Independent Research Entry: The Neptunes

The Neptunes production duo is comprised of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, and they were presented the honor of being named Producers of the Decade by Billboard. Throughout the 2000’s The Neptunes had production credits on a multitude of songs of various genres on the charts, all the while maintaining their signature sound. Pharrell and Chad met at a summer camp for musicians in Virginia Beach at the age of 12. Their earliest works were with another individual that would go on to become a very popular producer; Timbaland, and they formed the group S.B.I (Surrounded By Idiots). It was at a talent show that Hugo and Williams participated in that the innovator of New Jack Swing, producer Teddy Riley, would discover the twosome and sign them to a contract. While working under the legendary Teddy Riley, they would produce the hit song “Rump Shaker” for Riley’s group Wreckx-N-Effect. When Teddy was asked about his discovery of the future multi-platinum selling team he said, “I could see the talent in those guys and I picked them and I over-ruled the Judge. That night everything they did they just free styled. I saw a real versatility with them… what you have to understand is these guys wanted to learn, they absorbed everything. Pharrell, everything he does is what I done. He has his own style of course, but his work ethic and how he interpreted what he watched is what he watched.” As Pharrell and Chad ventured out on their own, they produced songs for groups like SWV, Teddy Riley’s other group Blackstreet and Bad Boy’s female group Total; along with solo artists such as Taral Hicks, M.C. Lyte and Mase. In 1998 The Neptunes would have their first hit with rapper Noreaga’s “Superthug (What, What).” This was one of the first songs where the “Neptune” name would be put on display through the rapper’s lyrics and fans would become familiar with the duo behind the music. 1999 would see them put out artists on their own Star Trak record label such as Kelis and the Clipse; they even had the honor of working with the legendary Prince on a remix project. The year 2000 is when business really picked up for the Neptunes and their versatility really shined through. No genre was off limits as they produced jazz, rap, reggae, soul, pop, R&B, electronica, dance and rock all within that year alone. Their reputation had grown as hit makers and they worked with the biggest names in all styles of music. The Neptunes gave R&B artists like Faith Evans, Babyface and Toni Braxton pop appeal; and gave pop artists like the Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake success on the urban charts. Vibe magazine has ranked The Neptunes the 3rd greatest hip-hop producers of all-time and they have won two Billboard Awards and three Grammy’s. With a net worth of over $155 million dollars, these young men from Virginia have definitely earned the consideration of being one the greatest all around production teams ever, and they’ve undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the recording industry.

When it comes to the production qualities of The Neptunes, their sound has been described as everything from Middle Eastern, Asian, electronic, funk, futurist and old school just to name a few. A lot of those characterizations contradict themselves, but that’s a perfect example of how broad and diverse their compositions are. On the Neptunes’ own website a blogger wrote, “The Neptunes came at a crucial time in the development of hip-hop. Sampling had been mostly played out and many people were ready for a more original, electro-based sound. The group’s unique mixture of chunky, almost jazz-like keyboard chords, flat stuttering drums and funk rhythms reminiscent of legends like Prince quickly came to dominate the charts.” Outside of Prince, Kraftwerk was a major influence on their ever-present synth heavy productions. Chad and Pharrell are incredible instrumentalists and they’re able to showcase their talents when working with punk bands or when working within their own group, N*E*R*D, along with the “root” of the band their backup vocalist Sheldon “Shay” Haley. If it is hip-hop, pop or R&B, The Neptunes might use a Roland TR-808 drum machine or an Ensoniq ASR-10 sampling keyboard. For years artists and producers have been trying their hardest to replicate the video game-like sounds of the duo, but as often as they are imitated, they have never successfully been duplicated. Prior to Hugo & Williams’ use of synthesizers in their music, famous Compton, California producer and artist Dr. Dre exposed the hip-hop world to the Funkadelic sounds of George Clinton. This incorporation of synth in hip-hop was exclusive to the West coast at the time, creating a melodic contrast to the East’s hard “boom bap” kick heavy beats. The Neptunes globalized the sound that Dr. Dre unveiled to primarily the urban community, making it a standard component in a majority of genres and influencing the way popular music has been shaped.

I own every major release Chad & Pharrell have produced and I have an extensive collection of all their underground and unreleased materials. I’m a huge fan of everything they do and it’s been great seeing them grow and hearing their sounds progress over the past two decades. I am not a person that believes in the saying “Imitation is the greatest form of flattery.” I would rather carve my own niche and forge my own path rather than walk in someone else’s. I admire The Neptunes because they worked under a very influential producer in Teddy Riley, but you didn’t see them trying to emulate his innovation (New Jack Swing). Pharrell and Chad became innovators in their own right and changed the face of mainstream music. As both an industry professional and fan, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to The Neptunes because they reinvigorated my passion on numerous occasions just by hearing something new that they’ve released. Following them as closely as I do, with their upcoming collaborations and newest signees, The Neptunes might be looking to make history repeat itself as they embark on another substantial run at the top!