Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972 in Norfolk, Virginia, United St… Read Full Bio ↴Timothy Zachery Mosley (born March 10, 1972 in Norfolk, Virginia, United States) is a Grammy award winning record producer, rapper and singer whose style of production and arranging was very influential in music during the mid-1990s. With partner Magoo, he is a member of the hip hop group Timbaland & Magoo and is the older brother of rapper Sebastian. He released his debut solo album, Tim's Bio: Life From Da Bassment in 1998, followed by Shock Value in 2007, and its follow up, Shock Value II in 2009. He has produced hit tracks for many artists and has his own record label, Mosley Music Group.

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.

Can't Nobody
timbaLand Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

C'mon ah what? Ah what?
C'mon ah what? Ah what?
C'mon c'mon ah what?
Ah 1 Life 2 Live what?
Ah what?

Live huh? Yeah
Y'all cats ain't ready I'm just too much

When I was young my mamma said I used to cuss too much
If I ain't known you twenty years I don't trust you much

Roll with nothin' but thugs and hustlers yeah
I don't care if they crackin' down
I'mma drug graduate without the caps and gowns
I used to have a thing for buying gats and pounds
And I laugh in my rhymes 'cause you cats is clowns

Smash you down, patch you down
We take yo guns and we blast yo' round
Pass the crown to the new female king
This is real dog, you nothin' but a lean out thing

Like the end of the world
We put it all to a stop and
Chicken heads and dimes, yeah, they all gon' flock
And you go against us and you all gonna flop
When we reign, you gon' need more than a mop

Can't nobody do it like we do
(What what what what what)
Can't nobody do it like we do
(What what what what)
Can't nobody do it like we do
(What what what what what)
Can't nobody do it like y'all do
(What what what what)

When we spit, yo we never run outta rounds
This is life ball not football, you outta bounds
Since some of you people's houses I be cruisin' around
Slow it down 'cause I think that I'm losing you now
For those that's not lost, tell y'all hoe's to stop
'Cause the union is in here, toast it up
When they shoot you suppose to duck
Look at them by the bar posing drunk
(Say what?)

We don't care who we toast in here
We get you for how much you gross this year
You not a punk, you suppose to fear
Better not come out until the coast is clear

Totin' beer, you hatin', sayin' how they get a deal that fast
But even without this rap game I still have cash
My mommy wears a money wiz, I'm trickin' buying Vickey Secret
Just to cover her punani hair

Uh oh, you didn't think I was coming
My people can't stand for the little man
To rock without or with bad
I can attempt, what chu gon' do?
Are ya gon' play it? Are ya gon' move?
The party ain't gon' start if ya don't dance
I don't care if you lead, but you still be my man
I don't get mad over silly pettiness
I say to hell with it, say oh advocate
Timbaland is known watch him make ya move ya feet
Make dope beats, rhyming a song so unique
His beats are like shine, aren't cha, and the cast is true
Ya need the same identity, define how he soars
He's the wicked man, the wicked just begun
Call him Timbaland the resurrection
Now reach
Don't try to hide from ya feeling
Clear-ese
Don't ya hear the set got in ya ear?
Clear-ese
This is the love man you're talking to
Clear-ese
His beats are dope, I try to tell you
Can't nobody see us in the nine eight
Or the nine nine
(Freaky freaky)
You're late
(Freaky) You're late
(Freaky) You're late
(Hey girls and guys)
You're late

Like you, the public
Is y'all the public
Ya do it so well
This goes out to y'all
By Storm, Z-man
1 Life 2 Live
Little Man
Want to thank y'all

For makin' us
Who we are today

Overall Meaning

The song "Can't Nobody" is a classic Timbaland track that showcases the artist's unique style of rapping and producing. The lyrics are full of braggadocio and self-confidence, as Timbaland asserts that he and his crew are the best in the game. The opening lines of the song repeat the phrase "C'mon ah what? Ah what?" which serves to hype up the listener and get them excited for what's to come. The chorus, which repeats the line "Can't nobody do it like we do" several times over an infectious beat, reinforces the idea that Timbaland and his crew are in a league of their own.

Throughout the song, Timbaland references his tough upbringing and the fact that he surrounds himself with "nothing but thugs and hustlers." He also makes references to drug use and violence, which were common themes in rap music at the time. However, he tempers this toughness with a sense of humor, as evidenced by lines like "And I laugh in my rhymes 'cause you cats is clowns." The song has a playful and energetic feel, with Timbaland's rapid-fire flow and the catchy beat ensuring that it stays in the listener's head long after it's over.

Overall, "Can't Nobody" is a great example of Timbaland's distinctive style, both as a rapper and a producer. The lyrics are full of swagger and bravado, but also show a sense of humor and self-awareness that sets Timbaland apart from other artists in the genre. The beat is catchy and energetic, and Timbaland's rapid-fire flow keeps the listener engaged from beginning to end.

Line by Line Meaning

C'mon ah what? Ah what?
Expression of urging someone to engage or respond

C'mon c'mon ah what?
Repeating the urge to engage or respond

Ah 1 Life 2 Live what?
Asking the audience for their response by mentioning the artist's group name

Live huh? Yeah
Acknowledges the audience's response and initiates the start of the song

Y'all cats ain't ready I'm just too much
Assertive statement that the artist's skill level is beyond the audience's preparedness

When I was young my mamma said I used to cuss too much
Narration of the artist's habit of swearing when he was younger

If I ain't known you twenty years I don't trust you much
Assertive statement that trust is not easily given to people he hasn't known for a long time

Roll with nothin' but thugs and hustlers yeah
Declaration that the artist associates with people who are involved in criminal activities

I don't care if they crackin' down
Unconcerned about the authorities cracking down on criminal activities

I'mma drug graduate without the caps and gowns
Comparison of illicit drug dealing to a formal graduation without the cap and gown tradition

I used to have a thing for buying gats and pounds
Confession of the artist's former fascination with guns and drugs

And I laugh in my rhymes 'cause you cats is clowns
Insulting statement that the audience is trivial and entertaining

Smash you down, patch you down
Threat of violence to anyone who poses a threat

We take yo guns and we blast yo' round
Threat of gun violence to anyone who poses a threat

Pass the crown to the new female king
Acknowledgment of the artist's female companion as a deserving leader

This is real dog, you nothin' but a lean out thing
Stating that they are authentic and the audience is insignificant

Like the end of the world
Comparison of their actions to the end of the world

We put it all to a stop and
Stopping negative activities for the betterment of society

Chicken heads and dimes, yeah, they all gon' flock
Prediction that women of all social classes will be attracted to them

And you go against us and you all gonna flop
Warns those who oppose them that they will ultimately fail

When we reign, you gon' need more than a mop
Asking the audience to recognize that their reign will have significant consequences

Can't nobody do it like we do
Repeated affirmation that their lifestyle and skills are unmatched by anyone else

When we spit, yo we never run outta rounds
Assurance that their skills and lyrics are endless

This is life ball not football, you outta bounds
Comparison of life to a ball game and anyone who opposes them is out of bounds

Since some of you people's houses I be cruisin' around
Acknowledging that they are closely observing some members of the audience

Slow it down 'cause I think that I'm losing you now
Slowing down the pace of the song because the audience is losing interest

For those that's not lost, tell y'all hoe's to stop
Advising those who are not lost to stop and reevaluate their situation

'Cause the union is in here, toast it up
Asking the audience to raise their glasses and celebrate the union of the group

When they shoot you suppose to duck
Offering practical advice on what to do when faced with danger

Look at them by the bar posing drunk
Observing people who are pretending to be drunk to impress others

We don't care who we toast in here
Unconcerned about who is being celebrated

We get you for how much you gross this year
Taking advantage of people's financial success

You not a punk, you suppose to fear
Assertion that it is natural to be afraid of them

Better not come out until the coast is clear
Warning people to stay hidden until it is safe to come out

Totin' beer, you hatin', sayin' how they get a deal that fast
Observing someone who is envious of their success and aggressive attitude

But even without this rap game I still have cash
Stating that they have money regardless of their involvement in rapping

My mommy wears a money wiz, I'm trickin' buying Vickey Secret
Describing the artist's mother as wearing a money holder and buying expensive undergarments

Just to cover her punani hair
Humorous statement that the mother is extravagant even with intimate clothing

Uh oh, you didn't think I was coming
Narrating that the audience didn't expect the artist to continue with the song

My people can't stand for the little man
Stating that the artist's team impresses people

To rock without or with bad
Performing well with or without proper equipment

I can attempt, what chu gon' do?
Proudly asking the audience what they will do in response to his performance

Are ya gon' play it? Are ya gon' move?
Asking the audience if they will engage with the song or just stand still

The party ain't gon' start if ya don't dance
The audience must start dancing to liven up the party

I don't care if you lead, but you still be my man
Disregards the gender roles of traditional relationships and welcomes anyone as a friend

I don't get mad over silly pettiness
Relaxed attitude towards trivial things

I say to hell with it, say oh advocate
Dismissal of problems and encouragement to continue partying

Timbaland is known watch him make ya move ya feet
Acknowledgment of the artist's reputation for making people dance

Make dope beats, rhyming a song so unique
Complimenting the artist's unique style and skill

His beats are like shine, aren't cha, and the cast is true
Comparing the artist's beats to shiny and authentic items

Ya need the same identity, define how he soars
Encouragement for the audience to identify with the artist's persona

He's the wicked man, the wicked just begun
Proudly stating that the artist is the best and he is just getting started

Call him Timbaland the resurrection
Giving the artist a title that represents his rebirth into music

Now reach
Encouraging the audience to participate and engage with the song

Don't try to hide from ya feeling
Encouraging the audience to embrace their emotions

Clear-ese
Repeating a clear pronunciation of the word

Don't ya hear the set got in ya ear?
Observation that the audience is responding to the music

This is the love man you're talking to
Stating that they are spreading love through their music

His beats are dope, I try to tell you
Complimenting the artist's beats for being amazing

Can't nobody see us in the nine eight
Confident statement that nobody can match their reputation in 1998

Or the nine nine (Freaky freaky)
Confident continuation of lyrics of the previous line

You're late (Freaky) You're late (Freaky) You're late (Hey girls and guys)
Chiding the audience for being slow to recognize their greatness

Like you, the public
Acknowledgment that the artists are part of the audience

Is y'all the public
Declares the audience members as the general public

Ya do it so well
Complimenting the audience for doing something well

This goes out to y'all
Giving thanks to the audience for their participation and support

By Storm, Z-man
Crediting the people involved in making the song

1 Life 2 Live
Acknowledging the artist's group name

Little Man
Referring to the artist himself

Want to thank y'all
Grateful statement thanking the audience

For makin' us
Recognizing that the audience plays a critical role in their success

Who we are today
Acknowledging that the audience's support helped shape the artist's identity and success

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICH HARRISON, ROBERT REED, TONY FISCHER

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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