Stick to producing

Why is it that hip-hop producers have such a difficult time making a good album of their own? Whether its Pharrell or P. Diddy, great hip-hop producers just seem unable to make something worthwhile on their own. Maybe that's why Timbaland, last year's "It" producer, recruited a ridiculous guest arsenal for Shock Value, featuring Justin Timberlake, 50 Cent, Missy Elliott, Fall Out Boy, Elton John (!?) and many, many more. By taking almost all the attention off himself, it seems like Shock would be just a first-class album of Timbaland-produced tracks, but that's simply not the case. In fact, Shock Value turns out to be quite the mess.\nThe album is split into thirds, with the first third being signature-sounding Timbaland work, followed by an R&B portion and then finishing with an unusual rock portion. The first third opens up with "Oh Timbaland," the only song with no collaborations, and surprisingly, the best track on the album. It features a beat that sounds like a sped-up version of the beat from Talib Kweli's "Get By" and a Nina Simone sample in the chorus to make for a nice fast-paced opening track. Then Timbaland kicks into the Shock's first single, "Give It To Me," which features Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, two artists who owe Timbaland for landing them on the top of the charts in 2006. Then there is "Bounce," probably the most appealing track on paper in that it features Justin Timberlake, Missy Elliott and Dr. Dre. Not even Dr. Dre, who is one of the few rap producers to make great solo work, is able to save this disaster of a song. The Dre portion is simple and uninspired, Missy Elliott throws in her usual bit and Justin Timberlake rhymes "hiccups" and "pickup trucks" in the chorus, creating one of the most ridiculous rap songs released in awhile.\nThe middle of the album contains a lot of typical R&B tracks, featuring several no-name female singers. The best piece of this portion is "Boardmeeting," which contains Magoo, Timbaland's former partner in crime. Finally, the rock portion begins with "Throw It On Me," the Hives collaboration that is just plain bad. Then there is the SheWantsRevenge collaboration, "Time," which is the most experimental track, as it delves into new wave. While it's not a great track, it's a fascinating move. It's one of the better tracks on an album that literally goes everywhere. Then the album finally closes with "2 Man Show," with Sir Elton John on piano. \nApparently when it comes to hip-hop producers, they should stick to staying behind the scenes and forget about a solo career.