The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo,formed in Virginia Beach,Virginia,in 1992. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in the duo's music videos,while Hugo tends to stay behind the scenes.
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams,sometimes known mononymously as Pharrell,is an American record producer,songwriter,rapper,and singer. Alongside close colleague Chad Hugo,he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in the early 1990s,with whom he has produced songs for various recording artists. In 1999,he became lead vocalist of the band N.E.R.D.,which he formed with Hugo and drummer Shay Haley. Williams has been widely referred to as one of the most influential and successful music producers of the 21st century,having had a significant impact on the sound of modern popular music.
Charles Edward Hugo is an American record producer and multi-instrumentalist. Alongside close colleague Pharrell Williams,he formed the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes in 1992,with whom he's 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 now-defunct record label Star Trak Entertainment with Williams in 2001. In contrast to Williams,Hugo typically does not perform on records.
Clipse,also known as The Clipse,is an American hip hop duo,chiefly 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,then changed his stage name to Malice soon after the group's formation,before changing it again to No Malice in 2012 following a conversion to Christianity. The duo were based in Virginia Beach,Virginia,and were heavily affiliated with producer and fellow Virginia Beach native,Pharrell Williams,who convinced the two in 1992 to be a rap duo instead of solo artists. Williams would go on to serve as their label head,main producer and frequent guest artist through most of their career. The duo frequently rapped about the drug dealing they had done in their youth. Clipse was integral in establishing Virginia as one of the East Coast's strongholds in hip hop.
"Boys" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her self-titled third studio album (2001). It was written and produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams. A version of the song titled "The Co-Ed Remix" and featuring guest vocals from Williams was released as the fifth single from Britney on June 24,2002. The new version also served as the second single from the soundtrack of Austin Powers in Goldmember. "Boys" is a R&B and hip hop song,including funk influences. The remix carries a slower tempo than the album version,and both versions were noted by critics to be reminiscent of music by American artist Janet Jackson. Some critics praised Spears and Williams' chemistry,as well as the production on the track,while others did not think the song worked well.
"Drop It Like It's Hot" is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg featuring fellow American musician Pharrell Williams. It was released on September 27,2004,as the lead single from Snoop Dogg's seventh studio album,R&G:The Masterpiece (2005). The song was produced by the Neptunes. It is regarded as an iconic song,with Snoop performing the chorus and the second and third verses while Pharrell performs the first verse.
The Neptunes Present... Clones is a compilation album produced and released by American production and songwriting duo The Neptunes. It was released on August 19,2003 and has been certified Gold by the RIAA. The album featured six singles;"Frontin'" by Pharrell Williams,"Popular Thug" by Kelis,"Light Your Ass on Fire" by Busta Rhymes,“Rock ‘n’Roll”by Fam-Lay,"Hot Damn" by Clipse and "It Blows My Mind" by Snoop Dogg.
"Like I Love You" is the debut solo single of American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake from his debut studio album,Justified (2002),which features American hip hop duo Clipse. It was co-written by Timberlake and the Neptunes,who also produced it. The song was released on September 16,2002,as Timberlake's debut solo single,following the announced hiatus of NSYNC earlier that year. According to Williams,the song's drums were an ode to the funk era.
"Come Close" is a single by rapper Common featuring guest vocals by Mary J. Blige. The song is produced by Chad Hugo and Pharrell's production team,the Neptunes. Peaking at #65 on the Billboard Hot 100,"Come Close" is the only song from Common's 2002 album Electric Circus to make an appearance on the national music chart. It was released in conjunction with a promo video directed by Sanaa Hamri and Questlove of the Roots. The song's lyrics are a loving marriage proposition to Common's then girlfriend Erykah Badu. Jack LV Isles of Allmusic describes it as a "slow-paced dialogue [...] that borders on typical," but will inevitably be a commercial success. Mark Anthony Neal of Pop Matters comments on its mainstream sound saying that it's not a "sell-out" track,just a "fly love song" in which the Neptunes "brought their A-game."
"Frontin'" is the debut single by American musician Pharrell Williams featuring fellow American rapper Jay-Z. It was written by the artists alongside Chad Hugo,who produced it with Williams as the Neptunes. At the time of its release,Williams insisted the single was a one-off,and that he was purely a producer and not an artist in his own right. However,he released his own solo studio album,In My Mind,in 2006.
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.
Nathaniel Johnson,also known as Fam-Lay is an American rapper.
The following is a discography of production by the Neptunes,a production duo consisting of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo.
Terrence LeVarr Thornton,better known by his stage name Pusha T,is an American rapper,songwriter,and record executive. He rose to prominence as one-half of the Virginia-based hip hop duo Clipse,which was mainly active from 1994 to 2010,alongside his older brother No Malice. As Clipse,the two released three studio albums upon signing to Pharrell's Star Trak Entertainment;they became best known for their 2002 debut single "Grindin'".
"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 American musician 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 from Virginia Beach rap duo Clipse. The song was produced by The Neptunes,and featured on the Clipse's debut album,Lord Willin'. The song became a summer Top 40 hit,reaching number 30 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the issue dated August 10,2002.
Til the Casket Drops is the fourth and final studio album by the American hip hop duo Clipse,released in the United States on December 8,2009,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.
"Turnin Me On" is a song by American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson,from her debut album,In a Perfect World... The song features American rapper Lil Wayne who co-wrote the song alongside Hilson and Zachary Anson Wallace. Production credits are shared between Danja and Polow da Don,who also co-wrote the song. Following the minimal chart success of Hilson's worldwide lead single "Energy" in the United States,international markets received "Return the Favor",while "Turnin Me On" was released as the third single in the US.
"Pretty Girl Rock" is a song by American singer-songwriter Keri Hilson,taken from her second studio album,No Boys Allowed (2010). It was released as the lead single internationally and was the second single from that album released in the United States. The song was written by Ne-Yo and Chuck Harmony,who also handled its production. It includes a sample of "Just the Two of Us",which was written by Bill Withers,William Salter and Ralph MacDonald. "Pretty Girl Rock" is a mid-tempo R&B song that features a slinky piano and bouncy R&B beats. Lyrically,the song is a cheeky ode to self-empowerment.
"Supplies" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake for his fifth studio album,Man of the Woods (2018). It was written and produced by Timberlake with Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo of The Neptunes,and released on January 18,2018. Its music video was directed by Dave Meyers. The song was serviced to rhythmic radio on January 23,2018,as the album's second single.
