Who told Timbaland he could appear in the videos? Other than maybe Michael Damian, he's the most awkward performer I've seen on MTV. TM, you are not the love interest of Nelly Furtado, although her sleeping with you would explain her success. That being said, I love Tim Mosley. Love.
I don't have time to listen to all of Timmy's songs, but of the one's I have experienced, the below 10 are my favorite. "Get Your Freak On" does not appear on the list because I'm currently sick of it. And I like the chorus of "Sexy Back," but only for mashing up against someone in a club, not for repeated listening while doing the dishes. The "Big Pimpin'" beat makes your body moves in unnatural ways.
1. “Dirt Off Your Shoulder” by Jay-Z
Why: I listen to it for inspiration. I’ve been brushing lots of dirt off my shoulder lately. Jay-Z sounds breathless when he commands, “Get. That.” in the chorus. It sounds urgent.
Favorite parts: Ladies is pimps, too. Oh, and Timmy gets to brush the dirt off in the beginning.
2. “Oops (Oh My)” by Tweet
Why: In any other circumstance, that honk-y sample would sound like a nuisance. Here it sounds like a pelvic thrust. And when Missy sings the background vocal, it sounds like she’s in the bathroom checking out the Tweet-on-Tweet action. She must be bi.
Favorite part: The honk. And the general masturbation. No hiding behind “She Bop” or “Dancing With Myself” metaphors. 50 points if you know Robert Plant's solo masturbation song.
3. “Work It” by Missy Elliot
Why: It’s ridiculous. There’s an elephant in the chorus, symbolizing a large body part. There’s a sample of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” percussion under everything, making me happy.
Favorite part: The “Peter Piper” sample exploding at the end (actually a Bob James sample). Trivia question: What TLC hit also samples “Peter Piper”?
4. “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” by Missy “Misdemeanor” Elliot
Why: Missy’s smoking endo and the song is way stoned. “Who got the keys to the jeep? Vrooooom.” is a much improved “tin roof rusted”.
Favorite part: There are crickets chirping throughout the whole track. Timbaland couldn't sleep, heard the crickets, and ran to the studio. There are also crickets in the Aaliyah drum-n-bass track “One In A Million”.
5. “Tell Me Do U Wanna” by Ginuwine
Why: I always think of Ginuwine as the Al B. Sure of the ‘90s. Maybe because they’re both tall and effeminate. I like “Pony” but this song make me want to… do stuff. I even like the bridge. It’s hard to write a bridge that doesn’t draw too much attention to itself.
Favorite part: “Ay, Ay”.
6. “Roll Out My Business” by Ludacris
Why: Timmy’s horny chorus is so catchy that Luda just sings along with it. I love that Ludacris.
Favorite part: “Who’s your housekeeper/what you keep in your house?”
7. "Try Again" by Aaliyah
Why: That running fat splat of a bass line blows my mind, and the way the melody weaves through it. From “Romeo Must Die”, a film I’ll will never see.
Favorite part: When the beat drops out and the bass line stands alone and you catch yourself trying to sing along with the bass line and you sound stupid and then you stop.
8. "I Care For You" by Aaliyah
Why: Is it the only song in 6/8 meter to hit the Top 40 in the past how many years?
Favorite thing about it: If you ever thought Aaliyah was just some young chick that was lucky enough to get with R. Kelly, listen to her vocals on this song.
9. "One In A Million" by Aaliyah
Why: Everybody from David Bowie to Trent Reznor to Ben Watt tried to work jungle beats into pop music. Timbaland did a better job.
Favorite thing about it: For better or for worse, R&B started and stuttered after this song came out. "Say My Name" by Destiny's Child and even "What Hurts the Most" by Rascal Flatts might not exist without this song.
10. “Nigga What, Nigga Who” by Jay-Z featuring Big Jaz
Why: Jay-Z and Big Jaz match Timbaland’s on-again, off-again choppiness. I actually think Jaz does a better job, but I’d never say that to Jay-Z’s face. According to Wikipedia, Big Jaz aka Jaz-O had a falling out after the latter mentored the former for many years.
Favorite parts: The last three sly chords before the chorus, and Jay-Z rapping about KY Jelly.
Ginuwine video. I need this apartment. He looks like a 7'1" Gumby when he dances.
3 comments:
WOW. I'm impressed. What job would that be? Whoever you are, you get as many points as you want. I loved that album as a kid.
Glaring Omissions:
Justin Timberlake's "Cry Me A River", Lil' Kim's "The Jump Off", Aaliyah's "We Need A Resolution" and the brilliant "Are You That Somebody?", and Nelly Furtado's "Maneater".
And Kiley Dean's "Make Me A Song" is possibly the most conceited song ever - a song about working with Timbaland.
I love "Cry Me" except when JT whines "cry me, cry me" at that high octave, it makes me want to hit him. I prefer Hall and Oates' "Maneater" to what's-her-name but do love "Somebody". I was thinking of including "Pass That Dutch", the only song to rhyme Saddam with Jeffrey Dahm.
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