That chemistry was still intact on “Punch Bowl,” the Clipse reunion track off Nigo’s I Know Nigo album: “The thing that was beautiful to me was seeing those old patterns of working. He always was the person to find more greatness and could find unorthodox sounds that made a perfect match with what it is that we had done vocally.” We might even leave, and maybe Chad would stay back, or come in that night behind us. “Because he’d find more magic in a record that I would think was finished. “Chad was always the x-factor to us,” he adds, referring to the Clipse, the hardcore rap duo Pusha formed with his brother No Malice before going solo, and for whom the Neptunes produced two classic albums. When I ask him how the duo collaborates, he’s initially reluctant, only elaborating in a follow-up conversation: But where Pharrell over time made the transition from faceless producer to internationally-famous vocalist, Chad has remained something of a private figure, an enigma even. The hyper-condensed version: Chad and Pharrell met at band camp, bonded in school and were discovered by legendary producer and New Jack Swing pioneer Teddy Riley at a high school talent show. The Neptunes origin story is well-documented. But things seem to have cooled off: Although the Neptunes were credited on the recent Nigo track “Punch Bowl,” Pharrell appears solo on other recent production credits, and the once-busy Neptunes Instagram account has been deactivated. Just the thought of Hugo and Williams working together again was exciting- the Neptunes dominated the late ’90s through mid ’00s, crafting hits for Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Usher, Gwen Stefani et al, while collapsing conventional styles into a continually inventive sound that blurred rap, R&B, rock, pop and dance. In 2020, Chad and Pharrell made waves by convening sessions at Pharrell’s Miami compound for old collaborators and new. Neptunes credits slowed in the last 10 years, as Pharrell did more solo work as both artist and producer.
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