R.I.P. N.E.R.D. But Neptunes Survive
Uber-producers The Neptunes have killed off their live incarnation N.E.R.D. following an alleged disagreement with Virgin Records. Pharrell Williams spills the beans on the less than acrimonious record label split.
According to Neptunes mainman Pharrell Williams it was a record company dispute that forced an end to the group. While Virgin Records are yet to comment, Williams cites a disagreement with the major label as the reason for the split, though he added he is not looking to make recriminations.
"N.E.R.D. is dead,” he told the BBC. “I don't agree with the management at Virgin Records so we're done. Me and Chad [Hugo, Neptunes partner] still do what we do in the studio, Shay [mono-monikered N.E.R.D. member] is still our best friend, you know, perhaps we'll do some music for our fans and leak it to the internet or something, who knows?
"I've been very quiet about it for the last two years,” he continued. “I'm not here to slander or throw dirt, I'm just not happy, so therefore N.E.R.D. is expired."
While the exact nature of the dispute remains unclear, the Neptunes production team have confirmed they’ll be hitting the studio soon for future work with hip-hop royalty N.O.R.E., Beanie Sigel, P. Diddy, Mary J. Blige, Clipse, Rosco P. Coldchain, FAM-LAY, Vanessa Marquez, Slim Thug and Omarion. Oh, and Mariah Bloody Carey – hell, the boys like a challenge.
N.E.R.D. released two critically acclaimed albums, ‘In Search Of...’ (issued twice, in both electronic and ‘live’ form), and 2004’s ‘Fly or Die’.
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