One of the beauties of the human experience is the ability to be multi-dimensional. Each person has a unique set of characteristics that, on the surface, may seem to contrast but make up a tapestry of people-centeredness that allows life to be less boring and the pursuit of passions more engaging. During AFROTECH Conference 2023, attendees were brought into a real-life example through an in-depth conversation with Hip-Hop producer Timbaland. While much of his discussion with the audience was centered around the future and possibilities of artificial intelligence (AI), including its intersections with the music industry, he dropped many gems that any entrepreneur or creative could use to advance their work. After his on-stage presence, AFROTECH had the chance to sit with Timbaland and go in-depth on his views beyond the music studio and how that has impacted his career trajectory.

Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence is here to stay and Timbaland appears to be one of the frontrunners embracing the technology.

Back in September 2022, what were initially trials and tribulations turned into triumphs. As previously reported by AfroTech, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz reached a settlement agreement with Triller over the Verzuz acquisition. The turn of events came after the music legends sued the company for $28 million for a breach of contract.

When one person makes it, the whole team eats — especially when you’re Missy Elliott. The legendary emcee took to social media to remind the world that she has always been one to carve her own lane and that she wasn’t afraid to ensure that her friends were with her every step of the way. “Always been a leader,” wrote the Virginia native in a tweet. “When I got signed I fought for my brothers Timbaland and Magoo. I took a chance and told the label I can’t do a[n] album without them…so they flew them up and they got signed and the world witnessed their greatness. The rest is HERSTORY.”

In 1997, Kirk Franklin wrote the song “Stomp,” and in the introduction, he says: “For those of you, that think gospel music has gone too far, You think we got too radical with our message, Well, I got news for you; you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!” Since that moment, many other artists have pushed the envelope for what gospel and inspirational music means. From collaborations with artists outside the genre to writing songs across music styles, gospel artists have long broken the proverbial box society has tried to place them in. Tye Tribbett is one of those artists, but his work with Justin Timberlake only got him a $2,000 payout

TIMEPieces, the Web3 community initiative from TIME, has partnered with GRAMMY award-winning co-creator of VERZUZ and tech CEO, Timbaland, naming him its second Artist in Residence. According to a press release, the collaborative effort will produce TIMEPieces’ first music NFT collection featuring an original Timbaland beat visually translated into video art by 14 other artists. Fifth in the collection , TIMEPieces is keeping the creativity flowing with The Beatclub Collection. TIMEPieces and Timbaland recruited the following artists to bring unique and diverse perspectives to the visual representation: ArinaBB Carlos Luna James Danny Casale Daria Klepikova Ed Balloon Gavin Meeler Jasti Jeremy Cowart Jesus Martinez Joanne Hollings Mike Szpot Parin Heidari REO Yvette Hammond The 14 sought-after artists will create one-of-a-kind videos inspired by the original beat created by Timbaland and his platform Beatclub. “Timbaland is widely recognized for pushing music and culture forward. As...

Bored Ape Yacht Club non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have become popular in the Hip-Hop community. Throughout 2021, AfroTech shared reports on Timbaland, Lil Baby, and Future being fans of the collection. Recently, a few artists have invested in Yuga Labs — the Web3 firm behind Bored Ape. Snoop Dogg, Timbaland, and Gunna were a part of a $450 million seed funding round — led by a16z crypto — according to Music Business Worldwide. Other investors included Animoca Brands, The Sandbox, LionTree, Sound Ventures, Thrive Capital, FTX, MoonPay, Samsung, and more. The funding reportedly brought Yuga Labs’ valuation to $4 billion. “Yuga Labs has quickly become a web3 culture, gaming, and entertainment empire,” said Chris Lyons, general partner at a16z crypto, in a press release. “Mainstream adoption in web3 is accelerating at lightning speed, and Yuga is at the forefront of merging culture and innovation for everyone to enter the metaverse. We’re thrilled to invest in this brilliant team and...

Timbaland is continuing to thrive in the intersection of music and technology with his latest venture. AfroTech previously shared that the legendary producer launched his first music non-fungible token (NFT) collection in November 2021. Now, he has partnered with the owners of Bored Ape Yacht Club (BAYC), an NFT collection with celebrity collectors such as Stephen Curry, Lil Baby, Snoop Dogg and more. Timbaland and BAYC have teamed up to launch Ape-In Productions (AIP) — a metaverse-based entertainment company that aims to discover and amplify artists that are Bored Ape owners, according to a press release provided to AfroTech. Timbaland, his company Beatclub — a global marketplace for music creators — and other creators will develop music for the music company’s first set of releases. According to the press release, the AIP’s roster will feature a select group of Bored Apes who will release original music and animation in the metaverse as NFTs. AIP aims for its artists to reclaim...