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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 cult ...
'' 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 Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
. 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 "Q ...
'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 ''Supa Dupa Fly'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997, on The Goldmind and Elektra Records. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the ...
'' (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 and went on to produce most of Timberlake's subsequent LPs, such as ''
FutureSex/LoveSounds ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, released on September 8, 2006 by Jive Records and Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba. Following a three-year writing hiatus, Timberlake conceived ...
'' 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 de ...
, whose Timbaland-produced album ''
Loose Loose may refer to: Places * Loose, Germany * Loose, Kent, a parish and village in southeast England People *Loose (surname) Arts, entertainment, and media Music Albums * ''Loose'' (B'z album), a 1995 album by B'z * ''Loose'' (Crazy Horse album) ...
'' (2006) was a commercial and critical success. In 2007, Timbaland released a solo album, ''
Shock Value Shock value is the potential of an image, text, action, or other form of communication, such as a public execution, to provoke a reaction of sharp disgust, shock, anger, fear, or similar negative emotions. In advertising Shock advertising or S ...
'', 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,
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 Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
,
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 Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", "Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
, Madonna,
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 t ...
, Justin Timberlake,
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 de ...
,
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 cel ...
, Brandy,
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 Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
, he created the popular webcast series ''
Verzuz ''Verzuz'' is an American webcast series created by record producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, that airs on Verzuz TV. Verzuz was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual DJ battle, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz facing off in ...
'' in 2020.


Early life

Timothy Zachery Mosley was born on March 10, 1972, in
Norfolk, Virginia Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 cen ...
, to Latrice, who ran a homeless shelter, and Garland Mosley, an
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...
employee. He graduated from Salem High School of
Virginia Beach, Virginia Virginia Beach is an independent city (United States), independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 United States cen ...
. 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 U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York (state), New York; on the ea ...
. 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 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 h ...
. Mosley was also high school friends with brothers Terrence and Gene Thornton, who would become known as
Pusha T Terrence LeVarr Thornton (born May 13, 1977), better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper, songwriter and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the hip hop duo Clipse, which was mainly active from 1994 to 20 ...
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 Red Lobster Hospitality LLC is an American casual dining restaurant chain headquartered in Orlando, Florida. The company has operations across most of the United States (including Puerto Rico, Guam) and Canada, as well as in China, Ecuador, Hon ...
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 Donald Earle DeGrate Jr. (born September 29, 1969), better known by his stage name DeVanté Swing, is an American record producer, singer, rapper and songwriter. He is the older brother of fellow Jodeci member Dalvin DeGrate. Career In his ea ...
, a producer and member of the successful R&B act
Jodeci Jodeci ( ) is an American R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their musical careers as two duos of brothers and, after years of lim ...
. 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 Timberland may refer to: Places * Timberland, Lincolnshire, a village in Lincolnshire, England * Timberland, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community, US Other uses * Timberland, land used for forestry and timber production * Timberland (company) ...
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 Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
, male vocal group Playa (
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 Stephen Ellis Garrett (November 11, 1974 – February 25, 2008), known professionally as Static Major (and previously as Static), was an American singer, songwriter, and record producer from Louisville, Kentucky. He was a member of the R&B tri ...
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 a ...
''. Elliott began receiving recognition as a songwriter for artists such as R&B girl group 702 and
MC Lyte Lana Michele Moorer (born October 11, 1970), better known by her stage name MC Lyte, is an American rap music, rapper, Disc jockey, DJ, actress and entrepreneur. Considered one of the pioneers of female rap, Lyte first gained fame in the late 19 ...
. 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 Jodeci ( ) is an American R&B quartet consisting of members DeVanté Swing, Mr. Dalvin, K-Ci, and JoJo. Formed in 1989 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Jodeci's members began their musical careers as two duos of brothers and, after years of lim ...
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 "Q ...
's second album '' One in a Million'' and
Ginuwine Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
's debut album '' Ginuwine...the Bachelor''. This included the major hit singles " If Your Girl Only Knew" 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 "Q ...
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 t ...
" by
Ginuwine Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
. 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 ''Supa Dupa Fly'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, released July 15, 1997, on The Goldmind and Elektra Records. The album was recorded and produced solely by Timbaland in October 1996, and features the ...
'', 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'', 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,
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 The Lox (stylized The LOX or The L.O.X.) is an American hip hop group from Yonkers, New York, formed in 1994. The group is composed of East Coast rappers Sheek Louch, Styles P and Jadakiss. They had originally signed to Puff Daddy's Bad B ...
. 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' "Big Pimpin'" is a song by American rapper Jay-Z. It was released on April 11, 2000 as the third and final single from his fourth studio album '' Vol. 3... Life and Times of S. Carter'' (1999). It features a guest appearance from Southern hip hop ...
". 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 Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
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 "Q ...
, as well as contributing significantly to albums by Xscape, Nicole, Playa, and Total. 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 ** Fie ...
's major hit "
You Make Me Wanna "You Make Me Wanna..." is a song by American recording artist Usher. It was released on August 5, 1997, by LaFace Records and Arista Records as the lead single from Usher's second studio album, ''My Way'' (1997). "You Make Me Wanna..." was writt ...
". In the early 2000s Timbaland produced songs including
Ludacris Christopher Brian Bridges (born September 11, 1977), known professionally as Ludacris (, homophonous with 'ludicrous' in American English), is an American rapper, actor, record producer and record executive. Born in Champaign, Illinois, Ludac ...
' "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, Barr ...
'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 and lo-fi style, and became known for creating musical colla ...
'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 "Q ...
’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 pro ...
" (featuring himself rapping a verse), " More than a Woman", and the ballad "
I Care 4 U ''I Care 4 U'' is a posthumous compilation album by American singer Aaliyah. It was released on December 10, 2002, by Blackground Records and Universal Records. Following Aaliyah's death on August 25, 2001, Blackground decided to release a posthu ...
". 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 "Q ...
'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 and lo-fi style, and became known for creating musical colla ...
,
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 "Q ...
, 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'', which featured the singles " Big Head", "Feel The ...
, Kiley Dean,
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, Barr ...
, 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 Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", "Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
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 A ...
''. 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 "Q ...
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 Stew ...
'', and produced most of Missy Elliott's fourth and fifth LPs, '' Under Construction'' and ''
This Is Not a Test! ''This Is Not a Test!'' is the fifth studio album by American rapper Missy Elliott, released by The Goldmind Inc. and Elektra Records on November 25, 2003, in the United States. It was primarily produced by Timbaland, with additional production ...
''. 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 Micah LeVar "Pastor" Troy (born November 18, 1977) is an American rapper and record producer. He is also a member of the hardcore rap group D.S.G.B. (Down South Georgia Boyz). In 2020, he made several homophobic statements against Lil Nas X that g ...
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 Ph ...
, Timbaland also worked on a number of tracks on former *NSYNC lead singer Justin Timberlake’s solo debut, '' Justified'', including the song " Cry Me a River". Late in 2003, Timbaland delivered the second
Bubba Sparxxx Warren Anderson Mathis (born March 6, 1977), better known by his stage name Bubba Sparxxx, is an American rapper from Georgia. His singles include "Deliverance", "Ugly" (both featuring Timbaland), and " Ms. New Booty" (featuring Ying Yang Twins ...
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 ada ...
, and the third Timbaland & Magoo album, '' Under Construction, Part II'' 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 Alvin Nathaniel Joiner (born September 18, 1974), better known by his stage name Xzibit (pronounced "exhibit"), is an American rapper, actor, television presenter, and radio personality. Xzibit began his musical career after the release of his ...
,
Fatman Scoop Isaac Freeman III (born August 6, 1971), better known by his stage name Fatman Scoop, is an American rapper, promoter and radio personality famed for his on-stage rough, raw loud voice. He is known for the song " Be Faithful", which topped the c ...
, and Jay-Z, and he produced the bulk of Brandy’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 paren ...
’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 * Exo ...
''. He continued working on tracks for Tweet and for Elliott’s sixth album, '' The Cookbook'': "Joy (feat. Mike Jones)", and "Partytime" and continued to expand his reach with production for
The Game The Game or The Games may refer to: Sports and games * The Game (dice game) (German: ''Das Spiel''), a dice game designed by Reinhold Wittig * The Game (mind game), a mind game, the objective of which is to avoid thinking about The Game itself * ...
and Jennifer Lopez ("He'll Be Back" from her fourth studio album, ''
Rebirth Rebirth may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Film * ''Rebirth'' (2011 film), a 2011 Japanese drama film * ''Rebirth'' (2016 film), a 2016 American thriller film * ''Rebirth'', a documentary film produced by Project Rebirth * ''The R ...
'').


2006–2010

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 de ...
,
Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for ...
, and rapper D.O.E. In 2006 he produced Justin Timberlake's second solo studio album ''
FutureSex/LoveSounds ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' is the second studio album by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake, released on September 8, 2006 by Jive Records and Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba. Following a three-year writing hiatus, Timberlake conceived ...
''. His vocals feature on the songs "
SexyBack "SexyBack" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his second studio album, ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). It was released on July 18, 2006, to US mainstream and rhythmic radio stationsRadio single releases . F ...
", "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 Pussycat or Pussy Cat may refer to: * Cat, a domestic feline Music Bands * Pussycat (band), a Dutch country and pop group * The Pussycats, a 1960s Norwegian rock band * The Pussycats, a group signed to Kama Sutra Records Albums * '' Pussy Cats' ...
' " Wait a Minute", Nelly Furtado's "
Promiscuous Promiscuity is the practice of engaging in sexual activity frequently with different partners or being indiscriminate in the choice of sexual partners. The term can carry a moral judgment. A common example of behavior viewed as promiscuous by many ...
", "
Ice Box An icebox (also called a cold closet) is a compact non-mechanical refrigerator which was a common early-twentieth-century kitchen appliance before the development of safely powered refrigeration devices. Before the development of electric refrig ...
" by
Omarion Omari Ishmael Grandberry (born November 12, 1984), better known by his stage name Omarion, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, actor and dancer. He rose to prominence as the lead singer of the boy band B2K. The group achieved success in the ...
and Justin Timberlake's "
SexyBack "SexyBack" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his second studio album, ''FutureSex/LoveSounds'' (2006). It was released on July 18, 2006, to US mainstream and rhythmic radio stationsRadio single releases . F ...
". In an interview published in August 2006 in the UK Timbaland revealed he was working on a new LP by Jay-Z and that he had worked on tracks with
Coldplay Coldplay are a British Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey (manager), Phil H ...
's
Chris Martin Christopher Anthony John Martin (born 2 March 1977) is an English singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as the lead vocalist, pianist, rhythm guitarist and co-founder of the rock band Coldplay. Born in Exeter, Devon, he went to Uni ...
. 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 relatio ...
" and he later worked on tracks for the new
Duran Duran Duran Duran () are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1978 by singer and bassist Stephen Duffy, keyboardist Nick Rhodes and guitarist/bassist John Taylor. With the addition of drummer Roger Taylor the following year the band wen ...
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 of ...
'', 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 Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
's third CD, ''
Bittersweet World ''Bittersweet World'' is the third studio album by American recording artist Ashlee Simpson. It was released in the United States on April 22, 2008. The project is Simpson's final release through Geffen Records. The album marked a departure for ...
'', including the song " Outta My Head (Ay Ya Ya)". 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 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 Andy Hurley. ...
,
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 de ...
,
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 ''Shock Value'' is the second solo studio album by record producer Timbaland. It is Timbaland's first release on his own imprint, the Interscope Records-distributed Mosley Music Group. ''Shock Value'' features a long list of guest artists, among ...
''. 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 Ph ...
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'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 Ashley Nicolle Ross ( Simpson; born October 3, 1984), known professionally as Ashlee Simpson, is an American singer and actress. The younger sister of singer and actress Jessica Simpson, she began her career as a back-up dancer for her sister ...
's ''
Bittersweet World ''Bittersweet World'' is the third studio album by American recording artist Ashlee Simpson. It was released in the United States on April 22, 2008. The project is Simpson's final release through Geffen Records. The album marked a departure for ...
'',
Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for ...
's '' In a Perfect World'',
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 down ...
's ''
Mail on Sunday ''The Mail on Sunday'' is a British conservative newspaper, published in a tabloid format. It is the biggest-selling Sunday newspaper in the UK and was launched in 1982 by Lord Rothermere. Its sister paper, the ''Daily Mail'', was first publ ...
'',
Letoya Luckett LeToya Nicole Luckett (born March 11, 1981) is an American R&B singer and actress. She rose to fame in the late 1990s as a founding member of the R&B girl group Destiny's Child, one of the world's best-selling girl groups of all time. As a me ...
'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 '' ...
's ''Spirit in the Dark'',
Chris Cornell Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. ...
's '' Scream'', JoJo'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 list of best-se ...
'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 A block party or street party is a party in which many members of a single community congregate, either to observe an event of some importance or simply for mutual solidarity and enjoyment. The name comes from the form of the party, which ofte ...
'',
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 MP3 (formally MPEG-1 Audio Layer III or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III) is a coding format for digital audio developed largely by the Fraunhofer Society in Germany, with support from other digital scientists in the United States and elsewhere. Orig ...
'', Keithian's ''Dirrty Pop'',
The Pussycat Dolls The Pussycat Dolls were an American girl group and dance ensemble, founded in Los Angeles, California, by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995 as a burlesque troupe. At the suggestion of Jimmy Iovine, Antin decided to take the burlesque troupe ...
'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 me ...
'',
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 Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, televisi ...
's Jennifer Hudson (album), début album, Dima Bilan's ''Believe'', Samantha Jade's ''My Name Is Samantha Jade'', New Kids on the Block's ''The Block (album), The Block'', and Keshia Chanté's ''Night & Day (Keshia Chanté album), Night & Day''. Timbaland produced the Russian entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2008, "Believe (Dima Bilan song), Believe" by Dima Bilan, which was co-written by Bilan and Jim Beanz. The song then won the contest when it was held in Belgrade, Serbia 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'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 (record label), Zone 4 singer and songwriter
Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for ...
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 industry, he worked with Rockstar Games to produce ''Beaterator'', a music mixing game for the PlayStation Portable, PlayStation Network, and iOS (Apple), iOS released in the September 2009. Timbaland spoke to MTV'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 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, Beyoncé,
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 t ...
, Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus 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 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 blackballing, blackball him after he decided to move from music performance into music producer, production. 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 Deborah Epstein, SoShy entitled "Morning After Dark". New featured guest appearances on the album include DJ Felli Fel, Justin Timberlake, JoJo, Brandy Norwood, Bran'Nu, Drake (entertainer), Drake, 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, Melody Thornton,
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 de ...
, Katy Perry, Esthero, The Fray, Jet (band), Jet, Daughtry (band), 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 cel ...
,
Keri Hilson Keri Lynn Hilson (born December 5, 1982) is an American R&B singer, songwriter and actress. She was born and raised in Decatur, Georgia and spent most of her youth working with producer Anthony Dent as a songwriter and background vocalist for ...
, Attitude and D.O.E.. Ultimately Madonna, Jonas Brothers,
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 t ...
,
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 ** Fie ...
, Jay-Z, Beyoncé Knowles, Beyoncé, Kanye West, Linkin Park, The All-American Rejects, Paramore, Gucci Mane, 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" 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's KIIS-FM radio show, On Air with Ryan Seacrest (radio), On-Air with Ryan Seacrest 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 (Timbaland song), Say Something" featuring Canadian rapper Drake (entertainer), Drake 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" featuring Justin Timberlake 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, ''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" featuring Katy Perry 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 Christopher John Cornell (né Boyle; July 20, 1964 – May 18, 2017) was an American singer and musician best known as the lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist, and primary lyricist and songwriter for the rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave. ...
's 2009 album '' Scream''. Shakira was asked to record vocals on the song "Give It Up to Me (Shakira song), Give It Up to Me" to be included on Timbaland's forthcoming album but it was placed on her third studio album ''She Wolf (album), She Wolf'' 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 World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE's WWE Raw, Raw on December 28, 2009. Timbaland appeared on March 25, 2010, episode (titled "Blowback") of ''FlashForward'' 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 Elgin Baylor Lumpkin (born October 15, 1970), better known by his stage name Ginuwine, is an American R&B singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor. He began his career as a member of Swing Mob in the early 1990s. Signing to Epic Records as a solo ...
, after Timbaland failed to make an appearance at the singer's music video shoot of "Get Involved (Ginuwine song), 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 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" All-points bulletin, 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. Later in the year, Timbaland was featured on the deluxe edition of Chris Brown's album, ''F.A.M.E. (Chris Brown album), F.A.M.E.'', producing the songs "Paper, Scissors, Rock" (feat. Big Sean) 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 (singer), Dev and Afrojack. Timbaland also worked with teen star Demi Lovato; he produced and had a small feature in her song "All Night Long" on Lovato's ''Unbroken (Demi Lovato album), 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 GOOD Friday, G.O.O.D. Fridays), 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" featuring American rapper Pitbull (entertainer), Pitbull, with uncredited production by French DJ David Guetta, 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 (singer), Dev, was released on April 17, 2012. For the fourth installment in the Step Up (film series), ''Step Up'' franchise, ''Step Up Revolution'', 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'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" and "Mirrors (Justin Timberlake song), Mirrors". Timbaland also produced Beyoncé's song "Grown Woman" which was featured in her Pepsi commercial and 2013 tour, ''The Mrs. Carter Show World Tour'', and the song "I Don't Have To Sleep to Dream" on Cher's 2013 album ''Closer to the Truth (Cher 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 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". On September 24, 2013, Timbaland collaborated with T.I. for his new co-produced Indonesian artist, Agnes Monica, AGNEZ MO, in her song titled Coke Bottle (song), Coke Bottle. The premiere launch event of the single became a worldwide trending topic on Twitter. 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's debut album, ''My Garden (Kat Dahlia album), My Garden'', 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 (2015 TV series), Empire'', which premiered on Fox Broadcasting Company, FOX. 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 (Tweet album), Charlene''. In June 2016, Timbaland and Andy Rubinhas teamed up with SubPac (company), SubPac, a Los Angeles-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 Kasseem Daoud Dean (born September 13, 1978), known professionally as Swizz Beatz, is an American record producer, rapper, disc jockey (DJ) and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, Dean embarked on his musical career as a DJ. At the ag ...
, launched the ''
Verzuz ''Verzuz'' is an American webcast series created by record producers Timbaland and Swizz Beatz, that airs on Verzuz TV. Verzuz was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic as a virtual DJ battle, with Timbaland and Swizz Beatz facing off in ...
'' Instagram webcast series. In 2021, for their work on ''Verzuz'', both Timbaland and Swizz Beatz appeared on the Time 100, ''Time'' 100, ''Time (magazine), Time''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, 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'', ''Indecent Proposal (album), Indecent Proposal'' and '' Under Construction, Part II'' 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#cite note-Reynolds 2012 449–451-5, UK garage 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 (song), 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 (Nelly Furtado song), Do It" on the 2006 album ''
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The song itself was released as the fifth North American single (music), single 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 (Aaliyah song), More Than a Woman". In January 2014, the Swiss newspaper ''Basler Zeitung'' revealed another plagiarism case concerning the track "Versus" by Jay-Z, 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. According to Swiss newspaper ''Tages-Anzeiger'', 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 Shock value is the potential of an image, text, action, or other form of communication, such as a public execution, to provoke a reaction of sharp disgust, shock, anger, fear, or similar negative emotions. In advertising Shock advertising or S ...
'' (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 *[ Timbaland] at Billboard.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Timbaland 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