Apparently, not even being one of the world's most successful and highly regarded producers lets you off the need for corporate sponsorship these days - or maybe it just makes being the company shill more lucrative.
And so Timbaland, producer for just about everybody, hits the Fontainebleau Miami Beach on Saturday in a party and performance celebrating the release of his album Shock Value II, out Tuesday, in what a press release bills as a showcase for [company name here] unrivaled portfolio of smartphones. No, I will not be giving them even the tiny bit of free publicity they might garner in this blog, will not be slavering at the red carpet for the chance of an empty promotional soundbite with Timbaland and the special guests (given his music portfolio, could be just about anyone), and presumably won't be offered any interviews with Timbaland any time soon either. Too bad, I admire the man and his work. And he's local.
Someone help me out here. Why does someone of Timbaland's calibre, reputation, and presumedly astronomical paycheck need to do this? Want to do this? Is it just the money? Must be a lot. And record companies don't pay for anything anymore.
Or is it that companies have eaten up so much of our psyche that a corporation which makes %$#%$#%^# telephones (no matter how many games, gadgets, apps, ringtones etc etc they flash and no matter how much they cost, it's still just a goddamned phone) is just as cool as one of the most genre-defining music-makers of the last decade? Is how you send your s--- over the air as important as what you're sending?
However, you can win free tickets to the event by following @VCASTMusic on Twitter. Judging from my experience of these kind of celebrity/promotional events, you probably won't get close to Timbaland, but maybe you can get 10% off one of those smartphones. Or maybe you'll get to pay extra for the privilege.
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