009, Timbaland announced that ''Shock Value II
''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''.
Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' will be released on November 23, in Europe and November 24, in North America. However, it was pushed back to December 8, preceded by the first single which features a new recording artist named SoShy
SoShy (born Deborah Sarah Epstein;), is a French singer, songwriter, actress, DJ and model.
Early life
She was born Deborah Sarah Epstein in Paris, France, on September 14, 1984,SoShy in thFrench National Library/ref> to a French-Argentine-Ita ...
entitled "Morning After Dark
"Morning After Dark" is a song by American record producer and rapper, Timbaland taken from his third studio album, ''Shock Value II''. The song features French singer SoShy and was released as the first single from the album on October 26, 2009 ...
". New featured guest appearances on the album include DJ Felli Fel, Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
, JoJo
Jojo, JoJo or Jo Jo is a given name, surname, nickname or stage name used by several people and fictional characters, including:
People with the given name, nickname or stage name Musicians
*JoJo (singer) (born 1990), American R&B singer, songwri ...
, Bran'Nu, Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
, Chad Kroeger, Sebastian
Sebastian may refer to:
People
* Sebastian (name), including a list of persons with the name
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films and television
* ''Sebastian'' (1968 film), British spy film
* ''Sebastian'' (1995 film), Swedish drama film
...
, Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus ( ; born Destiny Hope Cyrus on November 23, 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Known for her distinctive raspy voice, her music spans across varied styles and genres, including pop, country, rock, hip hop ...
, Melody Thornton
Melody Thornton (born September 28, 1984) is an American singer and television personality. After graduating high school, Thornton became one the main vocalists of the pop girl group the Pussycat Dolls and released the albums '' PCD'' (2005) a ...
, Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
, Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
, Esthero
Esthero ( ; born Jenny-Bea Englishman on December 23, 1978 in Stratford, Ontario) is a Canadian singer-songwriter who lives in Los Angeles, California. The name ''Esthero'' refers both to the singer and formerly to the two-person team of herself ...
, The Fray, Jet
Jet, Jets, or The Jet(s) may refer to:
Aerospace
* Jet aircraft, an aircraft propelled by jet engines
** Jet airliner
** Jet engine
** Jet fuel
* Jet Airways, an Indian airline
* Wind Jet (ICAO: JET), an Italian airline
* Journey to Enceladus a ...
, Daughtry, OneRepublic
OneRepublic is an American pop rock band formed in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 2002. It consists of lead vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Ryan Tedder, lead guitarist and violist Zach Filkins, rhythm guitarist Drew Brown, bassist and cellis ...
, Keri Hilson, Attitude and D.O.E.. Ultimately Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
, Jonas Brothers
The Jonas Brothers () are an American pop rock band. Formed in 2005, they gained popularity from their appearances on the Disney Channel television network. They consist of three brothers: Kevin Jonas, Joe Jonas, and Nick Jonas. Raised in W ...
, Rihanna
Robyn Rihanna Fenty ( ; born February 20, 1988) is a Barbadian singer, actress, and businesswoman. Born in Saint Michael and raised in Bridgetown, Barbados, Rihanna auditioned for American record producer Evan Rogers who invited her to the ...
, Usher
Usher may refer to:
Several jobs which originally involved directing people and ensuring people are in the correct place:
* Usher (occupation)
** Church usher
** Wedding usher, one of the male attendants to the groom in a wedding ceremony
** Fiel ...
, Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
, Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
, Linkin Park
Linkin Park is an American rock band from Agoura Hills, California. The band's current lineup comprises vocalist/rhythm guitarist/keyboardist Mike Shinoda, lead guitarist Brad Delson, bassist Dave Farrell, DJ/turntablist Joe Hahn and drummer ...
, The All-American Rejects, Paramore
Paramore is an American rock band from Franklin, Tennessee, formed in 2004. The band currently consists of lead vocalist Hayley Williams, guitarist Taylor York and drummer Zac Farro. Williams and Farro are founding members of the group, whil ...
, Gucci Mane
Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
, T-Pain, T.I. and Akon never appeared on ''Shock Value II''. ''Shock Value II'' is infamous for its use of over-the-top vocal effects.
"Morning After Dark
"Morning After Dark" is a song by American record producer and rapper, Timbaland taken from his third studio album, ''Shock Value II''. The song features French singer SoShy and was released as the first single from the album on October 26, 2009 ...
" featuring SoShy and Nelly Furtado is the lead single from Timbaland's third studio album. The song was written by Tim Mosley, Jerome Harmon, Deborah Epstein, Michelle Bell, Keri Hilson, Nelly Furtado, James Washington, John Maultsby and produced by Timbaland and Jroc. The single premiered on October 16, 2009, on Ryan Seacrest
Ryan John Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American media personality and producer. He is the co-host of ''Live with Kelly and Ryan'', as well as the host of multiple media shows including ''American Idol'', ''American Top 40'', and '' ...
's KIIS-FM radio show, On-Air with Ryan Seacrest
''On Air with Ryan Seacrest'' is a weekday syndicated radio program hosted by Ryan Seacrest. It was launched in 2004 as a drive time show at the same time on Los Angeles Top 40 station 102.7 KIIS-FM as the television show with the same name, ...
with Timbaland describing it as the kick-off song from the project. Following her performance, the song was sent for radio adds on May 25. The song peaked in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100. With this success, the song became Sparks' fifth consecutive top 20 hit and third nonconsecutive top 10 hit. On May 24, Sparks headed to Europe to begin promotion for the single. " Say Something" featuring Canadian rapper Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
was released to US iTunes on November 3, 2009. It was officially sent to U.S. radio on January 5, 2010. It is the album's second single and reached number 23 on the Hot 100, making it the second most successful single on the album. "Carry Out
"Carry Out" is a song recorded by American producer and rapper Timbaland for his third studio album ''Shock Value II'' (2009). The song features guest vocals from longtime collaborator, American recording artist Justin Timberlake. Timbaland and Ti ...
" featuring Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
is the third single from the album but was initially only released in the U.S. It was sent to US radio on December 1, 2009. It is the most successful single on the album, peaking at number 11 on the '' ''Billboard'' Hot 100''. The music video premiered on February 18, 2010. It was released as the third UK single on April 26, 2010. "If We Ever Meet Again
"If We Ever Meet Again" is a song by American producer Timbaland. It was released on December 1, 2009, as the fourth single from his third studio album ''Shock Value II'' (2009). The song features singer Katy Perry and served as the album's se ...
" featuring Katy Perry
Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson (born October 25, 1984), known professionally as Katy Perry, is an American singer, songwriter, and television personality. Known for her influence on modern pop music and her Camp (style), campy style, she has been ...
is the album's fourth single. The music video premiered on January 18, 2010. In the UK, it was released February 15, 2010.
Timbaland produced Chris Cornell's 2009 album ''Scream
Scream may refer to:
*Screaming, a loud vocalization
Amusement rides
* Scream (Heide Park), a gyro drop tower in Soltau, Germany
* Scream! (ride), a tower ride at Six Flags Fiesta Texas and Six Flags New England
* Scream! (roller coaster), at ...
''. Shakira
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll ( , ; born 2 February 1977), professionally known by the mononym Shakira, is a Colombian singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Barranquilla, she has been referred to as the " Queen of Latin Music" and is ...
was asked to record vocals on the song "Give It Up to Me
"Give It Up to Me" is a song by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira featuring American rapper Lil Wayne, taken from the deluxe version of the former's eighth studio album ''She Wolf''. It was released on 19 October 2009, by Epic Records as the ...
" to be included on Timbaland's forthcoming album but it was placed on her third studio album ''She Wolf
''She Wolf'' ( es, Loba, link=no) is the eighth studio album and third English-language album by Colombian singer-songwriter Shakira. It was released on 9 October 2009, by Epic Records and Sony Music Latin. As executive producers, Shakira and Am ...
'' and released as the second US single instead. One of the songs Timbaland had produced for Beyoncé's 2008 album '' I Am... Sasha Fierce'' was reworked by Keri Hilson and Jay-Z for ''Shock Value II'' but not included. He was a guest host of WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
's Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
on December 28, 2009. Timbaland appeared on March 25, 2010, episode (titled "Blowback") of ''FlashForward
A flashforward (also spelled flash-forward, and more formally known as prolepsis) is a scene that temporarily takes the narrative forward in time from the current point of the story in literature, film, television and other media. Flashforwards a ...
'' as an evidence agent. His songs "Morning After Dark" and "Symphony" appear on the video game ''Def Jam: Underground.''
In April 2010, a feud arose between the producer and R&B singer Ginuwine, after Timbaland failed to make an appearance at the singer's music video shoot of " Get Involved". Later in April, Timbaland released a new single featuring T-Pain and Billy Blue titled "Talk That". In June 2010, when questioned by RWD magazine about the UK music scene he made the bold claim to be the inspiration for the dub-step
Dubstep is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in South London in the early 2000s. The style emerged as a UK garage offshoot that blended 2-step rhythms and sparse dub production, as well as incorporating elements of broken be ...
music scene. "The UK scene... they’re always telling me that I started it. You have Dub-bass...". When questioned further about it he went on to say: "It’s funny cos they went back to some of my old music that really created that sound and just, instead of going fast, they went slow with more bass." In August 2010, a "possible suicide attempt" APB was put out for Timbaland after his home was burgled. When his family were unable to contact him, they called 911 and a manhunt began. Police eventually found his car and brought him back home, where paramedics examined him, before declaring he was not a threat to himself. When questioned, Timbaland said he only took a drive to think about the burglary, as he thought the possible thief could have been someone close whom he trusted.
In 2010, Timbaland split with longtime label Blackground Records, but stayed with Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture with Atlantic Records of Warner Mus ...
. Later in the year, Timbaland was featured on the deluxe edition of Chris Brown's album, '' F.A.M.E.'', producing the songs "Paper, Scissors, Rock" (feat. Big Sean
Sean Michael Leonard Anderson (born March 25, 1988), known professionally as Big Sean, is an American rapper. Anderson began his music career in 2007 and gained popularity in 2010 with his third mixtape '' Finally Famous Vol. 3: Big''. He then s ...
) and the Japan-only bonus track, "Talk Ya Ear Off". Timbaland was also featured on David Guetta's LP, '' Nothing But the Beat'', on "I Just Wanna F" with Dev
Dev, sometimes capitalized as DEV, can be referred as:
People Single names
* Dev (born 1982), Indian actor
* Dev (born 1984), British radio presenter, DJ and actor
* Dev (born 1989), American singer
* Dev, Indian actor
First names
* Dev Anand (19 ...
and Afrojack
Nick Leonardus van de Wall (; born 9 September 1987), better known as Afrojack, is a Dutch DJ, music producer and remixer from Spijkenisse, South Holland. In 2007, he founded the record label Wall Recordings; his debut album '' Forget the World' ...
. Timbaland also worked with teen star Demi Lovato
Demetria Devonne Lovato ( ; born August 20, 1992), known as Demi Lovato, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. After appearing on the children's television series ''Barney & Friends'' (2002–2004), Lovato rose to prominence for pl ...
; he produced and had a small feature in her song "All Night Long" on Lovato's '' Unbroken'' album. In November 2010, Timbaland announced that he would be releasing a new song every Thursday, called Timbo Thursdays; a copy of the initiative shown by artists such as Kanye West (via G.O.O.D. Fridays
GOOD Fridays was a weekly free music release by rapper Kanye West, launched in support of his fifth studio album ''My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy'' (2010). The original intention was to release a free new song every Friday for a few months to ...
), and Swizz Beatz (via Monster Mondays). In an interview with Rap-Up.com Timbaland stated, "So, my brother told me Kanye is puttin' out a new song every Friday called G.O.O.D. Fridays, Swizz got Mondays, I don't know if they are on Twitter but can you hit them up, and tell them reserve that Thursday for Timbo the king baby. We’ll call it Timbo Thursday, cool?"
2011–2019
On January 13, 2011, Timbaland began his ''Timbaland Thursdays'' free music initiative, with the first song released being "Take Ur Clothes Off", featuring Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
. The first official single from ''Shock Value III'', "Pass at Me
"Pass at Me" is a single from American hip-hop producer Timbaland. The song features vocals from American rapper Pitbull (rapper), Pitbull, also features production by French DJ David Guetta. It was released via digital download on September 13, 2 ...
" featuring American rapper Pitbull
Pit bull is a term used in the United States for a type of dog descended from bulldogs and terriers, while in other countries such as the United Kingdom the term is used as an abbreviation of the American Pit Bull Terrier breed. The term was f ...
, with uncredited production by French DJ David Guetta
Pierre David Guetta ( , ; born 7 November 1967) is a French DJ and music producer. He has over 10 million album and 65 million single sales globally, with more than 10 billion streams. In 2011, 2020 and 2021, Guetta was voted the number one D ...
, was released on September 13, 2011, after having been previously used to promote a book titled ''Culo''. The album's second single, "Break Ya Back" featuring American singer Dev
Dev, sometimes capitalized as DEV, can be referred as:
People Single names
* Dev (born 1982), Indian actor
* Dev (born 1984), British radio presenter, DJ and actor
* Dev (born 1989), American singer
* Dev, Indian actor
First names
* Dev Anand (19 ...
, was released on April 17, 2012. For the fourth installment in the ''Step Up'' franchise, ''Step Up Revolution
''Step Up Revolution'' (released in some countries as ''Step Up 4: Miami Heat'') is a 2012 American 3D dance film directed by Scott Speer (in his feature film directorial debut) and written by Amanda Brody. It serves as a sequel to ''Step Up ...
'', Timbaland released a track called "Hands In the Air", which features American singer Ne-Yo.
On January 30, 2013, Timbaland signed to Jay-Z's label Roc Nation. Later that year, Timbaland would serve as the main producer of Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake (born January 31, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists, with sales of over 88 million records. Timberlake is the recipient of numerous awards and ac ...
's recent LP, ''The 20/20 Experience
''The 20/20 Experience'' is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake. It was released on March 15, 2013, by RCA Records, as the follow-up to his second studio album ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). It is considered ...
'', including the album's singles: "Suit & Tie
"Suit & Tie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his third studio album ''The 20/20 Experience'' (2013). It features a skit from American rapper Jay-Z. It was written and produced by Timberlake, Tim "Timbaland" Mosley ...
" and "Mirrors
A mirror or looking glass is an object that Reflection (physics), reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it, when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera. Mirrors reverse the ...
". Timbaland also produced Beyoncé
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...
's song "Grown Woman" which was featured in her Pepsi
Pepsi is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by PepsiCo. Originally created and developed in 1893 by Caleb Bradham and introduced as Brad's Drink, it was renamed as Pepsi-Cola in 1898, and then shortened to Pepsi in 1961.
History
Pepsi was ...
commercial and 2013 tour, ''The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour
The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour was the fifth concert tour by American singer Beyoncé. Announced in February 2013 with initial dates in Europe and North America, the tour contained seven legs and 132 shows. It began in Belgrade, Serbia on April ...
'', and the song "I Don't Have To Sleep to Dream" on Cher
Cher (; born Cherilyn Sarkisian; May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Often referred to by the media as the Honorific nicknames in popular music, "Goddess of Pop", she has been described as embodying female ...
's 2013 album '' Closer to the Truth''.
In April 2011, Timbaland and long time friend and business partner Mike Evans signed a deal to with Sony/ATV Music Publishing's Extreme Music
Extreme Music is a production music arm of Sony Music Publishing. The company creates and licenses music for use in television, film, advertising, and online media. Their library includes music from artists and composers such as Quincy Jones, H ...
to create 75 new urban pop tracks for the production music house.
In August 2013, Timbaland revealed that he was working on a project featuring unreleased material by Michael Jackson, with a lead single called "Love Never Felt So Good
"Love Never Felt So Good" is a song by American singer and songwriter Michael Jackson, released posthumously on May 2, 2014. The song, reworked from a 1983 demo track originally composed by Jackson and Canadian singer-songwriter Paul Anka, was the ...
".
On September 24, 2013, Timbaland collaborated with T.I. for his new co-produced Indonesian artist, AGNEZ MO, in her song titled Coke Bottle
Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...
. The premiere launch event of the single became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
.
On November 15, 2013, Timbaland released his first single for his fourth album, ''Opera Noir'', called "Know Bout Me" featuring Drake, Jay-Z, and James Fauntleroy. By 2014, it was originally announced that both Timbaland and Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette Elliott (born July 1, 1971), better known as Missy Elliott or Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. She embarked on her music career with R&B girl group Sista in the earl ...
would be an essential component per production of Kat Dahlia
Katriana Sandra Huguet (born July 29, 1990), better known by her stage name Kat Dahlia (formerly Kat Hue), is a Cuban-American recording artist. Born and raised in Miami, Florida, Dahlia is a singer, songwriter and rapper, known for her "razor ...
's debut album, ''My Garden
''My Garden'' is the debut studio album by American recording artist Kat Dahlia. It was released on January 13, 2015, by Epic Records, distributed by Vested in Culture. The album was supported by two singles; "Gangsta" and "Crazy", as well as the ...
'', however neither of the duo's contributions saw the light of day. On January 7, 2015, Timbaland received production credit for his involvement with the musical score of Lee Daniels and Danny Strong's television project ''Empire
An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
'', which premiered on FOX
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
. Constructively, Timbaland and his team, including Jim Beanz, Raphael Saadiq, and others, compose the series' songs based on material given to them by the show's writing team per each episode.
In February 2016, Timbaland and Missy Elliott teamed up to produce the track "Somebody Else Will" for longtime associate, Tweet, for her third studio album '' Charlene''.
In June 2016, Timbaland and Andy Rubinhas teamed up with SubPac, a Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
-based startup working on a wearable sound device. There is still no release date for his new album ''Textbook Timbo''. On December 15, 2017, Timbaland released the song "Grab the Wheel", which features 6lack on vocals. The song also has a music video which was released on the same day.
In 2019, Timbaland began teaching through Masterclass, providing an instructional series on production and beatmaking.
2020–present
In March 2020, Timbaland, along with Swizz Beatz, launched the '' Verzuz'' Instagram webcast series. In 2021, for their work on ''Verzuz'', both Timbaland and Swizz Beatz appeared on the ''Time'' 100, ''Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
''s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world.
In August 2021, Blackground rebranded as Blackground 2.0, with Barry Hankerson remaining as founder. Blackground 2.0 signed a distribution deal with Empire Distribution
EMPIRE Distribution, Records and Publishing Inc. (marketed as EMPIRE) is an American distribution company and record label founded in by Ghazi Shami with offices in New York City, London, Nashville, and Atlanta. It has released albums in vario ...
, which will re-release the label's catalogue on CD, cassette and vinyl, onto digital download sites and, for the first time ever, streaming services. Aaliyah's catalogue began its re-release in chronological order, starting with ''One In a Million'' on August 20, 2021. Timbaland's 1998 LP '' Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment'' and Timbaland & Magoo albums ''Welcome to Our World
''Welcome to Our World'' is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo Timbaland & Magoo. It was released on November 11, 1997 through Blackground Entertainment and Atlantic Records. Production was entirely handled by Timbaland himself, exce ...
'', '' Indecent Proposal'' and ''Under Construction, Part II
''Under Construction, Part II'' is the third and final studio album released by hip hop duo Timbaland & Magoo. It was released by Blackground and Universal on November 18, 2003, in the United States. The group's third album and Timbaland's fourth ...
'' were re-released August 27, 2021.
Legacy and influence
An important figure in the creation of American R&B's "stuttering kick-drums template", Timbaland's influence extended beyond the U.S. and crossed international borders, especially in UK garage
UK garage, abbreviated as UKG, is a genre of electronic dance music which originated in England in the early to mid-1990s. The genre was most clearly inspired by garage house, but also incorporates elements from dance-pop, R&B, and jungle. It ...
and rave culture. Timbaland, as an R&B producer, created a distinctive, rhythmic sound using breakbeats, which break up the smooth flow of tracks to create moments of tension and release. This technique that Timbaland pioneered would later serve to create "bootleg" garage tracks, which was essential in the rise of UK garage. What began as an underground movement soon grew in popularity, with bootleg remixes selling upwards of 20,000 copies, something unheard of at the time. One such example is the remix of Brandy & Monica's " The Boy Is Mine". Timbaland is credited along with other Virginia artist such as The Clipse, Pharrell Williams and Missy Elliot with establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast’s strongholds in Hip Hop.
Plagiarism accusations
In January 2007, Timbaland was alleged to have plagiarized several elements (both motifs and samples) in the song " Do It" on the 2006 album '' Loose'' by Nelly Furtado
Nelly Kim Furtado (; ; born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer and songwriter. Furtado has sold over 40 million records worldwide making her one of the most successful Canadian artists.
She first gained fame with her trip hop-inspired deb ...
without giving credit or compensation.[Onko Nellyn hitti Suomesta?](_blank)
(Finnish)[Yhdysvaltalaistuottaja pölli suomalaismuusikolta](_blank)
(Finnish) The song itself was released as the fifth North American single
Single may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
* Single (music), a song release
Songs
* "Single" (Natasha Bedingfield song), 2004
* "Single" (New Kids on the Block and Ne-Yo song), 2008
* "Single" (William Wei song), 2016
* "Single", by ...
from ''Loose'' in July 2007.
Timbaland's legal troubles continued. In lieu of a copyright lawsuit over the song " Throw It on Me" from his ''Shock Value'' album, Timbaland and David Cortopassi, the composer of "Spazz", a song originally recorded by The Elastik Band and released by ATCO/Atlantic and EMI, reached a settlement agreement in July 2009. The terms of the settlement remained undisclosed at the time.[ "Spazz", noted as being "one of the most tasteless records ever made", was initially banned by radio stations and even pulled mid-stream while on air when first released in 1967,][ with the DJ even apologizing to his listeners for playing the record.
Aaliyah's 2001 self-titled album, produced by Timbaland, also contained an uncredited sample of "Alouli Ansa" by Mayada El-Hennawy in " More Than a Woman".
In January 2014, the Swiss newspaper '' Basler Zeitung'' revealed another plagiarism case concerning the track "Versus" by ]Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter (born December 4, 1969), known professionally as Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and founder of Manhattan-based conglomerate talent and entertainment agency Roc Nation. He is regarded as one of ...
, which was produced by Timbaland. The track's instrumental is very similar to, if not directly sampled from "On the Way" by Swiss musician Bruno Spoerri
Bruno Alexander Spoerri (born 16 August 1935) is a Swiss jazz and electronics musician.
Born in Zurich, he studied applied psychology in Basel and Zurich. He played the saxophone as a student, and toured with the Modern Jazz Group Freiburg ...
. According to Swiss newspaper ''Tages-Anzeiger
''Tages-Anzeiger'' (), also abbreviated ''Tagi'' or ''TA'', is a Swiss German-language national daily newspaper published in Zurich, Switzerland.
History and profile
The paper was first published under the name ''Tages-Anzeiger für Stadt und K ...
'', the plagiarism case was settled by March 2015. Jay-Z and Timbaland were to pay 50% from the song's revenue to Spoerri as royalties for the music, with Jay-Z retaining 50% for the lyrics.
Discography
Studio albums
*'' Tim's Bio: Life from da Bassment'' (1998)
*'' Shock Value'' (2007)
*''Shock Value II
''Shock Value II'' is the third studio album by American record producer Timbaland. It serves as the sequel to ''Shock Value''.
Initially slated for a 2008 release, the project was pushed into 2009 and tentatively confirmed for November 23, 2009 ...
'' (2009)
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
Timbaland
at Yahoo! Music
Yahoo! Music was a brand under which Yahoo! provided a variety of music services, including Internet radio, music videos, news, artist information, and original programming. Previously, users with Yahoo! accounts could gain access to hundreds of ...
* Timbalandat Billboard.com
''Billboard'' (stylized as ''billboard'') is an American music and entertainment magazine published weekly by Penske Media Corporation. The magazine provides music charts, news, video, opinion, reviews, events, and style related to the music ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Timbaland
1972 births
Living people
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century American rappers
21st-century American singers
African-American Christians
African-American DJs
African-American male rappers
African-American male singers
African-American record producers
American dance musicians
American hip hop DJs
American hip hop record producers
American male rappers
American male singers
American multi-instrumentalists
American shooting survivors
Grammy Award winners for dance and electronic music
Musicians from Norfolk, Virginia
Musicians from Virginia Beach, Virginia
People involved in plagiarism controversies
Pop rappers
Rappers from Virginia
Record producers from Virginia
Singers from Virginia
East Coast hip hop musicians
Swing Mob artists