Timbaland Admits Opioid Addiction Negatively Affected His Music Career

Timothy Zachary Mosley, with the professional name Timbaland, is a well-established record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and DJ with an excellent reputation in the American music industry. Some of his notable works as a producer includes producing the hit single 'Cry Me a River' for Justin Timberlake in 2002. Additionally, Timbaland worked in production with a lot of star artists like Jay-Z, Nas, Ludacris, Bubba Sparxxx, Madonna, Rihanna, OneRepublic, Brandy, Drake, Rick Ross, and others.

Timbaland is a well-established record producer, rapper, singer, songwriter, and DJ.
Source: Shazam

The winner of 4 Grammy Awards from 21 nominations, Timbaland, recently revealed that he used to suffer from opioid addiction. The music producer opened up about his addiction in an interview with Tamron Hall, where he talked about how it adversely affected his life and severely impacted his career. 

Find out about: Matthew McConaughey Adds Sports Media Platform 'The Athletic' to His Growing Business Portfolio

Timbaland recalls how a dentist prescribed opioids back in 2007 after he underwent a dental procedure, but he went on to get addicted to the drug.

It takes over you. It's something that takes over your body, he explained. I don't want to glorify it, but it feels incredible. It makes you feel like a superhero. It gave me confidence.

The $85 million worth rapper went on to discuss about how he realized he started taking the opioid pills for euphoria instead of using it to cope with the dental pain. "The pills make you function, but sometimes you would nod off while people were talking to you because it would make you fall asleep, but it would make you function because everything feels great."

Timbaland Opens Up On Overcoming An Opioid Addiction

The record producer continued,

It could be a bad moment going on, but the pills block all that out. I thought some of the pills were making me create, but as I went back to listen to some of my music I was like, 'Oh, this is not a creation; this is a hot mess.'

In addition to his professional life, opioid addiction also damaged his marriage with his first wife, Monique Mosley, and even his children. 

My marriage was new, and I was scared of it. I think the pills helped me deal with the wedding at the time. 

The 47-year-old - previously married to Monique Mosley - continued, "But when I had my daughter and my son, I kept looking like, 'I want to be here for my kids', and it just hit me one day. I didn't go to Rehab; I cut cold turkey. My kids were my backbone of living."

Timbaland's opioid addiction also damaged his marriage with his first wife, Monique Mosley.
Source: Master Class

Then he went on to deliver about the recovery he succeeded in breaking the addiction problem.

I think people forget that we are still human, and I had to realize that I'm still that guy from the country, I'm just great at music. I felt like I was abusing the gift that God gave me, and when I was on the drugs, he took that gift away.

Timbaland, subject to weight loss sepculations, is now free from the problem, but it still takes a few months before he actually gets rid of opioid addiction ultimately. After the initial stage of Rehab of opioid addiction, he lost about 130 pounds in total. He nowadays does intensive workouts and exercise to keep his body in shape and remain healthy and happy.

Check out: Renee Zellweger Opens Up About Playing Judy Garland

To learn more about the health news of famous people, visit Idol Persona.