"My best work was done when I wasn't on drugs" — Timbaland says he was high on drugs when he produced 2 albums and Beyoncé's "Drunk in Love"

Timbaland, whose real name is Timothy Mosley, recently opened up about the music he worked on while being addicted to drugs, which included projects with artists like Justin Timberlake, Jay-Z and Beyoncé.

In an interview with The Pivot Podcast on March 18, 2025, the record producer, singer and songwriter said that the feeling of working on music while being high on drugs was "amazing" and "wonderful."

When asked to name some of the projects he produced while being on drugs, the record producer listed Justin Timberlake's album The 20/20 Experience, Jay-Z's album Magna Carta Holy Grail and Beyoncé's song Drunk in Love, all of which released in 2013.

However, he continued to say that he created his best work when he was sober, citing records like Jay-Z's Big Pimpin' and Dirt Off Ya Shoulder, and Aaliyah's One In A Million as being among his bests.

“It was fun during that time. Those were cool albums, but my best work was done when I wasn’t on drugs. It was just fun and creative. I was doing all of those albums back to back,” Timbaland said.

The record producer continued:

"I look back at it now and they were great, but they don’t stand out like my big records, like Big Pimpin, Dirt Off Ya Shoulder, and One In A Million. Those are drug-free, so when I look back at my highlights, that (drug period) is probably a dip.”

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Exploring other instances of Timbaland talking about his drug addiction

This is not the first time Timbaland has opened up about his drug addiction. In a November 2017 interview with Rolling Stone, he revealed that he became addicted to opioids like OxyContin in his thirties to treat nerve issues that stemmed from a gunshot wound. His addiction reportedly spiraled from there, resulting in financial loss and a broken marriage.

Timbaland said while the pills helped "block out the noise," things got so bad that Jay-Z called him one day, asking him to refrain from giving interviews because he was saying "crazy s**t."

Timbaland also claimed that he went through what he believed was a near-death overdose in his sleep sometime in 2014, following which he started weaning himself off the pills.

“All I can tell you is that there was a light. I woke up trying to catch my breath, like I was underwater. But through that whole thing I saw life – I saw where I would be if I don’t change, and where I could be if I did,” he recalled about the incident.

In a May 2023 interview with Shannon Sharpe of the Club Shay Shay podcast, the record producer credited Jay-Z and Drake with helping him through his "darkest moment" while he was on drugs.

He dubbed the Empire State of Mind rapper a "prophet," adding that God sent Jay-Z to him when he needed. Timbaland also praised Drake, saying:

“Even Drake told me. That’s why, I’m like, these guys are special to the world. Now, once they give you the information, it’s up to you to use it. I didn’t come out until the darkness, man, and that’s why I say it’s all love with these guys. They helped me during my darkest moment.”

In a February 2024 interview with Million Dollaz Worth of Game, Timbaland revealed that being on Vicodin made him "feel like Superman." He was addicted to the pain medication after it was prescribed by a dentist for a toothache. He continued that he was able to kick his addiction after an out-of-body experience where he saw himself dead.

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In other news, Timbaland announced his partnership with the AI music platform Suno in October 2024, joining the start-up as its creative advisor.