Timbaland

Timbaland's solo debut has all the signifiers of his early production work: tabla drums, funky/ quirky world music samples and synth lines, and squiggles borrowed from house music. The jerky piano line of "To My" is the perfect backdrop for Nas' sophisticated playa raps, and "Wit Yo Bad Self" playfully flips the I Dream of Jeanie theme song. The album does droop when Tim steps to the mic, but there are enough hot guests (Jigga, Missy, Aaliyah and Luda) to compensate.