The Neptunes were an American record production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1992. Williams often provided backing vocals and music video appearances on the duo's productions, while Hugo remained behind the scenes.
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams, often known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American musician, record producer, and fashion designer. He first became known as one half of the music production duo the Neptunes, which he formed with Chad Hugo in 1992. Fifteen of their productions have peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100, which includes four songs that peaked atop the chart. The two also formed the rock and hip-hop band N.E.R.D. with Shay Haley in 1999, for which Williams served as lead vocalist. He has been considered one of the most influential music producers of the 21st century for his impact on popular music.
Charles Edward Hugo is an American record producer. Alongside childhood friend Pharrell Williams, he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in 1992, with whom he has produced numerous hit records for various artists. He is also a member of the band N.E.R.D., alongside Williams and Shay Haley, and co-founded the record label Star Trak Entertainment with Williams in 2001. In contrast to Williams, Hugo does not perform vocals on records.
Clipse, also known as the Clipse, is an American hip hop duo, mainly active from 1994 to 2010. It consists of brothers Gene "No Malice" and Terrence "Pusha T" Thornton. Pusha T was known as Terrar during the group's early years, while No Malice was originally known as Malicious, but changed his stage name to Malice soon after the group's formation, before changing it to No Malice once more in 2012 following his conversion to Christianity. Based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, the duo was discovered by producer and fellow Virginia Beach native, Pharrell Williams, who convinced the artists to work in tandem. Williams served as executive and lead producer for each of their albums, as part of the Neptunes and as a frequent guest performer. As key figures in establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast's strongholds in hip hop, the duo's frequent subject matter is based around illegal drug trade.
Lord Willin' is the major label debut and second studio album by the American hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on August 20, 2002, in the United States by Star Trak and Arista. Recording sessions took place over a year, beginning in 2001. Production was handled by The Neptunes.
Hell Hath No Fury is the third studio album by hip hop duo Clipse. The album was released on November 28, 2006 in the United States by Re-Up, Star Trak and Jive. Recording sessions for the album took place over a period of several years, and suffered numerous delays prior to release. Production was handled by The Neptunes.
Terrence LeVarr Thornton, better known by his stage name Pusha T, is an American rapper. He rose to prominence as one half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, which he formed with his older brother No Malice. Mainly active from 1994 to 2010, the duo were discovered by Pharrell Williams and signed with his record label Star Trak Entertainment, an imprint of Arista Records in 2001. They released three studio albums—Lord Willin' (2002), Hell Hath No Fury (2006) and Til the Casket Drops (2009)—to mild commercial success; the former spawned the Billboard Hot 100-top 40 singles "Grindin'" and "When the Last Time", for which they became best known.
"Mr. Me Too" is a song by American hip hop duo Clipse, released on May 23, 2006 as the lead single from their second studio album Hell Hath No Fury (2006). The song features guest vocals and production by Pharrell Williams. It is considered to be a diss track aimed at fellow American rapper Lil Wayne, after he graced the cover of Vibe magazine with A Bathing Ape hoodie, a brand which was at that time popularized by Clipse. Lyrically, the song is a braggadocio rap record, where the rappers boast about their fashion and style, while denouncing imitators.
"Grindin'" is the debut single by the American hip-hop duo Clipse. The song was produced by the Neptunes, and was issued as the lead single for Clipse's debut studio album, Lord Willin' (2002) on May 14, 2002. The song became a summer top 40 hit, peaking at number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated August 10, 2002.
"Ma, I Don't Love Her" is the third official single from the Clipse off their album Lord Willin'. It features Faith Evans and was produced by The Neptunes. The single was released through Arista Records and The Neptunes's Star Trak Entertainment.
"Hot Damn" is the lead single by Clipse from the Neptunes's compilation album Clones. The song also appears from their debut studio album, Lord Willin' titled as "Cot Damn".
The Re-Up Gang was an American hip hop group formed in 2004, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The group was formed by Pusha T and Malice, brothers and members of Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse, alongside Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and Sandman. The Re-Up Gang is perhaps best known for their signature We Got It 4 Cheap mixtape series.
This is the discography of Clipse, an American hip hop duo consisting of rappers Pusha T and No Malice.
We Got It 4 Cheap is a series of mixtapes released by Virginia hip hop duo Clipse and Philadelphia-based rappers Ab-Liva and Sandman, collectively known as the Re-Up Gang. The series produced 3 mixtapes, entitled as volumes. Volume 1 and 2 was released in 2004 and 2005 respectively, and was hosted by DJ Clinton Sparks. Volume 3 was released in 2008, and was hosted by DJ Drama. The main theme of all three mixtapes is drug trafficking, which has always been a Clipse and Re-Up Gang trademark. A compilation album, Re-Up Gang the Saga Continues was released on April 22, 2008. The album consisted of 13 best tracks from the previously released mixtapes, all remixed and remastered.
Til the Casket Drops is the fourth studio album by the American hip hop duo Clipse, released in the United States on November 10, 2009, by Re-Up, Star Trak and Columbia. It debuted on number 46 on the Billboard 200, selling 31,000 copies in its very first week of availability. The album received generally positive reviews from critics. It is their final project as Clipse, prior to their split and solo ventures.
Fear of God II: Let Us Pray is the major label debut extended play by American rapper Pusha T, released on November 8, 2011, under Decon and G.O.O.D. Music. The EP was his first project with Kanye West's GOOD Music label, since the announcement of his signing in September 2010. Pusha T claims his inspiration for Fear of God is that a vast majority of the people who he came in the music business with are in prison: "I came in the game with super producers. We made hit records. I never thought that it gets deeper. But not for nothing, 2009 I lost eight of my friends to incarceration. Everybody that I came in to the rap game with, and when I realized that those components weren't there anymore, the 'Fear of God' really came over me. It's full of the dichotomy of 'right and wrong' and 'good and evil'. A lot of it deals with greed. A lot of it deals with instant gratification. Personally... life without instant gratification... I don't know what it is."
Gene Elliott Thornton Jr., better known by his stage name No Malice, is an American rapper from Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is best known for being one half of hip hop duo Clipse, alongside his brother and fellow rapper Pusha T. No Malice released his solo debut album Hear Ye Him, in 2013, and his second studio album, Let the Dead Bury the Dead, in 2017.
Wrath of Caine is the second mixtape by American rapper Pusha T, released on January 28, 2013 under GOOD Music and Re-Up Records. The mixtape features guest appearances from Rick Ross, French Montana, Popcaan, Travis Scott, Troy Ave, Kevin Gates, Andrea Martin and Wale. Production varies from Kanye West, Young Chop, Jake One and The Neptunes, among others.
Hear Ye Him is the debut solo studio album by American rapper No Malice. The album was released independently on his 41st birthday, August 18, 2013, by Reinvision. The album features guest appearances from Ab-Liva, Pusha T, Fam-Lay and Jaeson Ma among others.
"Use This Gospel" is a song by American rapper Kanye West from his ninth studio album, Jesus Is King (2019). The song features guest appearances from hip hop duo Clipse and jazz saxophonist Kenny G. It was produced by West, Angel Lopez, DrtWrk, Federico Vindver, and Timbaland, with co-production from BoogzDaBeast and Pi'erre Bourne. The song was recorded as a new version of the leaked track "Law of Attraction", which West came up with in a freestyle session. Clipse's feature on the song marked their reunion, after West requested for a collaboration. A gospel number with a maximalist style, it samples Two Door Cinema Club's "Costume Party" and includes a saxophone solo from Kenny G.
