Multi-platinum Grammy winning Super-producer / artist Timbaland has stamped his indelible imprint on the music scene since the mid-1990s. His production has helped create career-defining hits for artists such as Madonna, Beyonce, Katy Perry, Aaliyah, Rihanna, Brad Paisley, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Coldplay, One Republic, Keri Hilson, Bryson Tiller, Nickleback, The Fray, Ginuwine, Missy Elliott, Destiny’s Child, Ludacris, Jodeci, Snoop Dogg, Kanye West, Drake, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys and many others. Respected beyond the genres of urban and hip hop music, Timbaland, whose musical influences cross cultural lines, has also been sought by diverse superstars whose music similarly knows no boundaries, from pop star Justin Timberlake, Brad Paisley to avant-singer Bjork.
Timbaland and Justin Timberlake have had a tremendous amount of success together selling over 30 million albums with multiple #1 hits inluding “SexyBack,”, “Cry Me A River”, “My Love”, “What Goes Around Comes Around”, “4 Minutes”, “Give It To Me”, “Suit and Tie”, “Mirrors”, “Not A Bad Thing” and more.
Born Timothy Z. Mosley in Norfolk, Virginia on March 10, 1972, Timbaland, so named by Jodeci member Devante Swing after the Timberland boot, has had many reincarnations–from disc jockey DJ Tiny Tim to half of the hip hop group Timbaland & Magoo, from membership in Devante Swing’s Swing Mob crew known as Da Bassment to S.B.I. (Surrounded By Idiots), a production ensemble including Pharrell Williams, to being CEO of his own label, Mosley Music Group.
Ginuwine’s hit single “Pony” and debut LP Ginuwine…the Bachelor, produced by Timbaland, introduced a unique rhythmic style that defined the new wave of music in the ‘90s–R&B and hip hop mixed with an eclectic smorgasbord of effects held together by complex syncopated snare beats. At the same time, his partnership with high school friend Missy Elliott blossomed into a pairing that delivered Aaliyah’s double platinum One In A Million and they became one of music’s most successful production/songwriting teams. Naturally, Elliott looked to Timbaland to also define her as an artist and their work together, tracks such as “The Rain,” propelled Elliott to major stardom and critical acclaim.
Timbaland’s trademark sound has spawned numerous imitators—yet he has always remained the acknowledged originator.
In 2006 he founded a new label appropriately called Mosley Music. Open to all types of artists, Mosley debuted with a bang: Nelly Furtado’s “Promiscuous” featuring Timbaland which hit #1, as did her album which sold over 13 million copies.
Timbaland’s Mosley Music Group has sold over 25 Million albums and over 40 million singles in 10 years. After MMG’s worldwide successful first release with Nelly Furtado, the label’s second release was Timbaland’s own album Shock Value, which went multiplatinum as well and sold over 12 million singles. MMG’s third release was One Republic’s debut album Dreaming Out Loud on November 20, 2007, from which the single “Apologize” featuring Timbaland hit #2 on the Billboard Hot 100. That week, “Apologize” was the biggest radio airplay hit in the history of Top 40 radio in North America, racking up an astounding 10,331 spins beating the previous record held by Mosley Music’s own Nelly Furtado’s hit “Promiscuous.” One Republic has since sold more than 20 million singles and 10 million LP’s. In February 2008 SoundScan data reported that “Apologize” was one of only two songs in history to sell 5 million digital downloads. The most recent release was Keri Hilson’s No Boys Allowed, with singles: “Breaking Point”, “Pretty Girl Rock” and “The Way You Love Me” (featuring Rick Ross). Tim also had the pleasure of working with the late Chris Cornell who was signed to Mosley Music.
In television, Timbaland was the Executive Music Supervisor of FOX’s Hit TV series EMPIRE for Seasons 1 and 2. He is the Executive Producer of Lifetime A&E’s The Pop Game and is one of the three judges on ABC’s new show Boy Band along with Backstreet Boys Nick Carter and Spice Girls Emma Bunton. In early 2018, Timbaland’s TV company Reign On Me Productions along with partner Left Field Pictures will be releasing a 6 part autobiographical series called “Opera Noir” via Amazon which will feature music from his forthcoming LP also titled “Opera Noir”. Timbaland is set to release new music in 2017 via his label Mosley Music who is distributed by Capitol Records a Universal Music Group Company.
Credits: 17 Grammy nominations / 4 Grammy wins. 100+ ASCAP awards.