April 3rd, 2007

Release Date: April 3rd, 2007

Genre(s): Rap, R&B, Pop, Rock

Runtime: 61 minutes, 58 seconds

Record Label: Mosley Music/Blackground/Interscope

Myspace Page: Click Here

"I changed the sound of radio three different times... I had everyone biting me. I changed the whole sonic tempo," Timbaland tells interviewer Dave Tompkins in the July/August 2005 issue of Scratch Magazine. "I do something first, then everybody wants to come and bite," he continued. True statements.

His style back in the mid-90s was so distinct and different than what you heard on the radio (think Missy's "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" and Aaliyah's "Are You That Somebody?") that it was only matter of time before other producers tried to emulate his style.

"Everyone bit the double beat," he continues, "*N Sync, Janet. It changed the whole sonic tempo of radio."

And while that interview with Scratch almost two years ago, Timbaland seems to be on a whole other level than anybody else in the game right now. He's always been a great producer in my eyes (as well as others), but lately he's become quite the radio poster boy. Racking up monster hits with the returning and newly rejuvinated Nelly Furtado on her album "Loose" ("Promiscuous," "Say It Right") and Justin Timberlake's more grown up 2nd solo outing "Futuresex/Lovesounds" ("SexyBack," "My Love") in 2006, he's now riding a wave of momentum into 2007 that has more power behind it than both The Juggernaut and Rhino combined chasing after Spider-Man in Times Square.

Everybody wants a piece of Timbaland as evident by almost every rap artist interview you can read online or hear on BET or MTV in a sound byte. They'll say "Oh, I wanna work with Timbaland," or "I wanna hop on a Timbaland beat". His beats are popping up everywhere from radio songs like "Wait A Minute" by The Pussycat Dolls to "Ice Box" by Omarion. In addition to that, every other rap album you hear lately seems to feature atleast one track he produced (Diddy's "Press Play", Danity Kane's self titled debut, and upcoming Bobby Valentino and Fabolous albums).

And while he's getting paid out the ASS, this new found respect in the mainstream just isn't enough for him. He may have slimmed down physically thanks to an intense work out plan, but his appetite for cash money must be on the fatboy tip.

He's made no bones about it -- he wants to get the Top 40 on lockdown. Purists might argue that he's "sold out" or whatever, but he's really a smart business man. Like it not, pop is where the money is at, people. Why do you think rap is so commercialized in this era? People get a record deal and want to milk it for every penny that they possibly can.

As I write this, Timbo has just dropped (as in today, lol, this is the fastest I've ever written a review, btw) his latest project entitled "Shock Value" -- his first solo project since "Tim's Bio: Life From Da Bassment" in 1998. I say "solo" pretty loosely because out the gate the first single off "Shock Value" is the party anthem "Give It To Me" which has both Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake featured. This collaboration insures airplay, but I wonder why these three just don't make a whole album together already lol...

The funny thing about this track is it's good if you just barely listen to the lyrics and even funnier if you know what Timbo and JT are yacking about. Furtado's verse is pretty general for a party track (i.e., not much about anything although there are rumors she's dissing Fergie), but Timbaland is speaking on his beef with fellow producer Scott Storch (the man who produced some of the tracks on the Paris Hilton album last year and is responsible for many songs by Fat Joe). "I get half a mil for my beats, you get a couple grand/I'm a real producer and you're just a piano man," he says -- which I found absoutely hilarious because I make rap beats. Being called "Piano Man" is kinda low lol. All I got to say is starting a beef with Timbo is a bad idea considering everything he touches is a hit lol. Dude can diss you and make it #1.

And if you thought producer-to-producer beef was ridiculous and pointless, Timberlake takes his time on the track to diss Prince. Apparently, he's angry that the purple clad crooner said "sexy never left" in response to the song "SexyBack" where JT claims he's "bringin' sexy back". Don't know how he expects to people to react when some white boy like himself sucker punches a legend like Prince, but oh well (Usher's comin' to get dat ass anyways lmao).

Timberlake also reappears on "Release" and "Bounce". His role in the sure to be dance floor hit with intoxicated college students, "Release", is more background than his other appearance on the bass heavy, classic Timbaland sounding "Bounce" where he sings the hook. I busted out laughing he said "(Bounce) Like yo' ass had the hiccups," which I think is the best line in the whole album, haha. I mean seriously, as good as he is, I still see JT as "that guy from *N Sync". I know he's almost 30, but him talking about this kind of stuff is very odd. Timberlake continues, "I got the remedy, it's you on me, then me on you, then you on me, then me on you, then you on her, then her on me, then her on you, then y'all on me, then you on y'all, then y'all on me, ménage à trois". Talk about confusing... I'd hate to see this guy in a game of "Simon Says" or something..