You've heard of N.E.R.D, right? Sure you have. Have you heard of the Neptunes? Yes, the most successful hip hop production team has changed the landscape of hip hop, pop and R&B, creating some of the phattest sounds for Jay-Z, Mystikal, the Backstreet Boys, Usher, Kelis and No Doubt. Well, if you’ve heard of them, then you’ve heard of N.E.R.D. N.E.R.D is the Neptunes and the Neptunes are N.E.R.D.
Pharrel and Chad have added their friend Shay to the mix and created one of the most eclectic sounds ever heard in music today. Mixing everything from hard hip hop beats to black psychedelic pop to classic rock to new wave, N.E.R.D’s first album as a group, In Search Of…; is a journal of sorts for the group that is ahead of its time, shows a real passion for music of old and a thirst for creating the sound of the future.
I respected this CD from beginning to end. Each song is different; each song provides the listener with a different sound, a different reason to enjoy the Neptunes. There are no recycled beats here. The Neptunes have truly created something fresh for everyone to enjoy.
The opening track, Lap Dance with Vita, is hot, however I don’t think this song is really about lap dances. It's so real/It's How I Feel/It's this society/That makes a nigga wanna kill/I'm just straight ill/Ridin' my motorcycle down the streets/While politicians is soundin' like strippers to me/They keep sayin' but I don't wanna hear it.../Oooh baby you want me?/Oooh baby you want me?/Oooh baby you want me?/Well you can get this lap dance here for free/Now you can get this lap dance here for free/Well you can get this lap dance here for free/Oooh baby you want me?/Now you can get this lap dance here for free.
I sensed a political message, but the video for this song is hot. Pharrel blows it up here with a kick ass beat and the hook is just as hot as the video. Damn, Vita has a great sound and the Neptunes know how to put the right guests on to each track. For instance, Truth or Dare features Kelis, who shows us just how good she is and why the Neptunes and Vita were able to create the mega hit Milkshake.
Also, I really enjoyed Provider, which really shows off just how diverse Pharrel is. This song is real deep and there is a message here if you listen for it. So it's just like I said before/Heading down 95/Dodging Johnny law/I don't need a ticket though I never got one/If he pulls me over/He can feel my shotgun/I think about life pull down my hat/It's just like this road I don't know where I'm at/I don't want to be another cocaine story/Will I find my sanity/Where I find my glory/Come on/Goodbye beloved one/Do you know what I am/If you don't see my face no more/I'm a provider girl, gotta face the streets tonight/Goodbye beloved one/Do you know what I am/You don't see my face no more/I'm a rider, girl gotta face the streets tonight/You say you don't want me to go but I have to/Please don't weep/I love you/I refuse to be a bum/Especially coming where I'm from/I'm a provider girl/And I love you.
Aside from that, Pharrel’s delivery is just on the mark, catchy as ever and reminiscent of the sound he uses to propel his latest hit, I Just Want to Love Ya. That, along with the awesome, infectious, hard rocking rap tune, Rock Star, which just has me singing You can’t be me/I’m a rock star, over and over again, rounds out the CD, making this a perfect selection for any collection.
Rock, funk, hip hop, everything; you name it; the Neptunes are not afraid to take risks and its that lack of fear that separates this CD from the rest of the pack. The Neptunes know music. They are nerds in every sense of the word, but this time, instead of making hits for everyone else, they’ve made one for themselves.
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