Pitbull Denies Kesha Was Intentionally Removed from ‘Timber’ Title on YouTube: ‘Always Nothing but Love’
By Website Content Manager
The duo released the dance-pop hit in 2013.
According to Pitbull, there’s no issue with Kesha.
On Sunday, August 18, the 43-year-old “Give Me Everything” artist dismissed claims that Kesha, 37, was intentionally removed from the “Timber” title on YouTube.
“Timber,” a track from Pitbull’s 2013 album Meltdown, became a major hit, topping Billboard’s Hot 100, US Dance Club Songs, US Hot Rap Songs, US Pop Airplay charts, and more.
“.@KeshaRose and I have an incredible song together. Nothing will change this. Team Pitbull is looking into this matter. Always nothing but love for Kesha, Dale!” Pitbull posted on X (formerly known as Twitter), along with a clip from their 2013 music video.
.@KeshaRose and I have an incredible song together. Nothing will change this. Team Pitbull is looking into this matter. Always nothing but love for Kesha, Dale! pic.twitter.com/uYHL8jyopF
— Pitbull (@pitbull) August 18, 2024
The title of the “Timber” music video, initially “Pitbull – Timber (Official Video) ft. Kesha,” has been updated to “Pitbull – Timber (Official Video).” The credit for Kesha has been removed, and the default thumbnail featuring her has been taken down.
Fans expressed their frustration about this change on X. One user commented, “Even though she was featured, people associate this more with Kesha than Pitbull. It’s like erasing a key part of the story.”
Another fan suggested that the credit omission might be linked to the song’s production by Dr. Luke, with whom Kesha had a lengthy legal dispute.
In December 2023, Variety reported that Kesha left Kemosabe and RCA Records, as well as her management, following the conclusion of her legal battle with producer Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald in June 2023. Her departure occurred almost six months after she and Gottwald settled his defamation lawsuit out of court, resolving a legal struggle that began nearly a decade earlier when she first accused the producer of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse.
After the settlement, both Kesha and Dr. Luke released public statements on Instagram. Kesha mentioned that she couldn’t “recount” the specifics of the alleged abuse she experienced, while Dr. Luke wished her “well” and continued to deny the accusations.
Kesha had originally filed a lawsuit against Gottwald, alleging that he drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005. He denied these allegations and responded with a countersuit in the same year. In 2016, a judge dismissed Kesha’s claims.
Just one week before the defamation trial was set to begin, the New York Court of Appeals reportedly determined that Dr. Luke was considered a public figure. As a result, he would need to demonstrate that the allegedly defamatory statements were made with “actual malice,” according to the court, as reported by Variety.