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| | Timbaland |
 | | Timbaland's technique is based on insidious keyboard hooks, supertight kick drum and snare, and unpredictable syncopation: he avoids the endless repetition that plagues hip hop, creating a mood that's laid-back, but with an edge. |
 | | Which is a good thing, because Timbaland is an incredibly bad rapper, lacking presence (most of his vocals are heavily filtered, as if he were talking through a phone) and unable to construct a coherent lyric (sample "rhyme": "Got to keep it radio friendly/So everyone in America can hear me"). |
 | | Timbaland shelved his signature sounds (aside from a couple of throwbacks like "Indian Carpet"), and instead there's a lot of slow Southern Bounce, some creative and cathartic ("Serious," featuring protege Petey Pablo), some dry and dull ("People Like Myself"). |
| www.warr.org /timbaland.html (899 words) |
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