Hall and Oates sue over "Maneater"

80s favorites Daryl Hall and John Oates are suing Warner Music Group's music publishing division Warner/Chappell Music home of Hall & Oates, Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley and Nate "DanjaHandz" Hills. The legendary duo filed in Manhattan's Supreme Court for failure to protect their 80s classic "Maneater."

Warner Chappell Music are accused of breaching their contract by refusing to sue for copyright infringement. "[Warner/Chappell] failed and refused to take action based upon a conflict of interest of its own making," the suit says. "[Warner-Chappell] publishes and/or administers the copyright interests of two of the infringers." Though the suit does not name specific names, Hall & Oates are suing for an unspecified amount in damages and a termination of their contract with the publishing company.

A company spokeswoman for Warner Chappell said the case was "completely without merit" and "we will defend ourselves vigorously."

So what do YOU think? Is there a case or not? Leave a comment and let us know.

Hall and Oats "Maneater"


Nelly Furatdo "Maneater"

Rare Reel

A video version to add to your collection ya'll!

Keri in Complex

Next month's issue of Complex will be graced by the presence that is Keri Hilson. Check out the video of the photoshoot:



And here's the interview with the mag:

Men say: I can never be completely honest with my woman about her appearance.

Keri Hilson says: That’s definitely true. I’m 5'9''. So, my height’s an issue. If I’m feeling sexy, I’ll put on some heels—if that makes me a little taller than you, so be it. You have to be secure enough to stand next to a stallion. [Laughs.] For a woman to feel her best, her man has to support her.

Men say: Unless we’re engaged, you don’t need to meet my parents.

Keri Hilson says: That’s definitely some B.S. You can be boyfriend and girlfriend for more than three or four years without being engaged. Your parents, to a girlfriend, are a reflection of who you are. I’ve never dated a guy and called him my boyfriend until he met my parents.

Men say: A woman’s never faked it with me. If she did, I’d know.

Keri Hilson says: Oh, lord! Men think they know if we’re faking it, but they have no idea. [Laughs.] I know girls who are really good at it, and the men have no clue. Sometimes you have to feed the male ego.

Men say: Moving in with your girlfriend automatically kills your sex life.

Keri Hilson says: That’s probably true, because you see a woman in so many different lights. They see us in our shower cap or granny panties—not that I’m saying I own any of them. [Laughs.] But why put the cart before the horse? If you want to live together and act married, then why not get married?

Props to Big T.R.U.T.H for the info!

New D.O.E Interview

For all you out there, from MCS to producers to regular folks, on your grind trying to make something of yourselves this interview is for you. D.O.E opens up about his struggle form the streets to the majors, how "The Way I Are" changed his game, and the real deal on working with Timbo. Check it out:

What’s your current label situation with Timbaland?

Timbaland is still at Interscope. The situation went south but two years later, him and Interscope worked it out. I’ve been on Interscope since they got me. They had to do the Nelly Furtado album and when he did his album, he told me he got me. I was like, ‘All right, cool.’ I was just going off of his word. That was another hard thing to do because you’re not supposed to put too much trust in any man but it was like, I put that trust in him. I was like, ‘All right, cool.’ He said he got me so I waited.

So when it came time to do his album he told me to come down there but at this time I’m super-fucked up. I had to rent a car and drive down there and when I got to the studio, I didn’t even have no money for a hotel so I slept in the car for three days. Every day after the studio I would go and sleep in the car while everybody else went to their hotels. They didn’t know. And then one day Timbaland caught me and I told him I was fucked up. He got me a hotel room and when we got to the studio he said he had the perfect song. It was “I ain’t got no money.” (laughs) Oh shit! That right there damn-sure was the perfect record for me. That’s how “The Way I Are” came about. That shit was perfect for me. That shit was a poor man’s anthem!

Full Article

Keri HIlson joins Lil' Wayne on tour

Lil Wayne will cap off a highly successful 2008 by hitting the road next month on his “I Am Music” tour. He will be joined by Gym Class Heroes, T-Pain, Keyshia Cole, and Keri Hilson for the 24-city outing.

The tour is scheduled to kick off on December 14 in Miami at the American Airlines Arena and will run through January 19 in Worcester, Massachusetts. Below are the tour dates, according to MTV News.

12/14 - Miami, FL @ American Airlines Arena
12/18 - Houston, TX @ Toyota Center
12/19 - Dallas, TX @ American Airlines Center
12/21 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
12/22 - Los Angeles, CA @ Gibson Amphitheatre
12/23 - Oakland, CA @ Oracle Arena
12/26 - Detroit, MI @ Joe Louis Arena
12/27 - Chicago, IL @ United Center
12/28 - Philadelphia, PA @ Susquehanna Bank Center
12/29 - Greensboro, NC @ Greensboro Coliseum
12/30 - Washington, DC @ Verizon Center
12/31 - Atlanta, GA @ Philips Arena
1/2 - Charlotte, NC @ Bobcat Arena
1/3 - Hampton, VA @ Hampton Coliseum
1/4 - Cleveland, OH @ Quicken Loans Arena
1/8 - St. Louis, MO @ Chaifetz Arena
1/9 - Kansas City, MO @ Sprint Center
1/11 - New Orleans, LA @ New Orleans Arena
1/14 - Montreal, CAN @ Bell Centre
1/15 - Toronto, CAN @ Air Canada Centre
1/16 - Uniondale, NY @ Nassau Coliseum
1/17 - Hartford, CT @ New England Dodge Music Center
1/18 - Atlantic City, NJ @ Boardwalk Hall
1/19 - Worcester, MA @ DCU Center

Music Video: Pink "Sober"

Speaking of Pink, here the official video for the Danja produced "Sober":



Thoughts?

Timbaland, Danja, and Hannon at the American Music Awards

Check the performances:

Pink "Sober"


Rihanna "Rehab"

The rarest "We At It Again" version

I can still remember when Czar sent me my first alternate version of a Timbaland track many years ago. I had no desire at the time in even bothering with them but, in true stan form, the more I heard the more I wanted to collect all of them until finally I was bugging poor Czar daily for whichever alternates he had in his collection. For the most part most Timbaland songs have at least a radio edit which is slightly different (usually shorter) than the original. In some cases though a track has an alternate with either added sounds, maybe a deleted verse, or as is the case with the best alternates, an entirely different beat.

There are even those alternates that have a whole range of differences and such is the case with the track "We At It Again." Of the 6 versions known, the rarest and my personal favorite, comes from the actual movie "Romeo Must Die". Take a listen at around 1:08:



In case you didn't know, that's Static as the main voice in the track. Until now, I had no idea where this version had come from. Personally, I place it in my top 3 rarest Timbaland tracks ever known. Will the full ever surface? One day perhaps.

Props to Adam.

One Republic prep 2nd album

One Republic have started on their sophomore album after the their highly successful debut Dreaming Out Loud according to Billboard. What was supposed to be a reissue instead turned into a full on new project. According to guitarist Zach Filkins, "Initially we were going to add a new song to a deluxe album, but then instead of doing that we decided to maybe just work on the second album. We're extremely excited to get going with something new because we've been playing a lot of these songs for five years now. So we're definitely ready and inspired for the new album, which is part of the reason why we got off the road. We were supposed to tour into next year."

Seems as though the band got inspire on the international leg of their tour. "In listening to what was coming out, we decided maybe we should stop and take advantage of this and write the second album," Filkins says. "The new stuff is a real blend of rock mixed with pop and some of the songs are clearly like top 40 and other stuff is going to be a little more obscure." 2 tentative tracks for the new album will be "All the Right Moves," which is upbeat and pop based and the /keyboard-heavy "The Other Side."

Will Timbaland be on the new album? Guess we'll have to wait and see.

Music Video: Keri Hilson ft. Lil' Wayne - "Turnin' Me On"

Keri recently posted the full video for "Turnin' Me On" on her myspace. Check it out:



Thoughts?

Vibe pays tribute to Stephen "Static" Garrett

December's issue of Vibe Magazine features a very interesting and touching article on Static from the perspective of friends and family throughout his life including the whole Da Basement Crew: Smokey, Black, Missy Elliott, DeVante Swing, Ginuwine, Jimmy Douglass, and Timbaland. Check it out:

Page 1

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Rest In Peace Static. You will be forever missed...

Bobby Valentino "Pull It Off" produced by...

Here's another track that's been around for a few months (the snippet that is) labeled as a Timbaland beat but again there's been no way to confirm it. Take a listen to the full that just dropped:




You know this is The Chronicles though so we gotta go that extra mile for you. Is the track produced by Timbaland? Yes along with some help from the Royal Court just like the other Bobby Valentino/Royal Court/Timbaland tracks "Anonymous" and "Rearview (Ridin')."

and the writers you ask? Of course it has to be the one and only Clutch!

Check the hand clap sample. I'm pretty sure I know where it comes from. Do you?

Danja "Hurt Somebody"

Everyday I get emails with a new "Timbaland", "Danja", or "The Clutch" track and almost always they end of being some random track by some random artist that some random website labeled as a "Timbaland beat" in order for people to listen. I'll give you all a rule thumb that works almost everytime: If you've never heard of the artist before or more so if the artist is unsigned to a major more than likely it isn't a Timbaland or Danja beat. The economy might be down at the moment but that doesn't mean Timbo isn't still charging a $100,000 a track that both Kardinal Offishall and Joe Budden have confirmed in the past so how could an unsigned major artist afford that? The rule doesn't always apply (Mahtie's "Burnerz") but for the most part it does.

There are, however, those rare occasions that it truly IS a Timbo or Danja beat. Case in point: A few days ago a track came out labeled as a Danja beat, written by the Clutch, and sung by Motown Record recording artist LeMarvin who The Clutch have worked with before ("Not My Day", "New Body Style") yet there was no way to confirm it. Sure it sounds like Danja, that could be The Clutch's melodies, and maybe it is LeMarvin but there was no real info on just who it was.

Well after a little checking on our part The Chronicles found out that the track is indeed a Danja beat and a Clutch penned track. Here take a listen:




So is that LeMarvin on the vocals? Nope. Rather it's Clutch member...drum roll....Bale'wa Mohammad. The track must be a demo but who for we have yet to find out. Now if you remember from the interview with fellow Clutch member J. Que, he said Bale'wa has done more music than the entire Clutch combined and Que is right. As is the case with most songwriters, you might not know Bale'wa by name but you know his music guaranteed. If you want to get a little history on Bale'wa and his start into music check out my homie's Zo's blog which takes us back to the early days of being in Mohammad's group The Transitions and his hit work with Jaheim. Good research Zo.

Add another to the Danja list!

Britney Spears and The Clutch

As with the case of any true circus we always get more then we bargained for and this holds true for Britney Spears' own Circus with the newly leaked bonus tracks from her album including 2 by The Clutch. Check out:

"Phonography"



and

"Trouble"



Both tracks are dope in their own ways but what takes them to that next level is the vocals and vocal production. Who you ask is doing the echos, harmonies, and adlibs? No it's not Britney and no it's not Keri which only leaves one left, yep Candice Nelson. She never ceases to amaze. Yet though you want to say it's Candice or at least a woman on the "eh eh eh" parts after the chorus on "Phonography" that's actually Zeke.

So now that you've heard the album in it's entirety, how does it compare to Blackout?

Is you is or is you ain't my Danja: James Fauntleroy "Abducted"

In the continuing saga of the mysterious-more-than-likely Danja beat, a new player is now involved. First we had K Young's "Incredible" than there was Casley's "Crush On You" and now we have James Fauntleroy's version of the track rechristened "Abducted" that has just arrived. Take a listen:




So who's your favorite of the 3? Be on the watch for a 4th version soon I'm sure.

Cassie confirms "a couple others" with Danja

In a recent interview Cassie talked about her upcoming album including a little more from Danja:

DX: Who did you work with on the new album?

Cassie: When it first started, I was working with B.Cox and Jim Jonsin and who else? A few others. I worked with Rodney Jerkins. Then time passed and I started working with Mario Winans and Puff in the studio. Just recently, I got in the studio with Pharrell and did some stuff with Kanye [West]. There’s a little bit of everything. Oh, and Danja did the single and a couple of others.

HipHopDX: So, how would you describe the sound on this new record?

Cassie: The sound is, you know…it’s hard to even explain because at this point, I’ve recorded so many different records. Some which are on totally different opposite ends of the spectrum and we’re going to pick songs in probably like a few months. So, it’s kind of hard to explain the direction. But, the main direction of the songs that I really love is that they’re just big records that people will love to sing. I have a couple that are a little sensual and a little bit more grown up. I’m not saying I grew up and I want to be gratuitous or anything. But, there are songs that are for my age group and there are songs that are for an age group a little younger, because I have a younger fan base too.

I wonder if that might mean more Clutch too. Stay tuned!

Video: Rihanna "Rehab"

Boring video.

None the less, great look for Hannon Lane. I hope the track does well.

Joe Budden addresses unheard Timbaland track

The year was 2006 and Joe Budden's highly anticipated 2nd album The Growth was right around the corner. Budden did a blitz of interviews hyping up the album and continually talked about his hopeful first single featuring Fabolous titled "Whatcha Doin' Tonight" produced by Timbaland. We couldn't wait! One of the most talked about MCs at the time hooking up with Timbaland for a hip hop beat versus the pop sound Timbo had started to create.

So we waited...

And waited...

And waited...

There was pushbacks and then label issues and then no label then a different label and another album, more mixtapes but still no Budden/Timbo track. In the midst of it all a very short snippet (and very rare) snippet of the track did appear but still I asked, what ever happened to the track?

Finally that question has finally been answered. In a recent interview Budden talked about his long coveted Timbaland track:

BallerStatus.com: A lot of these rappers feel they need A-list production to break into mainstream. Do you feel you need a Just Blaze or Timbaland to do that?

Joe Budden: No, I got a Timbaland track in my computer right now that I paid $100 grand for that never came out, that I never did anything with. So just because you go to these big name producers doesn't mean, doesn't guarantee that you're going to come away a record. When you're independent, the way I am this second, it doesn't really make sense to go spend $30, 40, 50, 60, 70 grand on a beat. That doesn't make sense. You just need to go harder with beat selection. I got a track on my first album called "Give Me A Reason" that Just Blaze produced that everybody hated. So I mean it don't really guarantee that, but I love Just Blaze, let me say that.

Let's hope one day this track will surface.

You know Budden brings up a good point: in the rough times of today's music era, is it better to spend a lot of money and go with an A list producer or stick with a cheaper up and comer? What do you think?

Timbaland and Chris Cornell will inspire you

Chris Cornell and Timbaland will appear on the Sundance TV channel next month as part of a special new series called "The Inspiration Sessions", which will feature "four dynamic artist and producer pairings and the candid free-flowing conversation that ensues as they produce an album together". A new episode of "The Inspiration Sessions" will premiere each week during the 13-part series "Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…", which also features behind-the-scenes footage of Costello's guests discussing the artists and the music that inspired them.

"Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…" is sponsored by luxury automaker Infiniti and will be premiered in the US on Wednesday, December 3 at 9 PM ET. The series also will be broadcast on CTV in Canada and Channel 4 in the UK, beginning later this year.

We'll try and get you these inspirational videos as they come out so stay tuned!

"Apologize" becomes one of United States biggest

One Republic and Timbaland's global smash hit "Apologize" is now officially one of the top selling singles of all time in the United States. We're not just talking R&B or Hip Hop or Pop, we mean in music period in the U.S. Here take a look at the top 10 list:

1. "A Little Less Conversation" - Elvis Presley
2. "Here Without You" - 3 Doors Down
3. "Another One Bites The Dust" - Queen
4. "Apologize" - Timbaland
5. "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You" - Bryan Adams
6. "Hey Jude" - The Beatles*
7. "Hound Dog/Don't Be Cruel" - Elvis Presley
8. "I Will Always Love You" - Whitney Houston
9. "Let's Get It On" - Marvin Gaye
10. "Low" - Flo Rida

*Beatles songs are not yet available for online streaming, so this playlist substitutes a live Paul McCartney version

Timbo's up there with Queen, Elvis Presley, and Marvin Gaye! I have to say I never thought Tim would ever be THIS big but the facts don't lie. Timbo the King!

D.O.E on MTV's Mixtape Monday

The buzz on D.O.E's new mixtape The Death of John Doe: The Rise of D.O.E. continues with MTV sitting down with him to talk about the album.

"I'm letting everybody know it's a new me. It's not John Doe no more. I came in the game, '04, I signed to Timbaland as John Doe. A lot happened. Situation with Interscope didn't go right at first. I fell on my face, couldn't put music out. Went flat broke. It was crazy. Then big homie put me on 'The Way I Are.' We started touring around the world, getting money. I had to let everyone know what it was. People were like, 'Son, what happened to you?' Too many questions. I put it all in one CD for free.

"It [the track "Streets Been Watching"] basically explains how dudes was looking at me sideways. I fell on my face. Dudes was looking at me crazy. I explained everything, how I went from [owning] a Hummer to [riding] the train. Sh-- was deep, D. On 'Bottom of the Barrel,' I talk about my hard times and how it wouldn't stop me. I was gonna get to the top."

MTV Shows

If you haven't picked up your copy of D.O.E's mixtape make sure to stop by his
new website and download a free copy. Also make sure to be on the lookout for a new video from D.O.E very soon.

Britney Spears "Blur" (Full)

First there was the snippet and now we have the full. Here's the Danja produced "Blur"




Thoughts?

Thanks to Luke.

Kevin Cossum "You Know What You Doin'"

Here's a possible track off of KC's Pre Album album coming December 12. The Danja produced "You Know What You Doin'":




Thoughts?

Props to Frederick on the track.

Nicole Scherzinger "Physical"

The clip of this song came out well over a year ago and since that time then we've heard countless "full" versions of the track which always turned out to be looped versions of the snippet.

Until now...

We finally have the real full length version of the Timbaland and Danja produced "Physical" from Nicole's sadly shelved album Her Name Is Nicole. Check it out:




BIG props to Buddha on the track!

On a side note we're still working on finding a decent music hosting site so bare with us as we test a few out. If ya'll got any recommendations hit me up!

Who Flipped It Better: DJ Babu Vs. Timbaland (Fixed Links)

I'm really hyped for this segment for Who Flipped It Better because it involves one of the best turntablilists in the world, DJ Babu. I've been a big fan of his since his days of the Beat Junkies and as he transitioned into the underground hip hop trio Dilated People's. I've also had the pleasure of seeing Babu live multiple times and to actually see what he does on on 2 turntables is to hard to describe. You have to see it to believe it so check out this video of his skills.

Anyhow let's get down to business. The year was 2001 and Timbaland & Magoo released their fan favorite Indecent Proposal (sorry ya'll Under Consturtion is the best in my book). The album featured guests from extended Timbo family members Petey Pablo, Sin, Sebastian, Ms. Jade, Skillz, and introduced a new voice to the family the one and only Tweet (how amazing is "Love Me"??) The track we're going to look at today is "Baby Bubba" featuring Petey Pablo. Here it is:




4 years later in 2005 the SonGodsSuns released their album Over The Counter Culture that including the title track of the same name produced by the one and only DJ Babu. Check it out:




Hear the sample in both? Listen carefully. So Who Flipped It Better? And the bonus question: What's the name of the sample?

Big time props to Big A for the good ears.

More Keri Hilson behind the scenes of "Turnin' Me On"

I feel like this track will determine the future of In A Perfect World...

Clip of Britney Spears' "Blur"

In addition to "Kill The Lights", check out a clip of the other Danja track off Britney Spears' upcoming album Circus titled "Blur":

Blur

Sounds like a track from the Blackout sessions. Looking forward to the full!

Here too is a clip of the European bonus track off the album called "Phonography" written by The Clutch:

Phonography

Props to Tom of The Keepers!

DJ Freestyle Steve introduces: The EriAm Sisters

If any of you have ever met Freestyle Steve you know he's a real cool, laid back dude so when he asked me to come meet his new artists he was working with, I didn't hesitate. Little did I know that I would end up having my first studio experience, meet 3 young sisters with talent far beyond their years, and run into a Chronicles reader all along the way.

Last week I told you about the 10 year old singing phenom named Haben who unexpectedly performed at the Chris Cornell show here in Seattle as an opener. Haben is 1/3 of the sister trio The EriAm Sisters originally from Eritrea, Africa but have now settled in Seattle, Washington. Lianda, 14, Salina, 13, and Haben, 10, come from a musical family so since birth singing has always been a part of who they were and come natural to each of them. They would spend countless nights singing "Silent Night" and "Killing Me Softly", learning how to harmonize with one another and perfect their voices. As their confidence grew and their familiarity with one another's range and pitch became solidified, people started to pay attention. Parents and teachers alike noticed that these girls weren't just singing for fun rather they really had special gift. Soon the sisters were singing at local city and cultural events and posting videos via myspace and youtube visited by thousands all across the world. Little did Salina, Lianda, and Haben know that on the other side of the country a talkshow, The Maury Povitch Show, was on the search for America's next talented kids for it's new series.

Having run across the sister's youtube page, the show called on Haben to perform as part of the future kids of tomorrow. Despite a bad cold, Haben performed an amazing rendition of the Beyonce classic "Irreplaceable" much to the surprise of the stunned crowd. Only 10 years old?!? Though she didn't win the contest, the word was out and soon the sisters website was flooded with millions of visitors. Everyone wanted to know just who were The EriAm Sisters.

So there I was sitting in the studio with Freestyle, listening to a banging beat by legendary west coast producer J Silva (Lil' Wayne, E-40, Daz Dillinger, Kurupt), mouth wide open as I listened to 10 year old Haben belt out a song as if she'd been in the business 20 years. Again only 10 years old!? We spent all afternoon in the studio as I watched Ron Silver, the sisters, and Steve create the catchy and age appropriate track "When I Grow Up". Yet as if the day couldn't get any better, I end up talking to an engineer at the studio who just happened to be a Chronicles reader himself. Irony or meant to be? At the end of the day I left thankful for the experience and eager to hear more from the sisters in the future.

So will Timbaland be working with the sisters? That's definitely a possibility but in the meantime be on the lookout for much, much more from The EriAm Sisters. Currently, they are ranked in the top 20 R&B/Soul artists on Reverb Nation, they have a charity that is continuously expanding, and along with Freestyle's full time collaboration be on the look out for a single in early 2009. Stay tuned!

A BIG shout out to Freestyle and my dude Tryfe at Pacific Studios!

Video Cip of Rihanna's "Rehab"

Looks interesting....

Timbaland tries movies....again.

You all remember Timbaland's first venture into movies with 30 Years to Life right? Described as "each of a group of six African-American friends in New York City approach their thirtieth birthdays, they pause to evaluate life and question whether their hopes and dreams are going to come true as the realities of age, mortality and loss of metabolism start to set in." Plus it had one of the most sought after movie soundtracks that's never been heard. To this day no one seems to know why the soundtrack was never released.

Well Timbaland is ready to take his next step into movies, executive producing the movie Winyl which follows the lives of 5 young women facing life altering decisions about their relationships to members of a rock band. Timbo's Mosley Media Group and is teaming up with Effie T. Brown's Duly Noted Inc. to create the movie. Marcus Spence, President of Mosley Music, Tim's wife and publicist Monique Idlett Mosley, and Brown will be producing the film. Shooting starts in spring with Richard Zelniker at the director's helm.

Will there be a soundtrack in the works? Let's hope so!

Chris Cornell "Part Of Me" (Album Edit)

Here is the full album edit for Chris Cornell's "Part Of Me"

Part Of Me (Album Edit)

See how much an interlude can add? Like I said before, the transitions between tracks is really what makes the album have that one track feel.

Brandy "Drum Line" F/ James Fauntleroy

Have you heard it yet? What went from a Word Is to an exclusive track played by Freestyle Steve at a show has now become a reality. That definitely sounds like James Fauntleroy as a feature and background which makes me think he was the writer as well. So the question is on whose album will this track show up?

So now that we know Fauntleroy for sure did "Drum Line" and that Brandy has another Timbo track called "Home" that must mean that the demo he heard from James Fauntleroy named "Home" was a demo for Brandy! So will we ever here the Brandy version? Let's hope so!

Keri Hilson Interivew

I wouldn't say this interview since Keri says her album is coming out Decemebr 9th, but none the less check out this quick interview HipHopGame.com did with Keri where she confirms 2 tracks on her album:



We heard about "Intuition" from the Billboard article last week and we told you about the possibility of "Tell Him The Truth" earlier this summer. Looks like it's a reality!

Word Is: Simon Cowell Vs......Ryan Tedder?

When I first read about this story I thought there was no way it was true and even now after multiple media outlets have reported on it I'm still skeptical. Yet there always seems to be some kind of controversy involving a Beyoncé album.

So word is Simon Cowell, creator and judge of the X Factor and American Idol, is pissed off at Ryan Tedder of all people because Ryan gave the track "Halo" to Beyonce rather that who it was intended to go to, UK pop star Leona Lewis. After the success of "Bleeding Love", Cowell wanted to use Tedder again for Leona Lewis' 2nd album. They agreed that the track "Halo" would be on this 2nd album but Lewis' schedule became too tight so apparently Ryan gave it to Beyonce because he didn't want to hold on to it anymore.

Does this story make sense to you?

Do you smell something? I do and I'm not looking to track it in the house.

Unreleased Kiley Dean "My Own" produced by Timbaland (Update)

Update: As with most Timbo/Kiley tracks, that's Candice Nelson and Walter Milsap III laying down the mean pen game on this track.

Have I mentioned before how much I love the randomness of leaks? Case in point, take a listen to a previously unreleased track off of the best unreleased Timbaland album ever created, Kiley Dean's Simple Girl:

"My Own" featuring a lil' yell from Timbo


So where did this track come from? It should be obvious from the intro but why now? Regardless of why or how we got another Kiley/Timbo banger! BIG props to Ryan.

My Super Sweet 16: Timbaland's son Demetrius

You don't often hear about Timbaland's personal life so it came as a bit of a surprise to see Timbaland's son on MTV celebrating his 16th birthday in style. In the traditional MTV style, the cameras followed the young man everywhere until the big day in St. Tropez! For those of you who missed the show here are the some clips:

Clip 1

Clip 2

Clip 3

Clip 4

Clip 5 (takes a ride with Timbo)

Clip 6

Clip 7

Along with the incredible birthday party, one of the higlights of the show is this important announcement:

TIMBALAND'S SON DEMETRIUS SUPER SWEET 16


Missy and Timbaland on tour!!!!! Can you believe it!?! Props to Edo on the link.

Remix It! Winner: Zeferiah

The winner of this round of Remix It! is Zeferiah with 682 votes followed by Drek from Astroboyz and Taylor Delaney. Congrats goes out to Zeferiah for the win, good job!

Let me also thank ALL of you again for taking the time out of your busy schedules to send in your remixes. We got a great response with remixes from all corners of the world. Despite the anger, frustration, and finger pointing (happens everytime), the spirit of the Remix It! series remains strong: uniting people through music (whether they like it or not lol)

Thanks to all of you who participated and voted! Be on the look out for another Remix It!....next year when the dust settles.

Keri Hilson & Lil Wayne - Video Sneak Peak

The video for "Turn Me Off" by Keri Hilson and Lil Wayne has been shot! I don't care what anyone says, the song is crazy and the video looks dope too. Check the footage below.

Remix It! Vote Now!

Today's the final day so make sure you VOTE!

The remixes are in place, we have a couple new entries, so now it's time for you to go VOTE for your favorite Keri Hilson "Return The Favor" remixes

Voting will continue until Saturday, November 8th with a winner announced Sunday November 9th. Thanks again to all those who entered. Now go vote!!

Britney Spears "Kill The Lights"

We gave the news exclusively on The Chronicles and now we have the track. Here is:

Britney Spears "Kill The Lights" (produced by Danja)
Boomp3.com

And the writing and vocals? That's Jim Beanz of course. Check around minute 2:50 for the signature Jim Beanz choral breakdown. Though we reported that Candice Nelson of The Clutch was also a writer on the track, she is not rather Luke Boyd is an additional writer.

Your thoughts on the track? Better that "Gimmie More"?

Sample of the Week

Let's take a look at another video sample solver. Is he right?

Chris Cornell shoots video for "Scream"

Chris Cornell sat down with MTV recently and talked about working with Timbaland on his new album:

There's this concept that, as a songwriter and a singer, I can't do it without a band. This Timbaland/ Chris Cornell album is a perfect example of why I want to be solo. [I've learned that] there's so much, musically, that I haven't done. I've barely scratched the surface, and I have a lot of catching up to do. I feel like I want to fast-forward into my future of musical expression, because there are just so many different things I haven't done yet.

Timbaland's diversity — in terms of his feels, the ideas he brought in, the beats, the rhythms, the musical themes and auras of the different songs — was incredible," he said. "His focus was very much, 'I don't repeat myself, and I won't let you repeat yourself.' Being someone that writes songs mainly from an organic platform, I just really didn't know how much is possible in the musical spectrum until I met Timbaland. What he brought in, every day, was a surprise. He would surprise me with ideas he would bring in or ideas he was working on every time. Timbaland's music, coming from someone like me who started in rock music, I view it as being psychedelic music more than hip-hop, more than pop, more than beat-based music. It's atmospheric, like Pink Floyd is atmospheric — he creates a sonic world that you get lost in, and you listen to it and you start to trip out.

MTV Shows

Cornell went on to talk about the music video for the title track "Scream" that he shot with director Alan Ferguson.

The idea Alan had for the video, which is pretty ingenious, is sort of capturing the two moods of the music," he said. "There's kind of two things going on. It's a record that's 111 beats per minute, which is fast. But the music and lyrics and the vocals are actually kind of slow and relaxed and flowing over this beat that's pretty uptempo and kind of chaotic and excited. The way Alan's shot the video, he's shooting both at the same time. My role in the video is performing the song in super-slow-motion, where I'm existing in this Zen-like world, singing these song lyrics and everything going on around me is super-fast, super-chaotic, and I'm just suspended in it. It's a filmic piece that has something to say about the song lyrics and the feel of the music. It's going to be very much a cinematic video.

Be on the lookout for the video next week November 14. Props to Edo for the news.

A milli A milli!

BIG BIG thanks to all of you from around the world for getting The Thomas Crown Chronicles to the million hit mark! Here's to another million and beyond!

Usher "What Happens Here Stays Here"

This track appeared out of thin air over a month ago and based on past news and past production familiarity it was assumed this track was produced by Royal Court, written by The Clutch, with possibly Timbaland helping out too. There are plenty of songs out there mislabeled and who have the Timbo and Clutch sound so I needed some confirmation. Thankfully I received just that. This track is indeed produced by Royal Court and written by The Clutch:

Boomp3.com

Who do you think is using the voicebox in the song a la Omarion's "Icebox"?

Britney Spears Blackout Wins!

Last night Britney Spears long awaited comeback album Blackout won Album of the Year at the 15th Annual MTV Europe Music Awards. She also picked up a statue for Act of 2008 (whatever that means). Congratulations to Britney but more so those who helped create the album: Jim Beanz, The Clutch, Marcella, and Danja.

Here's a full list of the winners:

Album Of The Year
Britney Spears - Blackout

Most Addictive Track
Pink - So What

Act Of 2008
Britney Spears

New Act
Katy Perry

Ultimate Urban
Kanye West

Rock Out
30 Seconds To Mars

Headliner
Tokio Hotel

Video Star
30 Seconds To Mars - A Beautiful Lie

Europe’s Favourite Act
Emre Aydin

Best Act Ever
Rick Astley

Artists' Choice
Lil Wayne

Ultimate Legend
Sir Paul McCartney

Jamie Foxx uses his Intuition, snags Timbaland again

Before the near overnight Timbaland worldwide pandemonium with the release of Nelly Furtado's 2006's smash album Loose, all was quiet on planet Timbo. The dust was still settling from LL Cool and Brandy, and the sting from the loss of Beat Club Records was still fresh, and we Timbo fans were wondering is that it? Then slowly the tide started turning. First there was Sisqo's "Pop That." Ehh it was ok, but not the Timbaland from before. Then along came a song from comedian and actor Jamie Foxx that brought us fans hope, the slow jam "Can I Take You Home" that even reunited Supafriendz crew members Timbaland and Static Major.

Fast forward a few years and Foxx is back, working on his new album titled Intuition and has enlisted the help of Sean Garrett, Salaam Remi, The Dream, Tricky Stewart, Carlos McKinney, and Timbaland due in stores December 12 via J Records. I have to wonder if Jamie asked his Italian cook Sassagarrci to make a cameo.

Check back with us for more on this project!

D.O.E addresses freestyle controversy

Duran Duran "Cry Baby Cry" (Japanese Bonus Track)

We haven't heard much at all from the Duran Duran camp. They have been doing extensive international shows and concerts but in terms of new singles and videos they're finished with new releases. One track that we forgot to mention during the release of their album is "Cry Baby Cry" which appeared on the Japanese release of Red carpet Massacre as a bonus track. Take a listen:

Boomp3.com

The track is produced by Danja and Jimmy Douglass (rare that he receives the credit that he so rightfully deserves). Also according to Duran Duran's official website there are 2 more unreleased tracks from the album that I assume are also produced by Danja. Will we ever hear them?

Beyonce "Halo" produced by Ryan Tedder

It's been awhile since we've talked about Ryan Tedder so let's get right back into it with a track called "Halo" from Beyonce's forthcoming album that according to Ryan will be her 2nd single.

Beyonce "Halo"

The track was produced and co-written by Tedder and was originally a song meant for Leona Lewis as her lead single from her hit album.

Your thoughts? Beyonce or Leona?

Scream coming February

The delays continue. Chris Cornell's Scream was supposed to be coming out today but instead has been pushed back all the way to February 3rd! Cornell stopped by Seattle's local radio station 106.1 KISS FM to talk about his show, working with Timbaland (they recorded 20 songs), and the new (and hopefully final) release date:

Part 1

Part 2

What confuses me most about this project is both Cornell and Timbo have said time and time again that the album is best listened to as one continuous mix yet individual songs keep getting released as singles. As of today we already have 5 singles with 3 more months to go before the album is released. I don't understand the logic.

None the less I can't wait to hear the whole thing!

Keri Hilson pushed again until 2009

Some sites said December 9th while we said the end of the year but now Billboard is reporting that Keri Hilson's In A Perfect World has been delayed until early 2009.

The article also reveals some brand new tracks and producers we haven't heard of up until this point. There's also a very interesting piece of news about a Keri track we've known for years. Check it out:

"World" features production from Polow Da Don, Roy Hamilton, Timbaland, Royal Court and Danja Handz, as well as co-production from R&B artist/producer Tank. Guest features include Timbaland and Lil Wayne.

Beyond the singles "Energy" and "Return the Favor" featuring Timbaland, the album includes the seductive "Turning Me On," the stern "Intuition" ("Dudes think they're slick / got a lot of girls on they're d*cks / but I'm not the silly girl I used to be") and the Grace Jones sampling "Do It To Me Radio."

Justin Timberlake co-wrote the acoustic guitar-flecked "Slow Dance," while Danja produced "Love Ya." The album is rounded out by the piano-based "Hurts Me," the dance track "Shake It Like a Dog" and the revenge tale "How Does It Feel?"

Danja produced "Love Ya"?! Solo? I definitely didn't see that one coming. You can also add "Intuition" and "Hurts Me" to the tracklisting. So the question is will this album ever come out and what's the plan from now until the release date? Release more singles until one of them catches on?

BARACK OBAMA WINS!!!

Congratulations to the United States' 44th President!

Help change the future: VOTE!

Today,

You have the opportunity to voice your opinion.
You have the power to decide the future of your life and your country, for the next 4 years and beyond.
You have the freedom of choice.
It is a luxury many people in this world do not have.

Fact: the 2000 U.S. election was deicded by less than a few hundreds votes. That's a fraction of the number of people that visit this site daily.

You have the power to make a difference.

Will you use your voice, your power, your choice?

Some are for change. Others are mavericks. Some have had personal anguish. While others can see Russia from their backyards. Whoever you choose is up to you but take this opportunity to exercise your right of choice.

You have the power to make a difference.
Let your voice be heard.

VOTE!

Problems with casting your vote? Call:

877-462-6608 or 1-866-OUR-VOTE

Or check your state's local voter issue hotline

Timstrumetal of the Week

Along with Danja and Justin Timberlake's assistance, here is the Timstrumental of Madonna's newest single:

"Miles Away"

We're one of the first sites to post the Timstrumental so get it while it's hot! With any luck the B Side to this song will be another guitar driven song in the same vain called "Across The Sky" also produced by Timbo with Justin Timberlake on backing vocals. The track is very much real so let's hope we all get the chance to hear it!

*this is the Timstrumental for the radio edit not the album version.

Britney Spears Circus Tracklisting (Updated)

The tracklisting for Britney Spears' new album Circus has been released and we're going to go that one extra Chronicles mile and give you the credits as well. Check it out:

WOMANIZER - Main Version
Written by: Briscoe, Nikesha / Akinyemi, Rafael
Produced by: K. Briscoe / The Outsyders
Vocal Production: Jim Beanz

CIRCUS - Main Version
Written by: Claude Kelly / Gottwald, Lukasz / Levin, Benjamin
Produced by: Blanco, Benny / Dr. Luke
Guitar: Gottwald, Lukasz
Keyboards: Blanco, Benny / Gottwald, Lukasz
Percussion: Blanco, Benny / Gottwald, Lukasz
Background vocals: Claude Kelly / Dennis, Cathy / Marie, Myah

OUT FROM UNDER - Main Version
Written by: Birgisson, Arnthor / Hector, Wayne / Peiken, Shelly
Produced by: Sigsworth, Guy
Guitar: Page, Andy
Keyboards: Sigsworth, Guy
Strings: Sigsworth, Guy
Background vocals: Haywood, Leah

KILL THE LIGHTS - Main Version
Written by: Araica, Marcella / Boyd, Luke / Hills, Nathaniel / Washington, James
Produced by: Danja / Beanz, Jim

SHATTERED GLASS - Main Version
Written by: Claude Kelly / Gottwald, Lukasz / Levin, Benjamin
Produced by: Blanco, Benny / Dr. Luke / Claude Kelly
Keyboards: Blanco, Benny / Gottwald, Lukasz
Percussion: Blanco, Benny / Gottwald, Lukasz
Guitar: Gottwald, Lukasz
Background vocals: Claude Kelly / Wagner, Windy

IF U SEEK AMY - Main Version
Written by: Kotecha, Savan / Kronlund, Alexander / Martin, Max / Shellback
Produced by: Martin, Max
Background vocals: Kinnda / Martin, Max / Spears, Britney

UNUSUAL YOU - Main Version
Written by: Jonback, Henrik / Karlsson, Christian / Livingston, Kasia / Pontus Winnberg
Produced by: Bloodshy & Avant
Guitar: Bloodshy & Avant / Jonback, Henrik
Keyboards: Bloodshy & Avant
Background vocals: Livingston, Kasia

BLUR - Main Version
Written by: Araica, Marcella / Barthe, Stacy / Hills, Nathaniel
Produced by: Danja
Background vocals: Boyd, Luke

MMM PAPI - Main Version
Main Artist: Spears, Britney / Let's Go To War
Written by: Gough, Adrien / Nicole Morier / Peter-John Kerr / Spears, Britney / Walter, Henry
Produced by: Let's Go To War / Nicole Morier
Guitar: Worthy, Chris

MANNEQUIN - Main Version
Written by: Fauntleroy II, James / Knox, Rob / Mason, Jr.,Harvey
Produced by: Knox, Rob / Mason, Jr.,Harvey

LACE AND LEATHER - Main Version
Written by: Gottwald, Lukasz / Levin, Benjamin / Jackson, Ronnie / Storm, Frankie
Produced by: Blanco, Benny / Dr. Luke / Claude Kelly
Keyboards: Blanco, Benny / Gottwald, Lukasz
Percussion: Blanco, Benny / Gottwald, Lukasz
Guitar: Gottwald, Lukasz
Background vocals: Nova, Debi / Sebert, Kesha

MY BABY - Main Version
Written by: Sigsworth, Guy / Spears, Britney
Produced by: Sigsworth, Guy
Guitar: Page, Andy
Piano: Page, Andy
Strings: Page, Andy

RADAR - Main Version
Written by: Karlsson, C. / P. Winnberg / H. Jonback / Lewis, E. / Muhammad, B. / Nelson, C. / Que, J.
Produced by: Bloodshy & Avant
Guitar: Bloodshy & Avant
Keyboards: Bloodshy & Avant

Props to Tom of The Keepers for the info.

The mystery Brandy track revealed!

So what was the mystery track that I heard at the show last night? None other than "Drum Life" the same track we told you about a couple of months ago. (Thanks Big Mac!)

So what will become of this new song? Looks like we'll have to wait and see.

Speaking of Brandy did you get a chance to see her on 106 & Park today? Take a look at the performance and pay close attention to the keyboard player closest to the backup singers. That is Mr Walter Milsap aka E Knock the producer of Money's "Fantasy" & "Future" and a longtime affiliate of Timbaland's. Check it:

Money gives us "The Future" in full

Money has just uploaded the full of her smash single "Future" via her myspace page as well as a message on what's been happening with her lately:

WHAT'S UP EVERYBODY...

RECENTLY A LOT OF MY FANS HAVE BEEN SENDING SOME STRONGLY WORDED EMAILS AND COMMENTS, CONCERNED AND UPSET ABOUT THE RELEASE OF MY ALBUM AND ALSO THE RELEASE OF "FUTURE".

I DECIDED THAT NOW WOULD BE A GOOD TIME TO EXPLAIN........

AS YOU ALL MAY OR MAY NOT KNOW LAST YEAR I INKED MY DEAL WITH BLACKGROUND RECORDS, BUT IN MIDDLE OF SETTING UP THE RELEASE FOR "FUTURE" BLACKGROUND MADE AN EXECUTIVE MOVE TO A DIFFERENT PARENT COMPANY, NO LONGER UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF UNIVERSAL......

THAT DECISION HAD A DIRECT IMPACT ON MY RELEASE DATE..... BUT NOW THAT THE MOVE HAS BEEN MADE, I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE THAT I AM BACK TO WORK AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE HEAVILY ANTICIPATED ALBUM....

SO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING. YOUR ANXIOUSNESS IS APPRECIATED BECAUSE IT FUELS ME TO BRING IT TO YOU IN 2009 100%......

YES I AM STILL THE "FUTURE"...... AND POSITIVITY IS THE KEY TO SUCCESS. EXPECT A RELEASE EARLY NEXT YEAR....... MY FRIENDS.

MUCH LUV, & KeeP RoCkin' ;)

M$NEY....

P.S. DON'T FORGET TO EXERCISE YOUR RIGHT TO BE HEARD.......... VOTE

Timbaland & Chris Cornell Seattle: A Fan's Perspective

Here's J Boogie live in Seattle:

If there’s one thing about a Seattle concert/show that’s a given, it’s that it will start anywhere from an hour, 2 hours, and sometimes even 3 hours after the doors open. So I figure doors open at 9:00PM, I’ll get there at 9:30PM and have plenty of time. Wrong! I walk in and the first thing I hear is Timbaland’s voice saying “ya’ll have been great to me tonight.” Crap I missed his whole set. I check the 7 piece band flanking Timbo. Immediately I recognize Nisan Stewart on drums. Nisan is a longtime friend and collaborator of Tim’s and Missy’s, has worked extensively with Tweet, and you can peep him also on the drums in the video of Aaliyah at the Tunnel. Thankfully I get at least one song. Tim has Freestyle Steve play The Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams” followed by “The Way I Are.” Immediately I’m thinking did Tim sample “Sweet Dreams” for “The Way I Are” synths? Could be.

Tim’s set finished but he wasn’t done talking. He took the time to address all the websites, blogs, and fans who felt as though mixing a legendary rocker like Chris Cornell with a hip hop/pop producer like Tim wouldn’t work. He understood where they were coming from but encouraged everyone to take the time to listen to the album, “it’s 2008 ya’ll!” He called it some of the best work of his career. Then he talked very briefly about Shock Value 2 and his desire to work with Green Day. At this point I’m sweating just waiting for some juicy news. Tim cues Freestyle to play a new joint off Shock Value 2 and low and behold “Talk That” blares through the speakers. So it will be a Shock Value 2 record. Then it happens….

Freestyle stops the record and says the magic words “Seattle I’m going to play you a record we’ve never played before” (cue chills) He plays a new record, an uptempo dance track, and who’s vocals do I hear? Brandy’s. That’s right Brandy and Timbo (and J Roc) are official. I have no idea the name of the track or what album it’s going to be on but for 2 minutes I simply basked in the exclusivity of it all. Freestyle then brought to the stage his new artist named Haben. who performed 2 of her new songs. Who is Haben you ask? A 10 year old vocal powerhouse who I’ve had the pleasure to meet before. Check back to The Chronicles at the end of the week for a proper introduction.

So now it was time for Chris Cornell’s set. He played straight through from start to finish with no breaks. Here’s the setlist and tracklisting for the album:

1.Part Of Me (by far my favorite track on the whole album)
2. Time
3.Sweet Revenge (has a very easily identifiable sample that I’ll let you all figure out)
4. Get Up
5. Ground Zero
6 Never Far Away (A track dedicated to his wife)
7. Take Me Alive (Opens with a beautiful Indian woman’s voice. Czar would be happy)
8. Long Gone
9. Scream
10. Enemy (one of the best tracks of the night)
11. Other Side Of Town
12. Climbing Up the Walls
13. Watch Out (best song of the night. The crowd went nuts especially during the Jim Beanz vocal breakdown in the middle)
14. 2 Drink Minimum

For an encore Cornell brought out J Roc (who as it turns out was also in Timbo’s band) to thank him for his work on the album. He also performed a cover of Pearl Jam’s “I’m Going Hungry” and “Reach Down” which brought about audience pandemonium.

Overall the show was incredible! Whether you’re a hard core fan or new to his sound, there’s no denying Chris Cornell’s talent. His voice is friggin’ flawless! Listening to the entire album start to finish I realized that Tim, J Roc, and Cornell really created something unique and I also realized that the interludes that we haven’t heard up to this point really tie everything together. I left the show eager to get my hands on Scream and really take a listen to what they all came up with.

Timbaland to play in Moscow

On November 10th Russia will host its first ever "Moscow R&B Festival." This will be the biggest musical festival ever in Russia. Artists scheduled to perform are Akon, Busta Rhymes, Kelly Rowland, Keri Hilson, and Timbaland. Seems as though Timbo has created a show exclusively for the Russian audience with proposed "special guests" also taking part. Tickets for the event are in high demand with prices as high as $300!

You can check the festival's official website and myspace page for more details. Hopefully we'll be able to get some video footage or at least some pictures of the performance.

A big thanks to Виктор Шушуев for the info on this show.

Video: Craig David "Insomnia'

Produced by Jim Beanz.



Look for more from Jim coming up on our next Writer's Block! Props to N.L.O

Kevin Cossom's Pre Album in December

Danja!

Thanks to Frederick on the info.

Chris Cornell & Timbaland Las Vegas: A Fan's Perspective

Let's go live with Donny in Las Vegas:

I MET TIM IN VEGAS AND THEY GAVE TOURS OF HIS VERIZON TOUR BUS. I GOT PICTURES OF INSIDE AND ALSO WITH DJ FREESTYLE STEVE. HE WAS WAY DOPE. WE TALKED ABOUT THOMAS CROWN CHRONICLES. HE DIGS IT MAN. TIM WAS DOPE AS WELL. WE TALKED FOR A FEW MINUTES. ALSO WON 4 TICKETS TO THE SHOW THAT NIGHT AND I GOT PICS AND VIDEO.

Chris Cornell & Timbaland San Francisco: A Fan's Perspective

Here's Infra Red Live in San Francisco, CA:

Yeah, I met him [Timbaland] briefly at the show... and uhh... how do I say it... he was kinda mean :o( - I left the show after he opened for Chris just so I could get a chance to meet him out back - there was only ONE person waiting for him when he left the show (me) and he wouldn't take a picture with me

and all this was after I paid crazy money to get a ticket to the sold out show - waited around outside the Verizon wireless in south san fran for like 5 hours only for him to not show up at all... I was the only Tim fan there - everybody else was there for chris cornell - needless to say I walked away disappointed... and broke :o(