Since Timbaland's new album "Shock Value II" hit the stores, there's been an awful lot of people online throwing out the "S" word. No, not "Sucks" although there are those people as well, but the word "sellout". To me that's a very strong word and one that shouldn't be thrown out just at the whim of someone who doesn't like the direction an artist is going. Unfortunately that's essentially what it seems like here.

Timbaland's new album (and his previous one) are not strictly hip hop records. In fact they'd be more appropriately categorized as "pop" records. And that has a lot of hip hop fans upset, it seems.

Because Timbo has collaborations with One Republic, Katy Perry and (GASP) Miley Cyrus, there are cries of "Sellout". However there's something that people don't seem to grasp. Timbo's a PRODUCER. Yes, he raps on the tracks, but this is his presenting an album. It's not as much "Timbaland - Shock Value II" as it is "Timbaland PRESENTS: Shock Value II".



Why does an artist have to stay within a specific genre out of fear of being labeled a sellout by so many people, most of them so ignorant they wouldn't know a sellout if one stepped up and spoke to them.

It's this kind of mentality that prevents many artists from perhaps reaching out and expanding their musical reach. It's that mentality that has artists scared to try something new, out of fear that their ignorant narrow minded fans will revolt.

There's a difference between sacrificing your own beliefs in the pursuit of money, and simply branching out from your original style of music. I don't see how a producer can be considered a sellout simply because he works with more than one genre.

If an artist or a producer loathes pop music, and yet does a song with Justin Timberlake because of the potential sales, then they are a sellout.

If an artist or producer has no problem with pop music, actually LIKES pop music, and decides to implement some pop artists into his new album, he's not a sellout simply because that branching out brought him a new audience and potentially higher record sales than if he didn't implement those artists.

It's all in the intent. Simply working outside your genre is not selling out. Working outside your genre with people you don't like or respect, just for the money or publicity, THAT is selling out.

Timbaland is doing neither. He's always prided himself on the fact that he thinks outside the box. He's been an innovative producer for years, and has always done things differently.

Some people are just stuck in a rut creatively, or they only like a specific type of music, and when they see someone branch out and incorporate other styles of music, then suddenly that person is a sellout.

Better to stay in place and never innovate, right? Then Timbo can be just as stagnant as you? Please.

Timbo's new album may not be for everyone. It may not even really be "hip hop". But he's smart, and he knows what he's doing. He's bringing in people he respects, people he likes, and he's expanding his reputation to people who normally perhaps would never have heard his music.

Nothing wrong with that.

Besides, if we label everyone who does songs or albums outside their main genre, the list of "sellouts" include some royalty in hip hop.

Run DMC, Public Enemy and De La Soul would all be labeled sellouts by that standard.

Is producer Rick Rubin a sellout because he used to do Rock music exclusively but has also produced The Beastie Boys and Jay Z records?

The slope is slippery when you start calling out artists and producers for being sellouts when they're simply working with new and sometimes exciting artists who they genuinely like.