Release Date:
Tuesday, March 12, 2002
Artist:
N.E.R.D.
The Neptunes are the beat maestros behind hits for Jay-Z and Britney, among others, but can they turn the same trick for themselves? Judging by the wild mix of funk, soul, hip-hop, and rock juiced into the grooves of their debut (under their performance pseudonym, N.E.R.D.), we’ll say yes. It’s a thinking man’s aphrodisiac—all snarling riffs, grinding club beats, and bass lines that could give you directions to Sly Stone’s house. Even better, N.E.R.D. rock it all with a cool freakiness that makes Prince seem like, well, a nerd.