Timbaland is similar to producers such as Norman Whitfield in that he helped to redefine the sound of an entire genre of music with an immediately recognizable production style. The songs he produces feature unusual arrangements, sounds, and instrumentation, tied together by a trademark sense of rhythm. Like Spector and Whitfield, Timbaland's production sometimes overshadows the credited performer and becomes the actual "star" of the song. With songwriters Steve "Static" Garrett and childhood friend Missy Elliott, Timbaland has helped to create some of the most successful songs in modern pop music and urban music, including singles for Aaliyah, Ginuwine, SWV, Total, and 702.
Mosley grew up in Norfolk, Virginia, where he became acquainted with Missy Elliott and Melvin Barcliff, whose MC name was "Magoo." Originally a disc jockey known as "DJ Timmy Tim," Mosely began making hip-hop backing tracks on a Casio keyboard he owned. In 1993 Elliott heard his material and, taken by Mosley's unique sense of rhythm, immediately began working with him.
Elliott and her girl group Sista auditioned for DeVante Swing, producer and member of successful R&B act Jodeci. Devante signed Sista to his Swing Mob label, and Elliott brought Mosely and Barcliff along with her. Mosely began working under Devante, who renamed the young producer Timbaland, after the Timberland boot popular in hip-hop fashion.
Sista and Timbaland & Magoo became part of Devante's stable of Swing Mob signees known as "Da Bassment" crew, joining artists and groups such as male singer Ginuwine, male vocal group Playa, and girl group Sugah. Timbaland did production work on a number of projects with Devante, including the 1995 Jodeci LP The Show, The After-Party, The Hotel, and Sista's debut LP, which was shevled and never saw release.
Timbaland was also friends with Pharrell Williams, and had dabbled in projects with him as S.B.I., or Surrounded By Idiots. Pharrell recalls in an interview: "“In seventh grade I met Chad. That’s twenty years ago by now. Like I said earlier, we started producing beats together. But then again, I also played with this famous group which consisted of Timbaland, Magoo, myself and some other guy. Chad wasn’t a part of the group, so I was in The Neptunes and in Surrounded By Idiots at the same time.” A few tracks produced by the group float around on the internet, the most distributed being "Big White Spaceship".
In 1995, most of Devante's acts broke their ties with the producer and went their own ways. Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo, Playa, and Ginuwine continued to collaborate, and began working on individual projects of their own. Elliott began receiving recognition as a songwriter and guest artist for artists such as 702 and MC Lyte, and Timbaland was sometimes assigned to produce remixes of Elliott-penned songs. One of these, the remix to 702's "Steelo" in 1996, became Timbaland's first important production credit.
Also in 1996, Ginuwine released his debut album, Ginuwine...the Bachelor, which was produced entirely by Timbaland. The album was both a commercial and critical success, and its first single, "Pony," was the first example of what would later become the signature Timbaland sound.
The track for "Pony," which Timbaland had created two years prior during the Swing Mob days, was characterized by a shifting, syncopated rhythm, similar to samba or jungle music, which used snare and kick hits on typically non-accented beats in the measure. Stuttering high-hats typical of southern bass music accompanied the basic drum sounds, which were, unusual for hip-hop and R&B of this period, severely gated to create short, strong sounds. This use of the "short snare" is in marked contrast to the "long snare" sound in New Wave music in the 1980s, which featured a heavily amplified, almost white noise snare drum put through reverb. Accompanying the unusual rhythm were melody lines created by playing odd sound effects (vocal effects and cartoon slide whistles) through a sampling keyboard. The other tracks on Ginuwine...the Bachelor also featured similar production and arrangements. On many of the tracks, Timbaland can be heard either rapping or providing ad-libs, similar to what both Elliott and Puff Daddy where doing at the time; Timbaland's deep voice was usually vocoded to give it an electronic sound.
While work was being completed on Ginuwine...the Bachelor, R&B artist Aaliyah contracted Timbaland and Missy Elliott to write and produce most of her second album, One In A Million. The tracks that were crafted for Aaliyah featured innovative arrangements similar to those on Ginuwine...the Bachelor. One In A Million went on to sell over two million copies, and made superstars out of not only Aaliyah, but Elliott and Timbaland as well.
Elliott and Timbaland became one of the most successful and prolific songwriting/production teams of the late-1990s. By the end of the decade, Timbaland's sound had been heard in records from artists such as SWV, Destiny's Child, Nicole Wray, Jay-Z, Nas. Most of his production work during this period was reserved for his original stable of collaborators: two Missy Elliott albums (Supa Dupa Fly and Da Real World), a second effort by Ginuwine (100% Ginuwine), and Playa's debut album (Cheers 2 U). Timbaland produced much (if not all) of the material on many of their albums during this period, and also made two albums of his own: one with Magoo, and one solo album. Timbaland's own raps, which were usually ghostwritten by Elliott, Magoo, or his younger brother Garland Mosley (AKA Sebastian), were almost always accompanied by other MCs, including his main collaborators and numerous guest artists.
Timbaland spawned a plethora of imitators, some of which went as far as to sample sections of his work to create similar-sounding tracks. The popularity of the "Timbaland sound" marked a shift in hip-hop music from rougher, sample-based tracks to simpler, more synthetic musical accompainiment (unlike many hip-hop producers, Timbaland rarely sampled older records; most of his tracks were crafted by him and his in-house band). Since Timbaland worked in both hip-hop and R&B and often combined elements of one in tracks for the other, his work aided the blending together of the two genres, which became less and less distinct during the first half of the 2000s.
Foreign, especially Asian, instrumentation is present through much of his early work (Xscape's "My Secret" remix, especially, with a rollicking sitar outro and Timbaland ad-libbing "Let's take a little trip...to India"), but was most successful and prevalent with Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin'" (1999), which borrowed directly from the song "Khosara" by Egyptian composer Baligh Hamdi. Missy Elliott's 2001 hit single, "Get Ur Freak On" from her third album, Miss E...So Addictive, was also likewise a smash, using a speedy dhol drumline typical of Bhangra. His borrowing from these cultures has resulted in mixed reactions, with many critics embracing his musical adventurousness and eclecticism and more esoteric, purist factions reacting catiously, and sometimes negatively. In an interview with Missy Elliott in RayGun Magazine, he mentioned a diverse base of influences, from UK Drum 'N Bass to Garage.
Timbaland-produced songs such as Ludacris' "Roll Out (My Business)," Jay-Z's "Hola' Hovito," Petey Pablo's "Raise Up," and Beck's "Diamond Dogs" were recorded and released during this period, and he contributed to Limp Bizkit's 2001 remix album, New Old Songs. He also contributed three songs--all eventually released as singles--to Aaliyah's self-titled third album.
Timbaland & Magoo's second album together, Indecent Proposal, had been scheduled for release in November 2000, and was to feature appearances by Beck, Aaliyah, and new Timbaland proteges--some of whom were signed to his new Beat Club Records imprint--Ms. Jade, Sebastian, Petey Pablo, and Tweet (who was a member of Sugah during the Swing Mob days). The album was delayed until for an entire year, finally being released the following November, and was a commercial disappointment. Beck's vocals for the track "I Am Music" were not included on the final released version, which instead featured Timbaland singing alongside Static (Steven Garrett) of Playa and Aaliyah, who had been killed in a plane crash three months before the release of the album. The loss of Aaliyah deeply affected Timbaland, whose work was less omnipresent after 2001.
The first release on Beat Club was the debut album by Caucasian MC Bubba Sparxxx in October 2002, Dark Days, Bright Nights. Timbaland contributed three tracks to Tweet's debut album, Southern Hummingbird, and produced most of Missy Elliott's fourth and fifth LPs, Under Construction and This Is Not A Test! He also produced hit singles and album tracks for artists such as Li'l Kim ("The Jump Off") and Pastor Troy during this period. Collaborating with Scott Storch, Timbaland also produced a number of tracks on former *NSYNC lead singer Justin Timberlake's solo debut, Justified, including the hit single "Cry Me a River".
Late in 2003, Timbaland delivered the second Bubba Sparxxx album, Deliverance, and the third Timbaland & Magoo album, Under Construction, Part II. Both albums were released to little fanfare or acclaim even though Deliverance was praised by reviews and embraced by the internet community.
Timbaland continues to produce hit singles and albums for artists; in 2004 Timbaland-produced singles by LL Cool J, Xzibit, and Jay-Z became staples on urban radio, and he produced the bulk of Brandy's fourth album, Afrodisiac. New songs from artists such as Tweet and The Game are set for release in 2005.
2005 saw Timbaland producing a song on Tweet and The Game's albums ("Steer" and "Put You on The Game" respectively). He also produced 2 songs on Missy Elliott's 6th album (The Cookbook), "Joy" featuring Mike Jones and "Partytime."
Timbaland started his new label, Mosely Music Group, once again under Interscope. On the label are singers Nelly Furtado and Keri Hilson, and rapper D.O.E. Timbaland's parternship and mentorship of upcoming producer Nate "Danjahandz" Hills is evident in Timbaland's rejuvination in music.
Furtado looks to have her third album, Loose, released under MMG with in the first half of 2006 with Hilson's debut following shortly after. Timbaland is also slated to work with Justin Timberlake, Hilary Duff as well as albums by Jamie Foxx, JC Chasez, Busta Rhymes, Diddy, Ludacris, Chingy, Chilli of TLC, Tweet, and a lot more.
In 2006, Timbaland produced songs "Promiscuous" "My love" and "Sexyback" topped the charts for over fourteen weeks. In 2007, the tracks "Say It Right" and "What Goes Around" also topped the charts. The year 2007 also saw the release of his album "Timbaland presents Shock Value" which featured Fall Out Boy, The Hives, Elton John, Nicole Scherzinger, Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Missy Elliot, Sebastian (his brother), Keri Hilson, Money, Attitude, and Jim Beanz.
Pass At Me
Timbaland Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everybody goes dance floor and give it up
Baby put it down and give it up
Nigga, set the floor and take it up
Baby, put it down and give it up
Everybody goes dance floor and give it up
Nigga, set the floor and take it up
Baby, put it down and give it up
So listen a couple girls
Who was in and now I mess with cover girls
Of magazines, you can catch me on a cover, girl
I created my own planet to hover the earth and cover the world
I spit so sick, I'm calling the world
I see you tryna claim her now I play with her pearls
They try to come at me but all of 'em sterile
Life's a bitch, but I made her my girl
Now she does what I say, does what I please
No she's not religious but she lives on her knees
Jack and Jill went up the hill
Each with a buck and a quarter
Jill came back with $2.50
What a working girl!
Now work it, girl! Like
Uh uh uh, ah ah
Uh uh uh, ah ah
Like uh uh uh, ah ah
Uh uh uh, ah ah
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
Oh oh my God, oh oh my God, oh oh my God, I like to do it
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
I love when I see your pretty ass on the floor
I like when I see you break it down like you in control
I've got a cup to my right and a cup to my left
I'm stumbling and I'm out of breath
'Cause I'm g-g-g-g-ggg-gone
'Cause I'm g-g-g-g-ggg-gone
I got a girl to my right and a girl to my left
The one in the middle and I'm feeling on her breasts
'Cause I'm g-g-g-g-ggg-gone
'Cause I'm g-g-g-g-ggg-gone
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
Oh oh my God, oh oh my God, oh oh my God, I like to do it
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
(A pass at me, a pass at me)
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
Oh oh my God, oh oh my God, oh oh my God, I like to do it
Oh oh my God, oh oh my God, oh oh my God, I like to do it
The song "Pass At Me" by Timbaland featuring David Guetta and Pitbull is an upbeat party track that celebrates dancing, drinking, and flirting. The repetitive chorus urges everyone to hit the dance floor and let loose. The lyrics also celebrate the power and success of the singers, who are surrounded by beautiful women and live a glamorous lifestyle. The lines "I created my own planet to hover the earth and cover the world" and "Life's a bitch, but I made her my girl" reflect the confidence and arrogance of the artists.
The verses are filled with more explicit sexual references, with lines like "No she's not religious but she lives on her knees" and "I'm feeling on her breasts." The second verse features Pitbull rapping about his own success and conquests, including being featured on magazine covers and making women do what he wants. Despite the crass nature of some of the lyrics, the overall message of the song is one of celebration and enjoying life.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody goes dance floor and give it up
Everyone on the dance floor is giving their all
Baby put it down and give it up
The singer is requesting the listener to let loose and dance
Nigga, set the floor and take it up
The singer is encouraging someone to show off their dance moves
So listen a couple girls
The singer is addressing a group of women
Who was in and now I mess with cover girls
The singer is now involved with famous women who are often on the covers of magazines
Of magazines, you can catch me on a cover, girl
The singer is bragging about being famous enough to be on magazine covers
I created my own planet to hover the earth and cover the world
The singer is metaphorically saying he has become so famous, he is like a planet hovering over the earth
I spit so sick, I'm calling the world
The singer is saying he is so talented that his music is popular all over the world
I see you tryna claim her now I play with her pearls
The singer is saying someone is trying to get with a woman he is involved with, but he is not intimidated
They try to come at me but all of 'em sterile
The singer is saying he is not affected by the insults or criticisms of others
Life's a bitch, but I made her my girl
The singer is saying he has overcome difficulties in life and is in control
Now she does what I say, does what I please
The singer is metaphorically saying he is in control of his life and everything goes his way
No she's not religious but she lives on her knees
The singer is making a sexual joke involving a woman
Jack and Jill went up the hill
The singer is starting a nursery rhyme
Each with a buck and a quarter
Continuation of the nursery rhyme
Jill came back with $2.50
Continuation of the nursery rhyme
What a working girl!
The singer is making a joke about Jill's financial success
Now work it, girl! Like
The singer is encouraging the listener to dance or work it
I love when you make a pass at me, a pass at me
The singer is expressing his enjoyment when someone shows interest in him
I love when I see your pretty ass on the floor
The singer is complimenting someone's dancing
I like when I see you break it down like you in control
The singer is again complimenting someone's dancing abilities
I've got a cup to my right and a cup to my left
The singer is holding two drinks
I'm stumbling and I'm out of breath
The singer has had too much to drink and is out of breath
'Cause I'm g-g-g-g-ggg-gone
The singer is getting drunk
I got a girl to my right and a girl to my left
The singer is with two women
The one in the middle and I'm feeling on her breasts
The singer is being sexually suggestive
Hey girl, I like to do it, but when I do it, oh oh my God
The singer is saying he enjoys sexual activity
Oh oh my God, oh oh my God, oh oh my God, I like to do it
Continuation of the singer expressing his enjoyment of sexual activity
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, ANTHEM ENTERTAINMENT LP, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: DAVID GUETTA, ARMANDO CHRISTIAN PEREZ, CHRIS GODBEY, GIORGIO TUINFORT, TIMOTHY MOSLEY, TIM CLAYTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@justapro2463
How in 2022 have I just heard this song? Three legends of the game... This is such a Summer Banger! Needs to be released!!!!!!!
@boerbeun
it was hahaha 10 years ago.
@aishaomari7173
This song randomly came to me and I've been trying to find this song but only knew like 5 words from the chorus. lets just say I'm extremely satisfied.
@AlbertMajjor
This shit was ahead of its time!
@WASZCZI-WASZCZI
why david guetta is in this video? Did he produce this song?
@meerfarxana9712
I used to dance like insane on this track...awwww memories 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
@pinkybotzcowski
Totally forgot about this song. Haven't heard it in almost 5 years! 😭😂
@FuckThis648
concept of pitbull video 2010: sun, booty, mr.worldwide
concept of pitbull video 2015: sun, booty, mr.worldwide
@AxaFin
he speaks the universal languange of ass
@GloatingLibra
Concept of pitbull video 2019: YouTube "Video not found"