The Emperor of Sound
A Memoir
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The Emperor of Sound
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Narrated by:
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William Harper
About this listen
"The most important producer of the decade." (The New Yorker)
Timbaland is indisputably one of the most innovative music producers working today. The Grammy Award–wining producer, rapper, songwriter, and composer has collaborated with the mega-superstars of pop, rap, hip-hop, and R&B, from Jay Z to 50, Madonna to Justin, Nelly to Björk. His solo album Shock Value has sales tipped in the millions, and the video for his international chart-topping single "Apologize" has been viewed more than 100 million times on YouTube.
The Emperor of Sound is an exclusive look at this talented artist and his extraordinary career. Here, as unexpected as much of what he creates, is an introspective memoir, revealing a modest and God-
fearing man with an intense appreciation for the creative process, a humility for his musical gifts, and a unique understanding of what he calls "the science of hearing."
Timbaland embraces and champions those who possess his same life-or-death passion for music: he reveals that it was Missy Elliott who steered him to own his confidence, that it was Aaliyah who inspired him to stretch his craft beyond boundaries, and that it was Justin Timberlake with whom he found an unprecedented creative chemistry, making "SexyBack" an instant classic. Timbaland also reflects on his growth and recent success in the entertainment business in his pivotal role as the executive music producer of the enormously popular television series Empire.
Written with a cinematic flair and abundant with illuminating anecdotes about some of today's most renowned musical icons, including his former classmate and collaborator Pharrell Williams, The Emperor of Sound is an engaging memoir of a life in the works, showcasing the brilliant inner workings of a true musical genius.
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 722
From Graham Nash - the legendary musician and founding member of the iconic bands Crosby, Stills & Nash and The Hollies - comes a candid and riveting autobiography that belongs on the reading list of every classic rock fan.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The Best of the Recent Rock Biographies
- By Steven Schuster on 10-28-13
By: Graham Nash
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I Am Brian Wilson
- By: Brian Wilson, Ben Greenman - contributor
- Narrated by: Fred Berman
- Length: 9 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 611
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 549
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 542
As a cofounding member of the Beach Boys in the 1960s, Wilson created some of the most groundbreaking and timeless popular music ever recorded. With intricate harmonies, symphonic structures, and wide-eyed lyrics that explored life's most transcendent joys and deepest sorrows, songs like "In My Room", "God Only Knows", and "Good Vibrations" forever expanded the possibilities of pop songwriting.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Surviving the Minor Keys in Life - Love Overcomes
- By Russell on 12-01-16
By: Brian Wilson, and others
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My Life with Earth, Wind & Fire
- By: Maurice White, Herb Powell
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 21 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 555
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 491
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Story5 out of 5 stars 484
The late Grammy-winning founder of the legendary pop/R&B/soul/funk/disco group tells his story and charts the rise of his legendary band in this sincere memoir that captures the heart and soul of an artist whose groundbreaking sound continues to influence music today. With a foreword by David Foster.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Maurice--Earth, Wind and Fire
- By Linda Ealey on 02-28-17
By: Maurice White, and others
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The Gospel According to Luke
- By: Steve Lukather
- Narrated by: Steve Lukather
- Length: 10 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,365
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,220
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,215
In this incisive memoir, Steve Lukather tells the complete Toto story. He also lifts the lid on what went on behind the closed studio doors, shedding light on the unique creative processes of some of the most legendary names in music: from Quincy Jones, Michael Jackson, Paul McCartney, Stevie Nicks, and Elton John to Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bruce Springsteen, and Aretha Franklin. Lukather’s extraordinary tale also encompasses the dark side of stardom and the American Dream. Frank, engaging, and often hilarious, The Gospel According to Luke is no ordinary rock memoir.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wow Best Rock Biography Ever
- By Hercules on 09-29-18
By: Steve Lukather
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Mustaine
- A Heavy Metal Memoir
- By: Dave Mustaine, Joe Layden
- Narrated by: Tom Wayland
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 1,109
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 949
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 944
James Hetfield, with whom many years ago Mustaine founded a band known as Metallica, once observed, with some incredulity, that Mustaine must have been born with a horseshoe up his ass. That's how lucky he's been, how fortunate he is to be pulling breath after so many close calls. And Hetfield is right. Mustaine has been lucky. He has been blessed. But here's the thing about having a horseshoe lodged in your rectum: It also hurts like hell. And you never forget it's there.
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5 out of 5 stars
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peace sells...I'm buying!!!
- By michael on 09-19-10
By: Dave Mustaine, and others
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Luck or Something Like It
- A Memoir
- By: Kenny Rogers
- Narrated by: Taber Burns
- Length: 9 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 142
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 118
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 117
A remarkable story of a boy who couldn't stop singing, and a man who knew how to hold 'em. For more than half a century, Kenny Rogers has been recording some of the most revered and beloved music in America and around the world. In that time, he has become a living legend by combining everything from R&B to country and gospel to folk in his unique voice to create a sound that's both wholly original and instantly recognizable.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Fun to listen to.
- By b.sea on 07-25-19
By: Kenny Rogers
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Swimming with the Blowfish
- Hootie, Healing, and One Hell of a Ride
- By: Jim Sonefeld
- Narrated by: Jim Sonefeld
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 59
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 53
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Story5 out of 5 stars 51
The ultimate front-row seat to the rise, fall, and rebirth of a band that was - for a time - the biggest in the world, Hootie & the Blowfish, and Jim Sonefeld’s shattering and redeeming spiritual path from addiction to recovery and a more fruitful life.
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5 out of 5 stars
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An Honest Reflection
- By Rob M. on 08-11-24
By: Jim Sonefeld
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Got The Life
- By: Fieldy
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 7 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 166
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 139
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 141
By all appearances, Fieldy had the life. But he was on the dark path of excess, alienating friends, families, and loved ones, nearly destroying himself and the band. It took an unexpected tragedy to straighten him out: the death of his father, a born-again Christian, to a mysterious illness. Following his father's dying wish, Fieldy found God. Filled with the spirit of his new faith, Fieldy quit drugs and drinking cold turkey, and found the best part of himself.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Good story, poor Narrator!
- By Aaron on 11-01-11
By: Fieldy
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Turn Around Bright Eyes
- A Karaoke Love Story
- By: Rob Sheffield
- Narrated by: Rob Sheffield
- Length: 6 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 69
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 60
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Story4 out of 5 stars 60
Turn Around Bright Eyes picks up Sheffield’s story right after Love Is a Mix Tape. He is a young widower devastated by grief, trying to build a new life in a new town after his wife’s death. As a writer for Rolling Stone, he naturally takes solace in music. But that’s when he discovers the sublime ridiculousness of karaoke, and despite the fact that he can’t carry a tune, he begins to find his voice.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Witty (sometimes sad) love story/Soundtrack
- By Wally Tonra on 05-07-15
By: Rob Sheffield
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One Way Out
- The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band
- By: Alan Paul
- Narrated by: Dan John Miller
- Length: 11 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 304
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 273
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 273
One Way Out is the powerful biography of the Allman Brothers Band, an oral history written with the band's participation and filled with original, never-before-published interviews as well as personal letters and correspondence. This is the most in-depth look at a legendary American rock band that has meant so much to so many for so long. For 25 years, Alan Paul has covered the Allman Brothers Band, conducting hundreds of interviews, riding the buses with them, attending rehearsals and countless shows.
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4 out of 5 stars
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From a non-fan
- By DK on 09-06-14
By: Alan Paul
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Sing to Me
- My Story of Making Music, Finding Magic, and Searching for Who's Next
- By: LA Reid
- Narrated by: Dion Graham
- Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 623
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 547
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 548
Legendary music producer LA Reid - the man behind artists such as Mariah Carey, Toni Braxton, Kanye West, Rihanna, TLC, Outkast, Pink, Justin Bieber, and Usher - changed the music business forever. Now he tells his story, taking fans on an intimate tour of his life. Sing to Me is a fascinating journey from Reid's small-town R&B roots in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his work as a drummer to his fame as a Grammy Award-winning music producer and his gig as a judge on the hit reality show The X Factor.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Wow!! What a journey!!!
- By Marty Cohn on 02-06-16
By: LA Reid
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Remembering Whitney
- My Story of Love, Loss, and the Night the Music Stopped
- By: Cissy Houston
- Narrated by: Robin Miles
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 486
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 405
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 405
On the eve of the 2012 Grammy Awards, the world learned of a stunning tragedy: Whitney Houston, unquestionably one of the most remarkable and powerful voices in all of music, had been silenced forever. Over the weeks and months that followed, family, friends, and fans alike tried to understand how such a magnificent talent and beautiful soul could have been taken so early and so unexpectedly. Honest and heartbreaking, this is a mother's story of tears, joy, and her greatest love of all: her daughter, Whitney.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Nobody Knows Whitney Better Than Mama
- By Kimberly Davis on 04-20-14
By: Cissy Houston
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Me and a Guy Named Elvis
- My Lifelong Friendship With Elvis Presley
- By: Jerry Schilling, Chuck Crisafulli
- Narrated by: William Dufris
- Length: 14 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 352
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 293
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Story5 out of 5 stars 289
On a lazy Sunday in 1954, 12-year-old Jerry Schilling wandered into a Memphis touch-football game, only to discover that his team was quarterbacked by a 19-year-old Elvis Presley, the local teen whose first record, That's All Right, had just debuted on Memphis radio. The two became fast friends, even as Elvis turned into the world's biggest star.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great Easy Read
- By Elliot on 03-10-08
By: Jerry Schilling, and others
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Me, the Mob, and the Music
- One Helluva Ride with Tommy James and the Shondells
- By: Tommy James, Martin Fitzpatrick
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 269
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 205
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 203
Everyone knows the hits: "Mony Mony," "I Think We're Alone Now," "Crimson and Clover," "Crystal Blue Persuasion." They are nuggets of rock and pop history. However, few know the unlikely story of how these hits came to be. Tommy James had been performing in rock bands in the Michigan area since the age of 12. Prompted to record a few songs by a local disc jockey in 1964, Tommy chose an obscurity titled "Hanky Panky," which became a minor local hit that came and went.
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5 out of 5 stars
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What a ride - excellent story, well told
- By Dave on 03-25-10
By: Tommy James, and others
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Keith Richards
- The Unauthorised Biography
- By: Victor Bockris
- Narrated by: Adrian Mulraney
- Length: 20 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 45
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 42
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 41
In 1992, Victor Bockris' celebrated biography was the first to recognize Richards' pivotal role in the legend of the Rolling Stones. Now that book on rock's most incredible survivor has been expanded. Here are the true facts behind Richards' battles with his demons: the women, the drugs and the love-hate relationship with Jagger. His struggle with heroin and his status as the rock star most likely to die in the 1970s. His scarcely believable rebirth as a family man in the 1980s. Illuminated with revealing quotes and thoughtful insights into the man behind the band that goes on forever.
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3 out of 5 stars
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doesn't comapre to LIFE
- By A. Garofalo on 02-20-14
By: Victor Bockris
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Kicking and Dreaming
- A Story of Heart, Soul, and Rock and Roll
- By: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson
- Narrated by: Ann Wilson, Nancy Wilson
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 943
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 850
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 844
Two sisters. Two voices. One Heart.
The mystery of "Magic Man." The wicked riff of "Barracuda." The sadness and beauty of "Alone." The raw energy of "Crazy On You." These songs, and so many more, are part of the fabric of American music. Heart, fronted by Ann and Nancy Wilson, has given fans everywhere classic, raw, and pure badass rock and roll for more than three decades. As the only sisters in rock who write their own music and play their own instruments, Ann and Nancy have always stood apart - certainly from their male counterparts but also from their female peers.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Good Behind-The-Scenes Look At "Heart"
- By Kathy on 11-13-12
By: Ann Wilson, and others
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Hit Hard
- By: Joey Kramer
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 6 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 95
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 95
In 1997, amid Aerosmith's sold-out world tour and number one album release, Joey revealed in an interview his ongoing struggles with depression. The response from fans and people battling those same internal demons was overwhelming. Joey now tells the complete story: the early days of the band, glamorous drug-addled events leading up to their eventual sobriety, battles within his family and among bandmates, and the explosive internal dynamics in Aerosmith.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The things we never knew
- By bluestar on 08-22-18
By: Joey Kramer
What listeners say about The Emperor of Sound
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Eliezer
- 07-30-16
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!
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Tony Ortiz
- 02-02-18
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.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Miss Krystle
- 05-30-17
The Producer King
A phenomenal book from start to finish! What an inspiring person and story. 5 stars!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Nolan Moore
- 12-28-16
Great story and musical history.
Great listen, got to hear the back story to a lot of my favorite songs from some of my favorite artist!
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kirk Arthur
- 05-24-16
This Book is A Mirror
From having dreams, cutting out negative vibes, to staying in one place too long, dealing with tragedy, tasting success and then having to prove yourself again. I was shaking my head in agreement constantly. It's amazing that producers that I like share similar experiences as I have. Just proves that musical creations are an extension of the creator.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Siphne Sylve
- 12-26-15
True Inspiration
A great recollection of dedication, faith, and perseverance. This is an incredible collection of memories -- beautiful! I look forward to hearing it again.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- SimpleSugar
- 05-04-17
enjoyed it
I loved the story!!! and the audio voice is amazing and clear. good job, I will gladly recommend.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Marvin Glaspie Jr.
- 12-05-15
Great book. Will be listening again.
Loved it. Narrator was great. Most memorable part was about his weight and health issues..
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Happy Customer
- 06-20-23
Inspirational
This memoir was very impactful for someone who is inspired to be in the entertainment industry.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 06-20-21
Inspiring
All I can say is I needed this. Absolutely motivating and hilarious stories in here. Lots of gems.
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