JOY FEELINGS MAGAZINE January 2016 issue | Page 14

In the early 1990s, Hugo and Williams formed a four-piece "R&Btype" group, the Neptunes, with friends Shay Haley and Mike
Etheridge. They later entered a high school talent show where they
were discovered by Teddy Riley, whose studio was next to Princess
Anne High School. After graduating from high school, the group
signed with Riley.
Through working with Riley, Williams went on to write a verse and
help produce for Wreckx-N-Effect's 1992 hit "Rump Shaker".That
same year, he also performed a small rap solo on SWV's second hit,
"Right Here (UK Remix)". Williams and Hugo met rap
duo Clipse in Virginia Beach in 1993, where they were signed
to Arista Records through Williams' Star Trak
Entertainment imprint. In 1994, Hugo and Williams had established
themselves as a production duo under their old name "The
Neptunes", and assistant-produced "Tonight's The Night"
from Blackstreet's self-titled album. Over the next three years they
continued to produce occasionally, and some of the results had little
resemblance to the Neptunes' sound later. However, some
like Mase's 1997 song "Lookin' at Me" from his album Harlem
World, and the most definite beginning of the distinctive "Neptunes
sound", came with N.O.R.E's "Superthug" in 1998, reaching
number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100, and gaining them widespread
attention for the first time. In 1999, a mutual friend introduced
Williams to Kelis, and their resulting collaboration produced her
first album Kaleidoscope.

Pharrell Williams in Berlin, March 2005

Joy feelings mag

Page 14