 "Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Records")
In a March 2005 interview with BBC Radio 1, N.E.R.D.'s Pharrell Williams, one half of big-time top 40 producers The Neptunes, seemed to be preparing an obituary: "N.E.R.D. is dead," he claimed.
Perhaps scripted directly from the meaning of the band's acronymic name, which stands for No one Ever Really Dies, Pharrell and N.E.R.D. have risen from the grave to perform a string of March dates in support of their new record due this spring. The dates seem to serve as a warm-up to their spot on Kanye West's "Glow In The Dark" tour, which also features Chicago rapper Lupe Fiasco and Rhianna of "Umbrella" fame.
N.E.R.D. is made up of The Neptunes (Pharrell and Chad Hugo), and their friend Shay Haley. The band was conceived in response to The Neptunes' interest of crafting sounds differing from their previous production work. The young duo was discovered at a talent show by Teddy Riley, founder of 90s R&B mainstays Blackstreet. After high school, The Neptunes dived right into the music industry, producing tracks for Blackstreet as well as all-female trios SWV and Total. They began to craft a unique sound, which propelled them to mainstream success, producing cuts for Mase and N.O.R.E. in the late 90s.
Hit after hit spewed from The Neptunes' heads, including ODB's "Got Your Money," Mystikal's "Shake Ya Ass," and Britney Spears' 2001 smash "I'm A Slave 4 U," which earned them their first number one hit. In the same year, The Neptunes were named "Producers of the Year" by both the Source Awards and the Billboard Music Awards.
The year 2001 also saw the European release of N.E.R.D.'s debut record "In Search Of…," which The Neptunes found too similar to their previous sound, so they moved to employ pop group Spymob to add some edgier instrumentation to their funky R&B and pop songs. Two singles were birthed from the record, the heavier "Lapdance" and the huge drum sounds featured on the anthem "Rock Star." The album was released in the United States in 2002, earning the trio moderate success, including winning 2002's Shortlist Music Prize, which recognizes the best album of the year selling under 500,000 copies.
N.E.R.D. took a break in 2003, giving way to The Neptunes' first whole record featuring their own name, "The Neptunes Present… Clones," which hit number one on the Billboard 200 chart. The duo received two Grammy's in 2004, one for "Producers of the Year," and one for their contribution to Justin Timberlake's solo debut "Justified." The Neptunes are credited with jumpstarting Timberlake's post-'N Sync career, as well as discovering female R&B singer Kelis, and brothers Pusha T and Malice of hip hop duo Clipse.
N.E.R.D. resurged in 2004 with their record "Fly Or Die." The trio evolved a bit by learning the necessary instruments to perform by themselves live, with Pharrell on drums and Hugo learning guitar. The album remained true to the same adolescent ideas found on "In Search Of…" and continued the funky, soulful, radio-friendly fare.
In early 2005, Pharrell announced N.E.R.D.'s demise, claiming that The Neptunes would not stop producing and their friendship with Shay Haley had not diminished, though disagreements with their manager at Virgin Records led to the group's shutdown. The Neptunes continued their reign over top 40 radio, and have worked with big names such as Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, Usher, Fabolous, T.I., Gwen Stefani, Slim Thug, and legends Snoop Dogg and Jay-Z. They have also re-mixed artists from Prince to Limp Bizkit, from the Rolling Stones to Janet Jackson. The Neptunes also have production credits on Madonna's new album due out April 29.
The new record, scheduled to drop this spring, has been rumored to be titled "N.3.R.D.," though MTV has referred to it as "N.R.3.D." Either way, the album's title is a clever play on the group's name. It will be the third album under the N.E.R.D. appellation. Pharrell has not given much of a description of what the record might sound like, merely describing it as "a Red Bull with growth hormones in it."
Their month-long warm-up dates precede the "Glow In The Dark" tour, which also features Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco. Those two emcees, along with Pharrell, make up the hip hop super group CRS, or Child Rebel Soldiers. Their only track recorded together currently, "US Placers," features a verse from each member over a loop of "The Eraser" by Thom Yorke.
Lupe Fiasco hinted at an entire record with the other two in an interview with www.sohh.com last summer, though nothing is officially planned and they are "going wait until everything settles down some," before ultimately deciding the groups' future. The impending tour, which stops in Boston May 15, allows for a bringing-together of the three.
N.E.R.D. will be at the Pearl Street Night Club Saturday, March 1. The show starts at 8:30, and general admission tickets are $25 at the door, $22.50 in advance through the venue's Web site, www.iheg.com.
Ian Nelson can be reached at inelson@student.umass.edu.
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