Groove Magazine Zimbabwe Issue 2 | Page 34

Brief Bio great music! Pharell Williams was born on 5 April 1973 in Virginia Beach, Virginia in the USA. Simply known as Pharell, he is a singer, songwriter, rapper, record producer, musician and fashion designer . He met Chad Hugo in a seventh-grade summer band camp where Williams played the keyboards and drums and Hugo played tenor saxophone. They were also both members of a marching band ; Williams played the snare drum while Hugo was student conductor . In the 1990s, Hugo and Williams formed a four-piece "R&B type" group, The Neptunes, with friends Shay Haley and Mike Etheridge and were discovered by Teddy Riley . The Neptunes produce soul, hip-hop and R&B music. Pharell is the lead vocalist and drummer of rock, funk, and hip-hop band N.E.R.D, which includes Chad Hugo and childhood friend, Shay Haley. The Neptunes, are the production team responsible for most of the hits in the early 2000s and here is the list of their top 15 hit songs: He released his first single “Frontin’ in 2003 and followed up with his debut solo album ”In My Mind” in 2006. His second album, Girl was released on March 3, 2014. As part of The Neptunes’ numerous hit singles, Williams has produced various recording artists. Pharell has earned seven Grammy Awards including two with F