Photo: Rob Kim (Getty Images)
A new N.E.R.D. album is literally music to the ears of those of us who fell in love with the genre-hopping late-90s group that grew from a Pharrell Williams side-project into one of the most ground-breaking and underrated bands of the past two decades.
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Formed with Williams’ Neptunes producing partner Chad Hugo and childhood friend Shay Haley, N.E.R.D. redefined what hip-hop, soul and R&B could be by incorporating hard rock and funk instrumentation and incorporating a heavy dose of electronica.
N.E.R.D.’s unique sound proved ahead of its time as they garnered critical acclaim and a devoted following, yet remained on the outskirts of mainstream success.
Now, N.E.R.D. is back, bigger and (perhaps) better than ever. Pharrell is a household name now, and he’s lined up A-list collaborators (Kendrick Lamar, André 3000, M.I.A., Future, and Ed Sheeran) for the band’s fifth album, No_One Ever Really Dies. N.E.R.D. made a big splash last week with the release of the first single, “Lemon”, featuring a rapping Rihanna (hear it below).
N.E.R.D. headlined last weekend’s ComplexCon in Long Beach in what fans thought would be their first live show in years, but it turned out to be just a listening party for the new album hosted by the reunited trio.
Regardless, the good news is that new music is coming soon with an album release date expected any day.
No_One Ever Really Dies Tracklist:
1. Deep Down Body Thirst
2. Lemon featuring Rihanna
3. Voilà featuring Gucci Mane and Wale
4. 1000 featuring Future
5. Don’t Don’t Do It featuring Kendrick Lamar
6. Kites featuring Kendrick Lamar and M.I.A.
7. ESP
8. Lightning Fire Magic Prayer
9. Rollinem 7’s featuring André 3000
10. Lifting You featuring Ed Sheeran
11. Secret Life of Tigers
