10 Beats Timbaland Should've Given to Someone Other Than Magoo

Since the late '90s, Timbaland, like fellow V.A. native Pharrell, has journeyed back and forth between bouncy, idiosyncratic hip-hop production and dancefloor pop. In Pharrell's case, this constant creative flux has gone rather smoothly, punctuated by rebellious experimentation via his and Chad Hugo's Neptunes side project, N.E.R.D. Timbaland, however, has mastered pop while lately bungling his hip-hop bona fides, hewing closer to Darkchild than to Dr. Dre.

While his work with Aaliyah, Missy Elliott, and Ginuwine is platinum-certified, Timbaland's conventional rapper upstarts tend to languish. Skillz, a capable ghostwriter, never caught a mainstream stride, nor did Timbaland's ever-aspiring sidekick, Magoo, who wasted many an A-list rap feature. Tink will make a way for herself, I hope, lest Timbaland's history repeat itself as prelude to obscurity.

@Timbaland #WhereMagoo

— Hood Billionaire (@rickyrozay) December 6, 2014

I listen to old Timbaland and Magoo tracks and can't help but wonder if bigger, better headliners might've given Timmy's tracks the airplay they deserved. In fact, certain tracks get me thinking about specific rappers and singers who might've made hits of what are otherwise Timbaland deep cuts. In the spirit of such wistful reconfigurations, we present 10 Beats Timbaland Should've Given to Someone Other Than Magoo, in which we cast Jay Z, Da Brat, Twista, and DMX instead.

Instead: Mos Def and Pharoahe Monch "15 After Da Hour"

Instead: DMX "Peepin My Style"

Instead: Missy Elliott f/ Busta Rhymes "What Cha Talkin' Bout"

Instead: Da Brat f/ Ja Rule "Luv 2 Luv Ya"

Instead: Timbaland f/ Jay Z and Foxy Brown "Clock Strikes"

Instead: Aaliyah f/ Missy Elliott “Here We Come”

Instead: Timbaland f/ Big Boi, Trick Daddy, and Mystikal "Drop"

Instead: Jay Z f/ Memphis Bleek and Twista “Party People”

Instead: Eve f/ Erykah Badu "All Y'all" 

Instead: Snoop Dogg "Indian Flute"