Timbaland & like-minded hip-hop producers: Search & Destroy

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Been seeing the latest two efforts from Timbaland on MTV a lot - Missy Elliot's "Get Ur Freak On" & Aaliyah's "We Need A Resolution". The "drumming" on the former is definitely the highlight, while the I'm a sucker for the pre-rap portion where Aaliyah's voice gets multi-tracked into this amazing chorus of voices. Of course, then Timbaland starts rapping, and the track hits the skids. (Didn't Magoo serve as the Timbaland-approved rap fucker-upper in the past?)

That said, Timbaland's production is certainly worth noting, for simply not sounding like the rest of the stuff thrown down nowadays. (Took an article in _The Wire_, of all places, for me to come around to that li'l baby goo-goo in "Are You That Somebody"). What else is there out there (besides the Missy Elliot albums)? Is the Timbaland / Magoo joint worth checking out?

And are there any other producers out there that are equally astonishing? I've heard a lot of bluster about the Neptunes, without much substance. Also, comments on RZA, Prince Paul, Dr. Dre, etc. would be appreciated. The older the school, the better - I have a feeling there isn't much there, though, besides the usual suspects that are as synonymous (& integrated) into the fabric of hip-hop as the Ramones are with the underground.

(Re: RZA - his work on Method Man's _Tical_ was so damn dirty & murky, I couldn't even listen to the album much. It was like smoking weed without getting high. Very strange, and - in a way - very impressive.)

(PS - The Neptunes are supposedly contributing to an R&B / hip-hop tribute to the "soul" of Phil Collins. "Groovy Kind of Love," my ass. Babyface MUST be involved in this travesty.)

― David Raposa, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

there already was a timbaland search and destroy. i did a dj premier s&d quite recently, and a wu-tang s&d a while back, which pretty much counted as a rza one. prince paul hasn't produced very much outside of de la and his solo work, all of which you should search. i think there's been a dre s&d too. i don't even see how those are like-minded to timbaland other than that they were hiphop producers who are good.

― ethan, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Ah, well, I was hoping to unearth other folks LIKE Timbaland with this thread. I just threw the other names in. Figured it'd be more grist for the mill.

Grist which has already been grinded, I guess. Off to the archives I go.

― David Raposa, Thursday, 24 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Check out Swizz Beats - he does most (all?) of Eve's first album, including "What Y'All Want" which is the bomb. Not feelin the 2nd one so much - a little too contained and packaged. But as far as "like-minded" it may be the closest you'll get?

― Tracer Hand, Saturday, 26 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

okay, see i misread the question and thought you were just asking about producers and whatnot. an 'if i like timbaland, then what?' question is actually a very good one. so i'll try and answer.

you could go in any number of directions depending on what you like from his two latest hits. if the technoid rhythmic starkness is what you're into, check out the aforementioned swizz, mannie fresh, and for the old school version, mantronix. if you're more towards the futuristic pure- pop side, dre, puffy, and neptunes certainly, plus producers of other huge poprap hits (rockwilder?). if the fleeting transcedental beauty of tim's work is your thing (and i think it's mine), check out rza, and sadly i can't think of another producer that compares right now, argh. it sounds like right now you should check out some of tim's other work but i'm not really an expert on that beyond the hit singles that i've enjoyed immensly. i'd rather just have him create summer jams (and this summer looks to be no exception) than buy an album, but there's other threads about that.

― ethan, Saturday, 26 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If you like Timbaland you'll probably love Omni Trio.

― Omar, Monday, 28 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nice call on Omni Trio and Rockwilder. You prob. want to check out "Blackout" (Meth/Redman) - "The Rockwilda" alone is enough reason.

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 28 May 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

one month passes...

Sounds a bit lame in this discussion but a very good house/techno influenced hiphop producer is Jaydee, best known for his work as a member of Slum Village but he also produced Common's last album. Anyone have a fave Timbaland tune? Mine's is Jay-Z's "Nigga What, Nigga Who?"

― L, Friday, 29 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Timbaland: Search & Destroy thread is here

― Nick, Friday, 29 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Gee, Nick - took you a MONTH to get to this one? Boy, you're slipping.

― David Raposa, Friday, 29 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Err - I think I was on holiday when the repeat question was originally posted. My humble apologies. And I'm going away for a week again tomorrow. How will you all cope?

― Nick, Friday, 29 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Probably by posting endless variations on threads involving Alan McGee, Lee Mavers, and Jordy (the French singing baby). Bon chance!

― David Raposa, Friday, 29 June 2001 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

eight years pass...

the list of people you could name now would be so much longer. mostly 'no names' though.

― titchy (titchyschneiderMk2), Wednesday, 2 September 2009 20:25 (sixteen years ago)

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