Justin Timberlake Talks Fulfilling A “Prophecy” By Working With Timbaland

(AllHipHop News) Legendary Hip Hop superproducer Timbaland played an essential role in crafting Justin Timberlake’s sound. With his work on the Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds albums, Timbo aided JT’s transition from *NSYNC boy band member to international solo superstar. Timberlake recently spoke to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to promote the singer’s Essentials Playlist on the streaming service. The conversation […]

(AllHipHop News) Legendary Hip Hop superproducer Timbaland played an essential role in crafting Justin Timberlake’s sound. With his work on the Justified and FutureSex/LoveSounds albums, Timbo aided JT’s transition from *NSYNC boy band member to international solo superstar.

Timberlake recently spoke to Apple Music’s Zane Lowe to promote the singer’s Essentials Playlist on the streaming service. The conversation included Timberlake recalling how his Timbaland-produced single “SexyBack” was met with apprehension from the record label.

“SexyBack” ended up reaching #1 on Billboard‘s Hot 100 chart, winning a Grammy Award for Best Dance Recording, and being certified 3x-Platinum by the RIAA. According to Timberlake, having the chance to make music with the person that helped construct Missy Elliott’s classic 1997 album Supa Dupa Fly was a teenage dream.

“That was like a prophecy for me. You have to understand, like when I was 14 and we were just actually forming [*NSYNC], Supa Dupa Fly was the thing for me. And I said to my mother, ‘I will work with that man one day. I will work with him one day if it’s the last thing I do,'” JT told Lowe. “”And of course, I was 14. I probably could have said anything at that point and believed it.” 

The 39-year-old musician/actor continued, “We had met a little bit. He really liked [*NSYNC’s] ‘It’s Gonna Be Me,’ actually. We met him outside a studio one time and I was kind of realizing that maybe it wasn’t going to be possible. So I was just kind of geeking out. ‘If I never see Timbaland again, I’m going to let him know that I know about ‘Pork and Beans’ [‘Clock Strikes (Remix)’].”

Timbaland recently hinted that he and Justin Timberlake might reunite for a sequel to 2006’s FutureSex/LoveSounds. Timberlake’s sophomore studio LP was the project that hosted hits like “SexyBack” with Timbaland, “My Love” with T.I., and “Until The End Of Time” with Beyoncé.

Meanwhile, there have been calls to setup a Verzuz battle between Justin Timberlake and fellow music megastar Usher Raymond. Timbaland’s Verzuz co-curater Swizz Beatz even wrote on Instagram, “We need Justin vs Usher Tim ‼️‼️‼️.”