Showing posts with label N.E.R.D.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label N.E.R.D.. Show all posts

Tuesday, June 25, 2024

The Neptunes - My Drive Thru (2011)

In 2005 Star Trak signed rapper Slim Thug and released his debut album, 'Already Platinum', with singles from it giving Star Trak Entertainment yet more hits with 'Like A Boss' and 'I Ain't Heard Of That'. After the release of Slim Thug's album, Geffen Records was partially absorbed into Interscope, which moved Star Trak into an exclusive distribution deal with Interscope, which ended all business with Geffen, although they did still manage to add Kenna and Robin Thicke to their roster. In 2006 Williams released his debut solo album, 'In My Mind', which provided another two hits for the label, 'Can I Have It Like That' with Gwen Stefani, and 'Number One' with Kanye West, and it capitalized on what had become 'the Neptunes sound'. Other releases in 2006 were Robin Thicke's second album, 'The Evolution Of Robin Thicke', and Clipse's second album, 'Hell Hath No Fury', featuring the hit single 'Mr. Me Too'.  This was their first release through their Re-Up Gang Records imprint, but because of constant delays on the album's release date, then low record sales, Clipse asked for a release from the Jive Records label, which in turn released them from Star Trak Entertainment, moving their Re-Up Gang Records imprint to Columbia Records. Further signings to Star Trak included Teyana Taylor, Chester French, Natasha Ramos, Epoch When and Sergio Veneno, and in 2007, Kenna released his album, 'Make Sure They See My Face', on Interscope, with production from the Neptunes. In this final compilation of rare and unreleased productions from the duo, we have a dozen tracks from 2007 to 2011. I was quite pleased with the cover when I found that there really was a drive thru called Neptune Submarine Sandwiches. 



Track listing

01 Heart Beat (Pharrell Williams feat. Nicole Scherzinger)
02 My Drive Thru (N.E.R.D. feat. Julian Casablancas & Santigold)
03 Gone Away (Joe & Pharrell Williams)
04 Get Down (Rick Ross feat. Pharrell Williams)
05 Let Loose (N.E.R.D.)
06 Not My Fault (Chris Brown)
07 Devastation (Omarion)
08 BabyGirl (R. Kelly) 
09 My Ex Girlfriend (Bobby Valentino feat. Pharrell)
10 Soldier (N.E.R.D. feat. Santigold, Fam-Lay & Lil' Wayne)
11 Bridges (Cee Lo Green) 
12 Lazer-Gun Carryin' (N.E.R.D.)

Friday, June 14, 2024

The Neptunes - Big White Spaceship (2006)

In 2001 the Neptunes formed the Star Trak label, which was partially funded by Arista Records (from Bertelsmann Music Group) in a joint-venture. Pharrell Williams would sign longtime friends, Clipse, and release their debut album, 'Lord Willin'', on the label in 2002, led by the hits 'Grindin'', 'When The Last Time', and 'Ma, I Don't Love Her'. After the success of the album, the label would sign Kelis, Vanessa Marquez, Fam-Lay, N.E.R.D and pop rock band Spymob, who had provided backing instruments for N.E.R.D's debut album 'In Search Of....'. The label released a compilation album during the summer of 2003, entitled 'The Neptunes Present... Clones', featuring songs and remixes from various Star Trak artists. In late 2003, Star Trak Entertainment released the highly successful album, Tasty, by Kelis led by the hit single 'Milkshake', and in early 2004, Star Trak linked with EMI's Virgin Records for a new distribution deal. In the second of three compilations of rare and unreleased productions from the Neptunes, here are some of their lesser-known productions from 2002 to 2006.



Track listing

01 SOS Baby (Robin Thicke) 
02 Operator (Ol' Dirty Bastard feat. Clipse & Pharrell Williams)
03 Big White Spaceship (Pharrell Williams feat. Timbaland & Magoo) 
04 Wifey (Usher feat. Pharrell) 
05 My First Time (Beyonce) 
06 Want You To Know (Vanessa Marquez feat. Justin Timberlake) 
07 Another Life (Robin Thicke)
08 If You Keep On Askin' (Vanessa Marquez) 
09 Only One (Usher feat. Pharrell) 
10 Friends Are (Vanessa Marquez) 
11 Locked Away (N.E.R.D.)
12 What's A Guy Gotta Do (Usher)
13 Til the Morning [MJB Demo] (Natasha Ramos)

Tuesday, May 28, 2024

The Neptunes - Love, Euphoria (2001)

The Neptunes are an American songwriting and production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1992. Williams and Hugo met at a summer camp for the school of the Gifted and Talented in Virginia Beach, where Williams played drums and Hugo played tenor saxophone. On entering a local talent contest in 1992 as the Neptunes, they were discovered by Teddy Riley, whose studio was close to Williams' school, and through working with Riley, the Neptunes wrote Wreckx-n-Effect's 1992 song 'Rump Shaker' while still in school. They also worked with Riley's group Blackstreet, co-writing the single 'Tonight's The Night' from their self-titled debut album. In 1998, they produced New York City-based rapper Noreaga's single 'Superthug', as well as Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1999 single 'Got Your Money' featuring singer Kelis, and this led to the duo producing the entirety of her debut studio album, 'Kaleidoscope', in 1999. In 2000, the Neptunes produced Jay-Z's single 'I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)' from his fifth studio album, 'The Dynasty: Roc La Familia', as well as Mystikal's 'Shake Ya Ass', from his fourth studio album, 'Let's Get Ready', and in 2001, N.E.R.D. released their debut studio album, 'In Search of...', featuring production from the Neptunes. In the same year they gained their first worldwide hit with Britney Spears' single, 'I'm a Slave 4 U', for her eponymous third studio album, 'Britney'. By this time they had also produced a number of tracks from a variety of lesser known artists, many of which remain unreleased, as the artists' record companies couldn't fit them into their release schedules, so in the first of three compilations, here are a dozen Neptunes productions from 1997 to 2001 which have yet to see an official release. 



Track listing 

01 The Funeral (Clipse aka Malice & Pusha T)
02 New Glasses (Alana Davis feat. Pharrell)
03 Make This Run (Royce da 5'9 feat. Pharrell, Le Femme Nikita & Kelis)
04 I Wish It Would Rain Down (Brian McKnight)
05 Hostage (Clipse feat. Tammy Lucas)
06 Seeing Things (Elan feat. Pharrell)
07 I Don’t Know What (Krayzie Bone feat. Kelis )
08 Love, Euphoria (N.E.R.D.)
09 Love Don't Love Me (Eric Benet feat. Clipse & Pharrell)
10 Here Inside (Alana Davis)
11 Got Caught Dealing (Part 1) (Clipse feat. Pharrell & Tammy Lucas)
12 Turn Out The Lights (Tammy Lucas)