DJ Khaled is known for his words of wisdom, and so it’s no surprise he had a lot of great things to say about Timbaland at Variety‘s Miami Entertainment Town event this week.
The entertainment publication’s annual event took place on Thursday (April 13) in Miami, Florida, and the GOD DID producer was on hand to present his “idol” Timbo with the Music Pioneer Award.
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“He broke down doors for brothers like me to do what I’m doing today,” Khaled told the room of entertainment giants, including fellow honoree Raúl Alarcón, chairman and CEO of Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS), who was presented with the Legends and Groundbreakers Award.
“Because I look at Timbaland, not just as a producer, but he’s an artist. He’s a CEO, he’s an amazing father,” DJ Khaled continued. “Timbaland is what you call the definition of being timeless. His music will play forever.”
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He also thanked Timbaland for being his friend — among other things. “Thank you for breaking the doors down. Thank you for being my friend and always blessing me. Every time I call Timbo, he always says yes. It’s never no,” Khaled explained. “I ask him to come to my house — every album I’ve made, probably like my last four albums, I would call Timbaland. He be one of the first people that I wanna play for, just to see his reaction.”
After thanking Variety and its executive editor of music, Shirley Halperin, Khaled then told Timbaland that he deserves “every award that’s ever invented and created.”
DJ Khaled sings Timbaland's praises: "He's an artist, he's a CEO, he's an amazing father, he's just a beautiful person all around." | Variety Miami Entertainment Town presented by CN Bank https://t.co/7u9E7BJ6Rcpic.twitter.com/8a7aFIJkzd
— Variety (@Variety) April 13, 2023
DJ Khaled thanks Timbaland for "breaking the doors down" at Variety Miami Entertainment Town presented by CN Bank. https://t.co/7u9E7BJ6Rcpic.twitter.com/WyC34Q312M
— Variety (@Variety) April 13, 2023
Timbaland, while known for a plethora of different hits, broke into the mainstream in the mid-’90s alongside Missy Elliott, who he mentioned first as he took the podium to accept his award from Khaled on Thursday.
“I really wish my sister was here, Missy [Elliott] because this is why I’m in this beautiful city. It was because of her. And I made a lot of hit records here,” Timbo told the audience, before naming Missy’s “Work It” and JAY-Z‘s “Dirt Off Your Shoulder,” both of which he did at Miami’s Criteria Studios, formerly known as The Hit Factory.
The Virginia native who has a home in Miami then praised the Magic City as well as some of the residents who “welcomed” him. “So Miami has always been my home. And to get this award at my home, man, it’s such a blessing,” he said. “[I’m in Miami] because of Missy Elliott, people like DJ Khaled, E-Class, who welcomed me. Trina. All these people welcomed me here and I never left here. And I don’t plan of leaving here.”
He concluded his speech by talking about his moves into the Latin music market, and how he’s been hooking up with “the biggest producer” in Miami, Tainy. “I think that, you know, iron sharpens iron and he’s teaching me the [Latin] culture.”
Timbaland accepts the Pioneer Award at Variety Miami Entertainment Town presented by CN Bank. https://t.co/stBicc8woApic.twitter.com/7ZvynjNrJZ
— Variety (@Variety) April 13, 2023
Speaking of his step into Latin music, Timbaland recently shared some details about Missy Elliott’s forthcoming album, and apparently, a few songs have a “Latin feel” to them.
Timbo confirmed to Variety last week that Missy is hard at work on her long-awaited follow-up to 2005’s The Cookbook, which could be out as soon as this summer.
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“We’ve got a lot of songs we’re gonna start recording soon, and my dream is to have it out around her birthday in July,” he said. “I want it to sound how she looks — she looks incredible right now. We both look like we 19 again. I know how Missy works: It’s got to be new and fun — or maybe not so much new as kind of underground, and everything is upbeat.”
He continued: “Some of it has a kind of Latin feel to it, almost a Bad Bunny effect, some of it’s kinda like underground Brazilian funk. People gonna eat it up — and it might reach just a different demographic of people. It’s like it’s her doing… not reggaeton but Missy-ton.”
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Timbaland went on to say that Missy’s influence is “global,” and that he hopes this new project can include some features from Bad Bunny and Latin artist Young Miko.
