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Life & Arts

Producer slated for joint efforts in music

by ELI JABBE 
The Daily Cougar 

Veteran producer Timbaland, who has had success creating hit songs for various artists from various genres, recently released his latest album, Shock Value. 

The ambitious project had been anticipated for months, and while many debated if it lived up to it's hype or not, it's clear that the album was on many fans' shopping lists. 

The album debuted on the Billboard Top 200 in the fifth slot with 138,525 copies sold in its first week. Despite the fact that Tim's rap performances are often sub par, the album is full of his personal and quirky touch, which is the backdrop for many of the recent hit songs heard and many great songs that were hits in previous years as well. 

In addition to a solid first week for his album, the first single from the album "Give It To Me," which features Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, climbed to the top spot on the United Kingdom singles chart from the eighth spot that it occupied last week. The second single for the album hasn't been chosen yet, but with the long list of interesting collaborations featured on the album, it may be hard to choose a new single.

In other music news, two of the biggest names in music have been rumored to be joining together to start a new label. Jay-Z and Beyonce are slated to start a yet unnamed label.

Jay-Z, who is president of Def Jam records, is supposed to be leaving behind the company, and Beyonce's contract with Sony Records is finishing after her next album is released. 

The two, who have collaborated together on several memorable songs such as "Bonnie & Clyde," will join on Jay-Z's upcoming label, which is possibly going to be released under Apple Inc. 

And for fans of Madonna, the veteran singer who has been making hits for over two decades, is returning with a new album to be released at the end of this year. And surprise to none, Timbaland and Justin Timberlake are slated to be included on the album. 

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