The Neptunes


The Neptunes is an American production duo composed of Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo, formed in Virginia Beach, Virginia in 1990. Williams often provides additional vocals on records and appears in music videos, unlike Hugo, who tends to stay behind the scenes.
The Neptunes are considered one of the most acclaimed and commercially successful producers in music history. Throughout their career, they have produced hit songs for a multitude of artists, including Britney Spears, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Beyoncé, Nelly, Gwen Stefani, and Snoop Dogg. In 2009, Billboard ranked the Neptunes number one on their list of the top 10 producers of the decade.
The Neptunes were announced to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame as a part of the 2020 class.

History

Williams and Hugo met at a summer camp for the school of The Gifted and Talented in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where Williams played drums and Hugo played tenor saxophone. Upon entering a local talent contest in 1992 as the Neptunes, they were discovered by Teddy Riley, whose studio was close to Williams' school. Through working with Riley, the Neptunes wrote Wreckx-N-Effect's 1992 song "Rump Shaker" while still in school. They also produced for Riley's group Blackstreet.
In 1998, The Neptunes produced New York City-based rapper Noreaga's single "Superthug". They also produced Ol' Dirty Bastard's 1999 single "Got Your Money" featuring singer Kelis. The duo went on to produce the entirety of Kelis' debut studio album, Kaleidoscope. The Neptunes produced hip hop duo Clipse's album, Exclusive Audio Footage, which was intended to be their debut album before eventually being shelved. Williams and Hugo formed the band N.E.R.D. in 1999 with Shay Haley. In 2000, The Neptunes produced Jay-Z's single "I Just Wanna Love U " from his fifth studio album, , and Mystikal's "Shake Ya Ass", from his fourth studio album, Let's Get Ready.
In 2001, N.E.R.D. released their debut studio album, In Search of..., featuring production from the Neptunes. In the same year, the Neptunes gained their first worldwide hit with Britney Spears' single, "I'm A Slave 4 U", for her eponymous third studio album, Britney. In 2002, the Neptunes produced Nelly's U.S. number one hit single, "Hot in Herre". The Neptunes wrote and produced the majority of Justin Timberlake's debut solo album, Justified, including lead singles "Like I Love You", "Rock Your Body", and "Señorita".
In 2003, the Neptunes released a self-credited album called The Neptunes Present... Clones, featuring songs and remixes from various Star Trak artists. This album topped the US Billboard 200 Albums Chart. The Neptunes won "Producer of the Year" at the 2004 Grammy Awards.

Discography

Albums

Singles

Awards and nominations

The duo has received numerous awards, such as from the Grammy Awards, where they were nominated every year from 2004 to 2007. The Neptunes have received three Grammy Awards: "Producer of the Year, Non-Classical", "Best Pop Vocal Album" for Justified and "Best Rap Song" for "Money Maker". Overall, The Neptunes have received six awards from eighteen nominations.

Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards

The Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop Awards are sponsored by Billboard magazine and held annually in December.

Grammy Awards

The Grammy Awards are awarded annually by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States.