| NFS Carbon Music Artist Spotlight
PHARRELL
NFS Carbon Music Artist Spotlight - Pharrell Williams has already made history for being one of the most successful and prolific producers to emerge during the last decade. As part of the beat-making duo The Neptunes, Pharrell and his partner Chad Hugo have helped A- L ist pop stars sell millions of albums and even earn Grammy Awards for Producers of the Year and with the likes of Justin Timberlake, Nelly, and Usher.
While producers are typically faceless, behind-the-scenes types, Pharrell has managed to become a star in his own right. It is usually his voice behind the infectious choruses for his hits, and his handsome face has been known to steal scenes in the accompanying music videos. He is a member of the alternative rock trio N.E.R.D., a teaming with Chad and childhood friend Shae Thornton, which has released two critically acclaimed, platinum albums. Plus, he has already had his own hit. His song "Frontin'," from the 2003 compilation The Neptunes Present…Clones, undoubtedly sparked the buzz.
The timing could not be better for Pharrell to make his long-anticipated solo debut, In My Mind, on his Interscope distributed Star Trak Records.
Interaction with supportive fans encouraged the Virginia Beach native to record an entire album. "The fans, when they come up to me, they just treat me like I've had an album," Pharrell says. "So I started thinking, 'What am I doing?' Maybe I should do an album."
In early 2005, Pharrell began working on In My Mind, an album that captures both his hip-hop and R&B personas. Pharrell explains, "The hip-hop songs are more the introspective side of my view and how I look at life, and the R&B stuff is the more vulnerable side."
On the album's first single "Can I Have It Like That" featuring Gwen Stefani, Pharrell displays his solid rap chops over a nostalgic hip-hop grove reminiscent of something from LL Cool J's 1987 album I'm Bad. He gets his mack game on for the Latin-tinged "Mamacita" featuring Reggaeton king Daddy Yankee. And he uses marching band drums and thematic guitars for extra effect on "Keep It Playa" with Slim Thug.
As far as vulnerabilities are concerned, Pharrell gets serious on the R&B tracks. For "Angel," "Can I Have It Like That"'s co-lead single, Skateboard P contemplates meeting his girl's father. He and Jay-Z trade stories of dating younger women on the 80's, pop-leaning "Young Girl." But he still gets as nasty as he wants to be on the self-explanatory, Prince-influenced "Creamsicle."
It is Pharrell's songs of encouragement that further separate In My Mind for other hip-hop records. The biographical "Best Friend" shares touching memories about his youth and late grandmother. The jazz infused "You Can Do It Too" tells listeners not to be afraid to pursue their dreams. And, the uplifting prayer "Our Father" conveys gratitude for his success and asks for forgiveness for his shortcomings.
Though Chad did not work on In My Mind, he still spent time in the studio with Pharrell, watching him work. Chad says he feels inspired when listening to the album. "We came from a small town which makes you kinda go through a lot," Chad adds. "Virginia is sorta like this 9 to 5 town that our parents probably didn't even expect us to take our music this far, and we've started out at band camp and we thought that was going to be it after a while. But we took that love and applied it, and I think his message is that you could do it too. And that's how I feel when I listen to his stuff."
(NFS Carbon Music Artist Spotlight - PHARRELL continues on page 2)
go to page 2 |
