Timbaland Added as ASCAP EXPO Keynote Speaker

The 11th Annual ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO has confirmed that Multiplatinum producer Timbaland will participate in a keynote interview at this year’s event on Friday, April 29 at 4:30 PM. Timbaland, the five-time ASCAP Songwriter of the Year, who is currently Executive Music Producer for the hit FOX TV series Empire, will discuss his career and how he pioneered an R&B/hip-hop sound that endures today. The 2016 ASCAP "I Create Music" EXPO takes place April 28 – 30 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles.

Timbaland has three Grammys to his credit, including two Best R&B Song awards for Beyoncé's "Drunk in Love" featuring Jay Z and Justin Timberlake's "Pusher Love Girl." The in-demand producer, writer and artist first made his mark on the music industry in the ‘90s, working on successful and influential albums Ginuwine…The Bachelor by Ginuwine, One in a Million by Aaliyah, and Supa Dupa Fly by Missy Elliott. He has since produced a long line of A-list artists, including Beyoncé, Drake, Usher, Jay Z, Nas, Eminem, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Nelly Furtado, Fabolous, Petey Pablo, Limp Bizkit, No Doubt, Justin Timberlake, Alicia Keys, Cee Lo Green, Jennifer Lopez, The Black Eyed Peas, The Pussycat Dolls, Jamie Foxx, Diddy, Rihanna, 50 Cent, Kanye West, OneRepublic, Flo Rida, Madonna, New Kids on the Block, Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige and Lil Wayne, among many others.

As a solo artist, Timbaland reached the Top 5 of the Billboard 200 chart with his platinum-selling album Shock Value. That record included the Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper "Give It to Me" featuring Nelly Furtado and Justin Timberlake, as well as "Apologize (Remix)" featuring One Republic and "The Way I Are" featuring Keri Hilson, which reached No. 2 and No. 3 on the chart, respectively. Timbaland’s follow up, Shock Value II, featured three Top 40 singles.

Other new talent added to the 2016 ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO includes singer-songwriter Brian McKnight (“One Last Cry”) on the Thursday, April 28, “I Create Music” Center Stage show; 2016 Grammy-nominated retro-soul singer/songwriter Andra Day on the Friday, April 29 “Women in Music” session; and LaShawn Daniels (Lady Gaga’s “Telephone;” Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name”) on the Saturday, April 30 “Writer’s Jam.”

Read More: ASCAP Expo Announces Addtl. 2016 Lineup: Melissa Etheridge, "Someone Like You" Songwriter, more

Previously announced sessions for ASCAP EXPO 2016 include the “We Create Music” keynote session featuring Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley, chart-topping “Cheerleader” songwriter OMI, Grammy-winning songwriter Dan Wilson (Dixie Chicks, “Not Ready to Make Nice”), Multiplatinum songwriter, solo artist and Matchbox Twenty frontman Rob Thomas and “King of Reality TV” composer David Vanacore; a conversation between Nate Ruess, songwriter and vocalist for the Grammy-winning group fun. and ASCAP President and Hall of Fame songwriter Paul Williams; and an attendee song feedback session with Desmond Child and Antonina Armato (“Love You Like a Love Song”). The lineup also features Master Sessions with rock royalty Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, gospel hitmakers Warryn & Erica Campbell, James Fauntleroy (Rihanna’s ANTI co-writer), Ashley Gorley (a three-time ASCAP Country Songwriter of the Year); Greg Kurstin (songwriter-producer behind Adele’s “Hello” and Sia’s “Chandelier”), Ariel Rechtshaid (producer for Adele’s “When We Were Young” and Vampire Weekend’s Modern Vampires of the City) and an interview with Salt-N-Pepa, the boundary-breaking trio that opened up rap for women.

For more information and to register for the conference, visit ascap.com.