Timbaland has announced that he’s reunited with Justin Timberlake and Nelly Furtado for a brand new track after a few weeks of speculation.
On Wednesday (August 23), Timbo took to Instagram to announce that the three artists — who had an impressive run together as frequent collaborators throughout the 2000s — were “back” and that they’re gearing up to release a new track together.
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Sharing a video that splices together various clips from their previous joint musical endeavours, which also includes a number of recent articles — including one from HipHopDX — about their possible reunion, it begins with the words: “The time has come.”
At the end of the teaser, a snippet of a new song can be heard. “I keep going, I keep going, I keep going up,” Justin Timberlake sings, before Timbaland comes in spitting: “How you been young lady?/ Does the feeling still drive you crazy?”
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Timbaland reveals that the song is called “Keep Going Up” in another video where he can be seen FaceTiming Nelly Furtado while he’s in the studio with JT. The single is scheduled to be released on September 1.
Check out both clips below:
The new track will be the trio’s first full collaboration since “Give It to Me,” which topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 2007 for two weeks, and appears on Timbaland’s second solo album, Shock Value.
The new collaboration comes after Timbaland teased in July that he was back in the studio with Nelly Furtado.
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Taking to Instagram, he shared a video and a photo with the singer – who he previously racked up hits with including “Promiscuous,” “Maneater,” “Say It Right” and more from 2006 through 2008 — with the caption: “I’m cooking.”
Fans then proceeded to flood his comments section. “Prayers answered!!! Lol Throw JT into the mix,” one person wrote. Another called them “the duo we need again,” while a third fan added: “The dynamic duo [fire emojis] the Dre and Snoop of pop music.”
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The new song comes during a tough period for Timbaland whose longtime rhyme partner Magoo died earlier this month at the age of 50.
“This one hits different long live Melvin aka magoo !!!” Timbo wrote on Instagram alongside throwback video of the pair performing together. “Tim and Magoo forever rest easy my king.”
He followed up with another post featuring more recent footage of them performing their 1997 hit “Up Jumps da Boogie,” which features Missy Elliott and the late Aaliyah. “So many memories,” he captioned the clip along with several dove, broken heart and crying face emojis.
Originally formed in 1989, Timbaland & Magoo initially met when they were teenagers while growing up in Virginia, and decided to form a rap group soon after.
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The pair are best known for their aforementioned hit “Up Jumps Da Boogie,” which topped Billboard’s Hot Rap Songs chart and also peaked at No. 12 on the Hot 100.
The VA duo went on to release three albums together between 1997 to 2003, including the platinum-certified Welcome to Our World, Indecent Proposal and Under Construction, Part II.
