So the ubiquitous producer Timbaland has a new solo album, featuring a single with guest stars Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado. In the 2 reviews I was hit with this morning, one word sticks out regarding the purported genius of Timbaland, a word that seems to get associated with the key role that any hip-hop producer plays: beats.
Judging by the press I’ve read regarding Timbaland, I take it this guy had developed some fantastic beats for his clients. Of course hip-hop being a dance-oriented music, there’s no reason not to assume that the popularity of his productions must be tied to the effectiveness of the rhythmic bed he sets for artists to do whatever it is they do over, but man, all this talk of beats connotes true innovation! I thought I’d check it out.
YouTube has a whole page dedicated to Timbaland. Pretty cool, huh? Check out what Timba (can I call him that?) has to say:
“My mission is to blow up the boundaries and tear down the limits,” says Timbaland. “I’m taking my music outside of the box. I’m not getting away from what I’m known for; I’m just going to a place where it’s all about the music, not about the labels on the music. That’s why I call it Shock Value–from the artists to the production, it will shock the system.”
