Pitbull has addressed the controversy over Kesha’s name removal (Picture: Lester Cohen/WireImage)
Despite Timber being one of her biggest hits, Kesha’s name has been removed from her iconic collaboration with Pitbull.
Timber topped the charts in 2013, holding the number one spot on the Billboard 100 for three weeks as well as becoming an instant party classic globally.
However, over a decade later, Kesha’s name was quietly removed from the YouTube video title with no explanation given by the 37-year-old star.
Pitbull – Timber (Official Video) ft. Kesha was switched to Pitbull – Timber (Official Video) to the disgust of fans.
There was outcry online with hundreds declaring that Kesha is the key artist and makes the song great and that removing her name is ‘insulting’.
She is still credited in the description as a featured artist and it remains her most listened-to song on Spotify with a whopping 1,544,197,925 streams.
Timber is one of the biggest songs of the 2010s (Picture: Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Fans were outraged given Kesha’s songwriting input on the track (Picture: Lester Cohen/WireImage)
On X, Simon wrote: ‘Removing Kesha’s name from the Timber music video is nasty work. Especially when she’s the main reason the song is popular & when she still hasn’t been paid the millions she’s owed in royalties.. Pitbull’s team needs to fix this.’
KeshaWorld91 slammed Pitbull and the team, adding: ‘With Kesha’s name being removed from the Timber videos nows a perfect time to remind everyone that Kesha and her mom wrote this. That bridge? That chorus? That was them.’
‘Does anyone actually consider “Timber” a Pitbull song? I thought it was always a Kesha song,’ said evebonnar.
Outraged fans speculated the change could be linked to Pitbull’s working relationship with Dr Luke, with whom Kesha was previously locked in a legal battle.
Timber was also produced by Dr Luke, as he had a close working relationship with both artists at the time.
Pitbull, real name Armando Christian Pérez, has now addressed the rumours, reassuring fans he is ‘looking into this matter’.
The 43-year-old rapper wrote on X: ‘@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!’
He even posted a clip from the hit track, as fans praised him for addressing the issue head-on.
‘And that’s on Mr. Worldwide,’ wrote mihailo____ as lmxstn added: ‘I know that’s right Mr. 305!’
‘Put her name back on the song, if there’s no issue then. Shouldn’t be too big of a deal, right?’ said brookielove44.
Timber was one of Kesha’s last before taking a break from the music industry as she and Dr Luke went head to head in court.
Kesha alleged Dr Luke had drugged and sexually assaulted her in 2005, along with emotionally abusive behaviour over their decade working together.
Kesha spent years in a legal battle with Dr Luke (Picture: Joshua Applegate/WireImage)
The 50-year-old producer denied the claims and Kesha’s career stalled under the string of lawsuits between the pair.
He later attempted to sue the Praying hitmaker for defamation and breach of contract but they settled the case in 2023.
Kesha recently dropped a new single Joyride through her self-titled label which debuted in the US at number six on dance charts.
Meanwhile Dr Luke worked with Katy Perry on her new album 143, from which the two lead singles – Woman’s World and Lifetimes – have failed to impress fans and critics alike.
Katy Perry’s new song is produced by Dr Luke (Picture: Cynthia Parkhurst)
The Hot N Cold singer was recently accused of not seeking permission to film the Lifetimes music video in the Balearic Islands by the environment department.
It said it released the necessary permits were not obtained when they started a probe into whether the shoot caused environmental damage to the protected dunes of the islet of S’Espalmador.
However, a label spokesperson told Metro.co.uk they had verbal and written authority to film and insisted they had ‘utmost respect’ for the natural environment and ‘officials tasked with protecting it.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Kesha and Pitbull’s team for comment.
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