pilots 2014

Timbaland Will Produce Songs for Fox Drama

Timbaland performs at the Revd Launch Event With Timbaland at Palace Hotel on June 29, 2013 in San Francisco, California.
Timbaland performs at the Revd Launch Event With Timbaland at Palace Hotel on June 29, 2013 in San Francisco, California. Photo: Steve Jennings/Getty Images

Fox announced today that megaproducer Timbaland has signed on as a songwriter and song producer on the upcoming drama Empire, a sort of King Lear set within the world of hip-hop. Terrence Howard and Taraji P. Henson star in the pilot, which was written by Lee Daniels and Danny Strong. So as T Bone Burnett was to the first season of Nashville, Timbaland will be to Empire — at least in terms of musical bona fides. One hopes Empire has more going for it than “well, the songs are great,” which is where Nashville is these days.

Timbaland Will Produce Songs for Fox Drama