With hip-hop being so competitive, and artists constantly claiming to be better than one another, a lot of folks seemed pleased that two of its stars were praising each other’s work.
Pharrell Williams hosted a discussion on his “OTHERtone” radio show at the Something In The Water festival that took place in his hometown of Virginia Beach, Virginia, on the the weekend of April 26.
Other legendary Virginia Beach producers Teddy Riley, Chad Hugo and Timbaland were there as well. At one point Williams and Timbaland gushed over each other’s beats while they told stories about their first times hearing specific ones. A video of their back and forth has recently gone viral.
Timbaland recalled when he first heard Kelis‘ 1999 single “Caught Out There,” produced by The Neptunes, the production duo consisting of Williams and Hugo.
“I remember I came in the back door [of the studio], Missy [Elliott] was in there doing something, and I passed by an open door and heard ‘I hate you so much right now,'” Timbaland remembered.
Timb then said he stopped producing for the rest of the night, because he was so impressed with that particular beat.
After that, Williams praised his fellow producer’s work on Elliott’s 1997 hit “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” and bowed down to Timbaland in admiration.
The two kept the compliments going, and next Timb said the former “Voice” coach made anthems for Kelis. He then referenced her cut “Milkshake,” off the singer’s third album “Tasty.”
“I was driving in New York and I told the taxi ‘Pull over,'” Timb said after he heard “Milkshake.” He also said Williams beats are incredibly ‘unorthodox’, yet beautiful.
People online had plenty to say after the clip surfaced.
“I forever stan black men highlighting each others success,” someone tweeted.
“The respeck Timbaland and Pharrell are putting on each other’s names while taking us back right here…I could watch this on repeat all day,” another person wrote.
