Bryson Tiller Opens Up About His Financial Fallout with Timbaland
Bryson Tiller issued an apology to Timbaland following a viral story from his New Rory & Mal podcast appearance, where he claimed the producer encouraged him to quit his job and move to Miami to work on music, only to ghost him afterward, leaving him broke.
Tiller, then a 22-year-old working at Papa John’s and UPS in Louisville, Kentucky, shared that in 2014, Timbaland was impressed by his breakout single “Don’t” and urged him to pursue music full-time. Tiller followed the advice, quitting his job and traveling to Miami, where he recorded tracks like “Sorry Not Sorry” and “Been That Way” for his debut album TRAPSOUL.
However, Timbaland reportedly wasn’t impressed with the new material, wanting more songs like “Don’t,” and communication fizzled out. Tiller said he was left financially strained, with no clear deal in place, and was told by a mutual contact that Timbaland denied advising him to quit his job.Tiller’s apology, reported on August 29, 2025, came after his comments were sensationalized by media outlets, creating a narrative of conflict.
He expressed regret for how his honesty was misconstrued, stating he intentionally set aside media training to be candid on the podcast, which he felt backfired due to “malicious media.” Tiller clarified there was no real issue with Timbaland, emphasizing the challenges of navigating fame and media distortion. He also hinted at addressing such industry dynamics in his upcoming project BRUTAL INDUSTRY.
Timbaland responded to the initial claims on August 26, 2025, via The Shade Room, admitting he encouraged Tiller to quit his job but was focused on another artist, Tink, at the time, and wasn’t sure if Tiller wanted to be a full-fledged artist. He praised Tiller’s talent and denied abandoning him, noting Tiller’s success with TRAPSOUL, which went triple platinum.
The apology aimed to repair any perceived rift and highlight how online culture amplifies controversy, with Tiller reflecting on the broader music industry’s pitfalls, including unfulfilled promises and power dynamics.
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