The Neptunes: Talent Show N.E.R.Ds

The Neptunes: Talent Show N.E.R.Ds



VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (Wireless Flash) – The Neptunes have produced everyone from Britney Spears to Ludacris, but their new side- project band N.E.R.D had much humbler beginnings – at a high school talent show. According to N.E.R.D. rapper Shay, an early incarnation of the hip hop trio played a talent show where their turntable was in a giant, antique stereo console and their riffs came from a cheap Casio keyboard. The act may sound cheesy, but it worked out well, because super-producer Terry Riley was in the audience and decided right then and there to take N.E.R.D. members Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo on as proteges. Shay didn’t go into producing, but he continued to tag along with Williams and Hugo and even met some of the celebs the duo produced – though he says he can’t remember which ones. N.E.R.D’s debut record In Search Of... is now in stores.

Tue 04-02-02