Timbaland credits rappers Jay-Z and Drake for helping him during what he describes as one of the darkest moments in his life.
The legendary super producer spoke candidly about his past struggles and addiction to OxyContin during an appearance on the “Club Shay Shay” podcast with Shannon Sharpe earlier this week.
The 51-year-old “Bounce” artist told Sharpe that Jay-Z and Drake helped him during his addiction struggle and also credited the Tidal co-owner for raising him in the music business.
“He taught me so much, bro,” Timbaland said of Jay-Z. “And I’m glad I was a student to get to see it.”
The recording artist went on to talk about his addiction to OxyContin and how it destroyed his marriage to his ex-wife Monique Mosley. He said his addiction began when he went to a dentist who prescribed him Vicodin.
Related: Timbaland Talks Having a Drug Problem: How Pills and Prescription Drugs Infiltrated Urban Music
“The Vicodin made me feel like Superman,” Timbaland recalled. “It made me get over everything, and then all of a sudden, I just kept … I found myself just taking it all the time. I had a doctor that was giving it to me all the time.”
The “Apologize” rapper added that he eventually began taking large amounts of OxyContin in order to function.
“I was taking like 160 milligrams a day of OxyContin, and everybody that I know who’ve done that has died, you know what I’m saying? So, I think I even died, you know at one point in time, where I got out — I had an out-of-body experience where I was laying in the bed and I saw myself laying in the bed. And from that point on, God has changed my mind.”
Timbaland explained that he was an “introvert,” and the drugs helped him go out to mingle and network. However, they negatively impacted his ability to work, and many began to notice.
“The drugs had me like I’m Timbo everybody gon’ come to me,” he said, noting that the “Pound Cake” rappers told him not to do any more interviews at the time.
“He’s [Jay-Z] a prophet, right? You know. Even Drake told me, Drake — that’s why I said, that’s why when I look at people like those guys, those guys are special to the world,” Timbo said before explaining that both men and others like Chris Brown “corrected him” about his bad behavior while he was taking the pills.
“Now, once they give you the information, it’s up to you to use it,” Timbaland added. “I didn’t come out until the darkness, man, and that’s why I say, it’s all love with these guys. They helped me during my darkest moment.”
The “Verzuz” co-creator added that he didn’t go to a doctor to treat his addiction but quit by weaning himself off the pills with help from God and prayer. He added that his addiction impacted his entire life, including his marriage, which eventually ended in divorce.
The record producer also spoke about working with Grammy-winning artists Missy Elliot and Justin Timberlake during the 80-minute interview.
But he isn’t the first music industry vet to give Jay-Z and Drake their flowers. Rick Ross appeared on the “Drink Champs” podcast over the weekend, where he stated that they, along with himself and Lil Wayne, are in the “two percentile” of rappers who can write and record a song on the spot.
