Timbaland

Timbaland, born Timothy Zachery Mosley on March 10, 1972, is an American record producer, rapper, songwriter, and singer whose roots in the Hampton Roads region of Virginia helped define an era of hip-hop and R&B music. Known professionally as Timbaland, Mosley was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia, and became acclaimed for his distinctive production work and "stuttering" rhythmic style. Though Norfolk is his birthplace, Mosley grew up, attended school, and built much of his early career in Virginia Beach, where he graduated from Salem High School and forged the creative partnerships that would bring global attention to the region's music scene. He is a Grammy Award-winning producer, rapper, and inductee into the Songwriter Hall of Fame.

Early Life and Virginia Beach Roots

Timothy Zachery Mosley was born on March 10, 1972, in Norfolk, Virginia, to Latrice, who ran a homeless shelter, and Garland Mosley, an Amtrak employee. The family settled in Virginia Beach, where Mosley would spend his formative years. He graduated from Salem High School of Virginia Beach, and during his early years as a DJ, he was known as "DJ Tim" or "DJ Timmy Tim."

Mosley started DJing during high school and was part of a performance collective called S.B.I. (Surrounded By Idiots) with fellow Virginia Beach native, artist and producer Pharrell Williams before their careers took off. This early creative community — which also eventually included Missy Elliott and The Neptunes — would prove central to Virginia Beach's emergence as a powerhouse in American popular music.

It was DeVante Swing, a producer and member of the R&B act Jodeci, who renamed the young producer "Timbaland" after the Timberland boot. That name stuck, and it became one of the most recognizable brands in modern music production.

Career and Musical Legacy

Timbaland's rise in the music industry was swift once he left Virginia Beach for broader opportunities. His first major production credit was on the album Ginuwine...the Bachelor (1996) by R&B singer Ginuwine. Further commercial success followed with Aaliyah's album One in a Million (1996) and Missy Elliott's album Supa Dupa Fly (1997), making him a sought-after producer for R&B and hip-hop acts.

He also performed as a recording artist himself, releasing three albums as part of the Virginia-based hip-hop duo Timbaland & Magoo, along with his debut solo album, Tim's Bio (1998).

His production work took on an even larger commercial profile in the 2000s. He produced Justin Timberlake's 2002 single "Cry Me a River," and thereafter produced the majority of Timberlake's subsequent releases — including FutureSex/LoveSounds (2006) and The 20/20 Experience (2013) — along with their respective hit singles. His 2007 single "Give It To Me" (featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake) peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of his second album, Shock Value (2007), which spawned the singles "The Way I Are" (featuring Keri Hilson) and "Apologize" (with OneRepublic).

Described as an important figure in the creation of American R&B's "stuttering kick-drums template," Timbaland's influence extended beyond the U.S. and crossed international borders. As an R&B producer, he created a distinctive, rhythmic sound using breakbeats, which break up the smooth flow of tracks to create moments of tension and release.

Timbaland also founded the record labels Beat Club in 2001 and its successor, Mosley Music Group in 2006, through which he signed artists including Nelly Furtado, OneRepublic, Keri Hilson, Bubba Sparxxx, and Chris Cornell.

Timbaland is credited, along with other Virginia artists such as The Clipse, Pharrell Williams, and Missy Elliott, with establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast's strongholds in hip-hop.

Thomas Crown Studios and Virginia Beach's Recording Scene

One of Timbaland's most lasting contributions to Virginia Beach was the establishment of a world-class recording facility in the city. Since Timothy "Timbaland" Mosley's Thomas Crown Studio complex was completed in 2007, Virginia Beach became a recording destination for some of the music industry's top artists.

WSDG (Walters-Storyk Design Group) was retained by Timbaland and his engineer Jimmy Douglass to design and build the new facility. Assembled with creative input from Jimmy Douglass — Timbaland's key engineer for many years on many albums — the main Studio A was outfitted for 5.1 surround mixing with a Neve VR-72 console, Pro Tools HD, and custom Augspurger monitors. Timbaland Studios was a spacious 6,756 square-foot, two-story "destination studio" comprised of the Studio Live Room and Control Room outfitted with the Neve VR 72 console.

Engineer Demacio "Demo" Castellon recalled: "At one point, we were in the same cul-de-sac where Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo had their studio." This geographic clustering of major producers was no accident — it reflected the deep creative ecosystem that had developed in Virginia Beach over decades. As Castellon noted, "with Tim and Missy and The Neptunes and Danja — and even before them, with Teddy Riley and new-jack swing — without a doubt, this piece has been a major influence in modern music and in hip-hop and R&B as we know it."

The studio saw the likes of Justin Timberlake and Pharrell Williams pass through its doors for over a decade, but was put up for sale when Mosley decided to move his operation to Miami. The studio was subsequently purchased by engineer Josh Haddad, who renamed it Virginia Beach Recording Arts.

Hailing from Norfolk, Virginia, just west of Virginia Beach, Mosley was instrumental in helping to grow the region's reputation in the hip-hop and R&B scene, along with acts like The Neptunes (Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo) and Missy Elliott.

Virginia Beach Honors and Recognition

Virginia Beach has formally recognized Timbaland's contributions to music and to the city in multiple ways. Virginia Beach named a city street in honor of the hometown music producer, with the unveiling taking place during a weekend full of celebratory events in October 2025.

City Councilman Cal "Cash" Jackson-Green led the push to bestow a Virginia Beach roadway — Bridle Creek Boulevard, the Salem-area road off which Timbaland grew up — with the honoree title "Timbaland Way." The boulevard did not lose its official name; rather, "Timbaland Way" was added to its street signs.

Virginia Beach honored Timbaland with a three-day celebration called "Timbaland Way Weekend" from October 17 to October 19, 2025. Events during the weekend included a key to the city presentation, a street renaming ceremony, and various performances showcasing Timbaland's impact on the music industry and his hometown.

During the weekend, Timbaland visited his alma maters — Salem High School, Salem Middle School, and College Park Elementary — to share a special message with students. Addressing the students at Salem High School, Timbaland said: "I used to beat box over those red lockers, and people used to do cyphers. Don't stop dreaming, Salem High, you can make it. I am living proof."

During the weekend, Timbaland was also presented with a custom-made black and scarlet varsity jacket from Salem High School and a key to the city.

The celebration also extended to other Virginia Beach music producers. In a public ceremony, Virginia Beach presented Timbaland with the key to the city and gave a proclamation to four other accomplished Virginia music producers: Hannon, Bink, Nottz, and Danja. Timbaland was deliberate about making the weekend about the broader community. "I wasn't going to accept the street name unless my people were with me," he said. "It's cool for the city to acknowledge me, but I think it's cooler to acknowledge other producers."

Virginia Beach City Council member Cash Green remarked: "We are proud to call Timbaland a Virginia Beach native and are thrilled to honor his incredible contributions to the world of music, creativity, and innovation. This weekend is a moment to both recognize his legacy and ignite the next generation of local talent."

Impact on Virginia Beach's Cultural Identity

Timbaland's influence on Virginia Beach extends well beyond his own recordings. His presence in the city attracted major artists to record in the area and helped cement Virginia Beach's place on the national music map. As collaborators noted, a spirit of experimentation "has been a part of what's happening in Virginia Beach for a long time," running through the work of Timbaland, Missy Elliott, The Neptunes, Danja, and even predecessors like Teddy Riley in the era of new-jack swing.

Portsmouth named a boulevard after hometown hip-hop hero Missy Elliott in 2022, and Virginia Beach followed suit by similarly honoring Timbaland. Together, these street dedications reflect a broader regional recognition of how the 757 region produced an outsized influence on American popular music.

Timbaland himself has credited the region for his success: "Virginia Beach — and the entire 757 region — shaped who I am today. I am both honored and humbled to have a weekend of events that not only highlight my accomplishments in the industry, but also give me a chance to come back home to celebrate with those in the community who have supported my career for decades. Virginia's influence on the music industry has been felt for generations."