Attitude F/ Busta Rhymes "Respect"

This track is one of the 40+ tracks Timbo, Attitude, and 6'2 recorded for their unreleased collaboration way back when. Eventually that group grew to include John Doe aka D.O.E and Ms. Keri aka Keri Hilson. It seems these tracks just randomly leak every few months but we have yet to hear one with Keri on it. Hopefully in time....

Of course you hear the lifted lines in the first verse that Timbo used it in "Bounce" some 4 years later. Don't sleep on 'Tude, dude has been ghost writing for Timbo for a very long time. You don't really think Timbo wrote his rhymes on "I'm That Real N***a" do you?

But make sure you have your Attitude tracks labeled right cuz Hannon had his part in production during this time too. Check "It's Alright It's Ok" that's all Hannon

Mary J. Blige "Skycap"

HOT!! More tracks like this and I'll be out of retirement in a minute. I got $10 that J Roc is the associate and of course it's all the from the mind of Candice Nelson (check the background adlibs). Genius...

So the questions:
1. What's the background chanting sample?
2. Who's on the bass? DAMN! That's the best part. Do you we have Daryl Pearson back in the studio again makin' magic?

'07 ya'll...just sayin'

The Thomas Crown Chronicles says goodbye

After an incredible 2 plus years, I will be closing The Thomas Crown Chronicles doors for good. It's definitely been an amazing adventure from a simple idea to something bigger than I ever imagined and I've enjoyed (almost) every minute of it. It was never my intent to keep this site open even this long as I knew sooner or later, as it grew, politics would slowly start eating away at the fun (and freedom) of just being Timbaland fans. Despite that though, I have not a single regret and would do it all over in a heartbeat.

My thanks goes out to all the contributors who sent in music, news, info, samples, and anything at all related to Timbaland. My intention of the site was always to make it as interactive as possible and you all succeeded far beyond my wildest dreams. HUGE thanks goes out to my team, Roderick, Czar, Big A, and Nick. Without you this site wouldn't be what it is today and I would never have even thought of starting it without your Timbo teachings throughout the years. I will always be your padawan.

But I want to give the most thanks to all of you around the world who supported The Chronicles for years, months, even hours. From fans to managers, Romanians to Iranians, you all took a small blog and launched it into becoming the biggest Timbaland website in the world and (arguably) one of the best music sites as well. My appreciation and gratitude will continue for a lifetime.

Despite the closure, I will keep this site as well as the old site open as Timbaland Archives if you will. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears went into The Chronicles and I hope it continues to be a source for the new generation of Timbaland fans.

Don't be a drone!
Boogie

Wyclef Jean F/ Timbaland "War On Our Hands"

Check out this Wyclef track featuring Timbo titled "War On Our Hands"


share your files at box.net

Where is this track from and what is/was it meant for? Good question. Based on the production style, it sounds like an old Timbo track possibly from the Wyclef and Tim sessions where the created the similarly titled "War Stories."

Props to those who hit us up with it!

Kanye West, Jay-Z, and the possible alternate

Now this is very interesting, take a close look or rather listen to this video. Of course initially you'll be thrilled to see vintage Kanye West making a beat but what I really want you to pay attention to is the 2nd half of the video with Kanye rapping:



Do those lyrics sound familiar? Here they are:

Magazines call me a rock star, girls call me cock star
Billboard, pop star, neighborhood block star
Chi-Town go-gettin pimps, we mobsters
Gingerbread Man even said, "You're a monster!"
Yeah, that's how I feel
To be down, you must appeal
To the crew, we're rated R
O.C., O.G., Bobby Johnson son
Ask me, "Rey-Rey, is that yo' car?"
I seen MTV, I know who you are
You did "Takeover," do you got beef with Nas?
I did take over the game, brought back the soul
Got tracks to go, got plaques that's gold
Platinum to go, yeah that's the flow
All I, know, I gots the flow
And I don't play cause I'm from Chicago

Think. Think hard or just cheat and put them into google. What do you get? Surprised?

So the question is, whose beat is that? Kanye's? Or did Timbaland create an alternate beat that was never used for the final album? Or did Kanye like his verse so much from this session he saved it for the final Timbo produced track? A true mystery...

Big props to Tryfe on the find.

Hannon Lane in the studio

The behind the scenes of production continues this time with Hannon Lane in the studio making a beat on a glass bottle! You got to see this:



Crazy beat! Don't sleep on Hannon the dude is a beast. Speaking of, get ready tomorrow for some of the biggest who-produced-it news ever on The Chronicles.

Props to Jordan on the find.

Update:: So who was this track meant for? None other than.....Missy Elliott for Block Party. You heard it here first!

Polow & Ciara the next Timbaland & Aaliyah?

Polow talked with MTV and discussed his work with Ciara on her upcoming yet long delayed album Fantasy Ride (now due in April) and what makes his and Ciara's synergy so special. "We both came up and were raised in the same camp," Polow explained. "We've known each other for a long time. We actually just have this natural chemistry that I don't even have with some of my own artists.

"I understand her and I understand what she should be doing," the producer added. "I look at it like this: When I work with her, I'm a fan, and this is what I want her to be doing."

"And one thing people do say about when I work with Ciara is that I make her sound better than ever," he continued. "I make her sound like a vocalist versus the other stuff she may do that's more performance, where she can get on the dance floor. It's kind of the same thing with Aaliyah. She may not have been the best singer, but her voice was so unique and her sound — she had her own lane, and I think Ciara is like that same thing."

The official first single from the album will be the Polow produced "Never Ever" featuring Young Jeezy with a video already shot over the weekend. Hopefully the 2 Danja tracks we've heard so far "Echo" and "Work" will still be on the album and be on the lookout for The Clutch written "Role Call" that is also a possibility.

Now to me what makes this article so interesting is that Polow never compares himself directly to Timbaland, rather the article plugs in Timbo's name to fit the Aaliyah reference. Why? How could there ever be a "new Timbaland and Aaliyah"? That makes no sense to me. I understand the reference to the chemistry of an artist and a producer but I'm not sure I understand the need to compare them to a singer who passed away long before her time and a producer who's still making #1 hits. Ahh anyway I'm just ranting today.

What do you think, how do you compare Polow and Ciara to Timbaland and Aaliyah? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Props to the Chetmasta for the link.

Chris Cornell's Scream pushed back...again

Speaking of Chris Cornell, sadly his and Timbaland's long over due album Scream has been pushed back a month to March 9th. No reason as to why or if possible new songs have been added but get ready to wait another 2 months for the project to drop.

Will Chris Cornell and Keri Hilson's albums ever come out? Honestly, I'm getting nervous ya'll. Props to Kevin.

Chris Cornell hits Europe

After a successful string of small venue tour dates around the U.S., Chris Cornell has decided to go to bring his show to his European fans. Promising to be in the same intimate settings as his other shows, Cornell will hit up club venues in Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, and London in February. For all you ticketholders get ready to hear the entire Scream album from start to finish backed with Cornell's kick ass live band.

"It's a musical journey - like watching a great movie - where you sort of forget about the normal format and get lost in the experience of the album," says Cornell, who also plans to add some favourite songs from the past to the set.

No word if Timbaland will be joining Cornell on tour but get your tickets early and if you go to the show write in to The Chronicles and let us know how it went. Here are the dates:

23 Feb London - Scala
24 Feb Paris - La Cigale
26 Feb Amsterdam - Paradiso
27 Feb Berlin – Columbia Club

Props to Kevin and Luke H. for the info.

Word Is: Timbaland to work with Leona Lewis

I first read this story with a lot of skepticism but recently MTV UK picked it up so it has to be true....right? Ha!

Well Word Is Team Leona Lewis and her team dined with Timbaland and his team at the Delano Hotel in Miami last week. After a lengthy dinner meeting and obvious knowledge and respect for each other's work, the two decided to work together on Lewis' sophomore album due out sometime next October. No word as to who else will be part of the collaboration (possibly Ryan Tedder? Jim Beanz?) but we'll definitely keep you posted.

And it seems as though Lewis will be teaming up with Justin Timberlake to record a cover of the Whitney Houston's global smash "I Will Always Love You." You all knew that it was written by country star Dolly Parton right? Of course you did. My question is why? Everyone knows the track, Houston's version is phenomenal, it sold a bazillion records so what's the point of doing a cover version? I know I know to make even more money and sell even more records. Let's hope their version is as good as the original.

Props to Luke H. for the info.

Update:: The news (at least the first part) has been confirmed to be true and to give you that little something extra, The Chronicles can exclusively tell you the session begins in April with Leona, Timbaland, J Roc, and Jim Beanz. Can't wait to hear what they come up with!

Danja & Marcella talk "We Takin' Over" (Part II)

And here's the 2nd part:

Behind the scenes with Danja & Marcella Part II

It doesn't get much better than this folks. Definitely 2 of the best videos we ever had on The Chronicle. Next up Timbaland and Demo?? Let's hope so!

Props again to El Jefe.

Danja & Marcella talk "We Takin' Over" (Part I)

Ever wonder how Danja and Marcella created the DJ Khaled banger "We Takin' Over"? Let them tell you in their own words:

Behind the scenes with Danja & Marcella Part 1

For a non producer like myself, I'm amazed! If only we could get a behind the scenes explanation like this for every Danja track! Big props to El Jefe on the find.

Kiley Dean "My Own" (No Intro)

Though it's been going on 7 years since the Kiley Dean/Timbaland sessions, they will always go down in history as some of the best music Timbaland has ever created. With the red hot Candice Nelson and Walter Milsap III duo handling the bulk of the writing, the group created undoubtedly one of the top 10 unreleased albums ever. By now we've all heard the Simple Girl, as well as many other tracks from the sessions but still, even now, more are being heard.

It was only a few months ago that a previously unreleased Kiley/Timbo track called "My Own" leaked sadly with Kiley doing a DJ drop as an intro but today we have the non intro version. Check it out: