The Emperor of Sound

A Memoir

By: Timbaland, Veronica Chambers

Narrated by: William Harper

The long-anticipated inside look at the extraordinary career of the man who brought Sexy Back, the legendary producer in the pantheon of music greats as influential and groundbreaking as Motown’s Berry Gordy and a memoir of the creative process.

Hailed by the New Yorker as “the eminence grise behind half of what is great in the Top Forty these days,” world-renowned producer Timbaland has been a fixture on the pop charts, with more top-ten hits than Elvis or the Beatles. An artist whose fans are multi-racial and multi-generational, Timbaland works with the hottest artists, from Mariah Carey and Missy Elliott to Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Madonna, and his childhood friend, Pharrell Williams. Yet this celebrity is a uniquely private man who shuns parties, stays out of gossip columns, and rarely gives interviews. Deliberately choosing to tour by bus and conspicuously bling-free, he maintains a low-key lifestyle. If he’s not at the recording studio, he is at home with his family.

In The Emperor of Sound, Timbaland offers fans an unprecedented look into his life and work. Completely uncensored and totally honest, he reveals the magic behind the music, sharing the various creative impulses that arise while he’s producing, and the layering of sounds that have created dozens of number one hits. Cinematically written, full of revealing anecdotes and reflections from today’s most popular music icons, The Emperor of Sound showcases this master’s artistry and offers an extraordinary glimpse inside this great musical mind.

Excellent

I make music so i can relate to Tim but i think anyone should give this a shot. Very sincere and open, well read & it got me so excited to work on music i had to put the book "down" a few times and just get to making music. Thanks Tim for the insight & inspiration!

A must-read for fans of Timbaland.

While it glosses over some of the details behind the scenes of his production work in favor of focusing on his personal struggles, you do get some insight into his character and world-view and how that colors his sounds and musical choices, as well as his resolve to work through hardships.

There's also an occasional pleasant story here and there on the origins of a few of his notable tracks (e.g., "Pony", "Cry Me A River" and even "Earth Intruders"). I'd rare this a 4.5, would love a companion book that went into full detail on the stories behind the production on some of his notable album work, or at least several more anecdotes about how certian songs were created.

The Producer King

A phenomenal book from start to finish! What an inspiring person and story. 5 stars!

enjoyed it

I loved the story!!! and the audio voice is amazing and clear. good job, I will gladly recommend.

Great book. Will be listening again.

Loved it. Narrator was great. Most memorable part was about his weight and health issues..