Timbaland ain’t feeling the newer artists out right now and says that AI is a more soulful alternative. During a recent episode of The Inner Court podcast, Timbo was asked about his opinion on the music industry and whether or not there were some newer artists that he was interested in.
The Virginia native kept it a buck with the podcast hosts and told them that the music scene, right now, is “uninspiring.” The Grammy award-winning producer explained that no song out now grabbed his attention or made him feel anything. However, the acclaimed musician did have praise for a new tool in music: artificial intelligence. He blamed the bland music scene on the increased division in the United States and says that the “soulless” tunes reflect society.
“You could feel the pressure of the dividedness, and I hate that. This whole election divided us,” the “Say Something” producer said. “What I mean by that is it divided the music. The music sounds bland, it sounds boring—it lacks excitement. While we frequently discuss AI, I believe it’s the only entity that embodies a genuine soul right now. It allows for the expression of true feelings, resulting in it coming out beautiful.”
“I feel like right now everything is discombobulated,” he added. “Which aligns with everything in the world. Ain’t no song right now—and y’all gotta admit—that’s grabbing you. Ain’t no theme song for people’s [lives].”
Timbo previously got candid about his career in another podcast, where he admitted that his best music was created when he was sober.
During his recent appearance on The Pivot, the musician disclosed how his past addiction affected his musical output. Tim acknowledged that he was high while creating LPs like Justin Timberlake’s The 20/20 Experience, JAY-Z’s Magna Carta Holy Grail, and even the mega-hit single, “Drunk in Love” from Beyoncé. But he asserted that these works don’t have the same sheen as his sobered production.
“It was fun. Those were cool albums, but my best work was done when I wasn’t on drugs. That’s facts. It was just fun, creating. I was doing all of those albums back to back. It was just that experience […] They were great, but they don’t stand [against] my big records.”
“[Aaliyah’s ‘One In A Million,’ ‘Hov’s Dirt Off Ya Shoulder,’ and ‘Big Pimpin’] are drug-free, so when I look back at my highlights, that [drug period] is probably a dip. Even though it was still good, that’s just God-given talent in me. Like, God still having his hand on me—that’s why those songs were still beautiful, but they don’t have like [Timberlake’s] FutureSex/LoveSounds in them.”
Watch the interviews above.
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