Timbaland believes Metro Boomin produced a classic for the Migos that’s close to, if not on the same level, as one of the anthems he once produced for Missy Elliott.
In a recent interview with Rolling Stone, legendary producer Timbaland spoke with Metro Boomin about multiple topics, such as the creative process and the difference between creating hit songs and crafting timeless classics. Timbaland took the opportunity to praise Metro’s work on the Migos’ hit, “Bad & Boujee,” calling it a classic. He used the song to support his theory emphasizing the distinction between a song that simply tops the charts and one that withstands the test of time.
“Didn’t you do ‘Bad And Boujee'” Timbaland questioned, to which Metro answered, “Yeah.”
“That’s a classic. You do know that, right?” Timbaland said before adding, “It is a difference between hits and classics.”
He continued, using examples from his own career and experiences competing with other producers. Reflecting on how even though some of his own tracks reached number one, that chart success doesn’t necessarily define a song’s long-term impact.
“Even though the top 100 is a great thing, classics are still just different,” he said.
Metro Boomin chimed in, agreeing with Timbaland’s sentiment.
“It might be a classic that might’ve peaked at number 23 or something,” Metro said, highlighting that some songs might not achieve immediate commercial success but still become legendary.
Timbaland tells Metro Boomin that ‘Bad And Boujee’ is a classic & they debate about HITS vs CLASSICS via @RollingStone pic.twitter.com/oWnsAz4nLZ
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) October 18, 2024
Timbaland then circled back to Metro’s catalog, specifically highlighting “Bad & Boujee” as an example of a track that transcends its chart position.
“Play it today,” he urged. “People go crazy. I played it out here last night.”
Timbaland expressed his admiration for the song’s staying power, comparing it to his own experience with Missy Elliott’s “Work It,” another track he identified as a classic early on.
“So I go through you like your catalog, I’m like, ‘okay, how many classes you got?'” Timbaland said to Metro. “You got a lot of hits. What’s the classic? That ‘Bad and Boujee’ is it. Because I heard it again, it’s the same thing. When I did ‘Work it,’ I knew that I said this song. I played that last night too on everything and they went crazy. As soon as the beat dropped, I said ‘this a classic.’ I knew what a classic that one. I said, this going to be a classic.”
“Bad & Boujee,” released in 2016 by Migos and featuring Lil Uzi Vert, became an instant cultural phenomenon, reaching the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Hot 100. The song not only dominated the airwaves but also amassed over a billion streams on Spotify and earned a quadruple platinum certification from the RIAA.
Check out the exchange above.