I listen to a lot of alternative types of music: I listen to a lot of Chinese music, I listen to a lot of Asian music. It might surprise you, but I listen to a lot of Arabic music. And I don't care - music is music.
TimbalandI don't think about other people. If I did, I'd wanna compete. But I don't think like that, because I'm above everybody.
TimbalandEveryone wants to work with the big new producer or the hot new singer. The key is to find them before they're hot.
TimbalandI listen to a lot of 80s stuff, like Owner of a Lonely Heart, by the group Yes. And Mr. Misters Broken Wings.
TimbalandI've always tried different stuff in the studio. I use rakes, spoons, cans... I'm a surround-sound type of guy.
TimbalandI never had any plans to become a producer when I was a kid. I wanted to be a DJ, like most other kids at the time. Then my mum bought me a Casio keyboard and I started to sample sounds that I liked.
TimbalandAn artist don't make you bigger than life - being that person that can break artists can make you bigger than life.
TimbalandPeople do not respect music anymore... They go by what's hot... If you're hot, you deserve 4 or 5 Grammys... Madonna is a genius and she only has 2 or 3 Grammys... What is that about?
TimbalandI wanna be selective... very selective. Right now, hip-hop's very boring to me. It's no excitement.
Timbaland