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If you were to name any prominent artist in the music industry today, one could guarantee that music producing legend Timbaland had a helping hand in their career at one point or another. Over the past 20 years, Timbaland’s resume has continued to grow with credits ranging from Missy Elliott, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Bryson Tiller, Tamela Mann, Ginuwine, JAY-Z, Coldplay, Aaliyah, Pusha T, Sam Smith, and Nelly Furtado.
The Virginia native has a distinctive ear for music. In fact, many artists have stated that working with the 47-year-old producer is a life-changing experience. That’s why REVOLT TV is so excited to have him be a part of our REVOLT Summit in Atlanta, which goes down on Sept. 12 – Sept. 14. There, he’ll be teaching aspiring producers the art of making hits.
In honor of the occasion, we’ve pulled out a magnifying glass on the four-time Grammy-award winner’s career and were able to pinpoint reasons as to why he’s a legend. Check out the five reasons below.
1. Many artists were nurtured under Timbaland’s guidance
As previously mentioned, Timbaland’s credits go on for days. Throughout his career, he’s worked on a lot of groundbreaking records for artists. Incomparable stars like Aaliyah, Tweet, Nelly Furtado, and Tink have all benefited from the Virginia native’s talent.
In 1996, Timbo produced Aaliyah’s second album, One in a Million, which served as a game-changer in her short-lived career. The songstress’ sophomore debut sold two million copies nationwide and became one of her best projects. Timbaland’s work allowed the singer to tap into her star power and create singles such as “If Your Girl Only Knew” and “4 Page Letter.”
2. Timbaland created Ginuwine’s ”Pony” beat and worked on JAY-Z’s Vol. 2… Hard Knock Life
Let’s face it. If you walk into a party and hear Ginuwine’s “Pony,” it’s inevitable to start turning up. In August 1996, Timbaland surprised the world by assisting with Ginuwine’s breakout hit from his debut album, The Bachelor. “Pony” was unlike anything anyone ever heard before, which allowed the producer to stand out.
As for JAY-Z, Timbaland reflected on how easy it was working with the Brooklyn emcee once he understood what he was looking for. “So for me, I saw the cadence of what he was doin’. I said, ‘Oh, give me five minutes.’ I put on my headphones [and made it] and said, ‘There you go.’ He was [astounded]. It fit, ‘Jigga What? Jigga Who?‘ And that’s when I knew that we had chemistry,” the beats-maker revealed.
3. Timbaland founded MMG ( Mosley Music Group )
In 2006, Timbaland teamed up with L.A. Reid to create his own record label, Mosley Music Group. Earlier this year, Timbaland announced that MMG joined forces with Def Jam. The joint venture will allow Timbaland and his new team to embark on an exciting new journey.
“We are happy to be partners with Paul Rosenberg and Def Jam. Paul has an entrepreneurial perspective on our industry, as he comes from not only the label side of the business, but management as well,” Timbaland said in a press release. “Our Mosley Music team and roster are proud to be aligned with such an iconic label as Def Jam.”
4. Timbaland teaches his craft to those following in his footsteps
Back in February, Timbaland explained to Complex that his MasterClass would help teach students the process behind music production. Through his guidance, the producer will teach students the craft from inception to final execution. Throughout several video lessons, Timbaland is hopeful that he can impact someone’s career, once again.
“When it comes to music production, the key is believing in your ideas and finding collaborators that can help those ideas breathe,” he explained. “In my MasterClass, students will walk away with the essentials to bring their beats to life, giving them the confidence to find collaborators that believe in their vision as much as they do.”
5. The process of how his beats are made
Understandably, how Timbaland creates his beats is a unique process. Timbo stated that while creating a hit, he makes use of patterns, layers and can blend the colors. As the Virginia native continues to master his craft, he knows that any two beats should never sound the same. Anytime that Timbo enters the studio, he aims to create something worth causing a conversation. “I build beats from scratch, starting with something simple, graduating, making the song more complex,” Timbaland said.
If you love Atlanta and hip hop, you’ll definitely want to join us and AT&T in the ATL on Sept. 12- Sept. 14 for our three-day REVOLT Summit, which was created to help rising moguls reach the next level. Head to REVOLTSummit.com for more info and to get your passes now!
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