| We Ain�t Grabbing Our Crotches for No One (from the October 2001 issue of Jane Magazine. --By Kenya Hunt) Having a Neptunes production credit on your song is the equivalent of having the Guess? triangle stuck to your booty in 1987--everybody cool has it, and the ones who don�t are dying for it. �It�s Neptunemania,� says Pharrell Williams, the charismatic, smooth-voiced member of the group, He�s talking about the recent shout-outs that rappers have given them on a ton of nearly overexposed songs. I�m chilling with Pharrell, 28, and Chad Hugo, 27, at their studio in Virginia Beach as they toil on a Beenie Man mix. But whether you�re into hip-hop, pop or rock, the Neptunes, producers of hits for No Doubt, Ludacris, Limp Bizkit, Mystikal and Britney, have got you covered. And now, with the release of In Search Of�, the debut album they made under the moniker N.E.R.D., with the help from their buddy Shay, the fellas are poised to become recognized to more than just Jay-Z. The acronym stands for No One Ever Really Dies (their philosophy about life), but it could also describe the former high school marching band members� low-key image in an industry full of iced-out thugs and gangsta boos. Not tripping off material goods, hip-hop�s whiz kids stand out in understated Pumas and baseball caps. �The corporates want us to grab our crotches and talk about Mercedeses, but we�re more than that. Everybody�s like, �Do you wear Dolce or Stussy? I hear that Lil� Kim hangs out with Donatella. Foxy Brown told me about Gucci.� We want to educate our fans, not show off to them,� says Pharrell, perched on a curb outside the studio. In Search Of�, a funky mix of hip-hop and psychedelic rock that confronts issues like death, love, sex and shady politicians, is the only album to be given four stars by Rolling Stone, then scrapped before it hit the shelves. �We decided to go back and record the whole thing live. It�s more from the heart now. The first version was doo-doo in comparison,� Pharrell says. Big things began to happen for the two after they produced club anthems like Noreaga�s Superthug� and Jay-Z�s �I Just Wanna Love You.� With their music constantly on MTV and BET, the duo�s phone lines began to blow up with people like Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake and Babyface. �I�ve been turning down video requests left and right. We don�t want our fans to think we�re trying to take over,� Pharrell states modestly, as Chad nods in agreement. Now that they have your attention, Chad and Pharrell have some other things in mind. �We should start taking Saturdays and Sundays off,� Pharrell says wistfully to Chad. �We work every day. I haven�t even been on a honeymoon yet,� says Chad, who has been married for three years. But with projects in the works with Destiny�s Child and Mary J. Blige, a break won�t come anytime soon. And I don�t think they really mind. |