Timbaland

It's not hyperbole to say that producer and MC Timbaland changed the face of hip-hop and R&B in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The Virginia native's revolutionary work with singer/rapper Missy Elliott was unlike anything previously heard in contemporary black music at the time, and it made Timbaland one of the most sought-after producers in the game. He subsequently brought his frenetic avalanche of stuttering beats and synth samples to bear on the music of, among others, Jay-Z, Nelly Furtado, and Justin Timberlake. In addition to his work as one half of the rap duo Timbaland & Magoo, Timbaland released his first proper solo album, SHOCK VALUE, in 2007.

• pop
• r&b/soul
• hip hop/rap