N.E.R.D.

N*E*R*D
Pharrell Williams and Shae Haley from N*E*R*D performing at Pori Jazz 2010
Background information
Origin	Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
Genres	Alternative rock funk funk rock alternative hip hop alternative R&B progressive pop
Years active	1999–present
Labels	Virgin Star Trak Interscope i Am Other Columbia
Associated acts	The Neptunes, Spymob
Website	www.n-e-r-d.com
Members	Pharrell Williams Chad Hugo Shay Haley
Past members	Rhea Dummett Eric Greene

N*E*R*D (a backronym of No-one Ever Really Dies) is an American funk rock band. Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo were signed by Teddy Riley to Virgin Records as a duo, The Neptunes. After producing songs for several artists throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the production duo formed the band with Shay Haley as a side project of The Neptunes in 1999. N*E*R*D's debut album, In Search Of..., sold 603,000 copies in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). It was also awarded the second annual Shortlist Music Prize. The band's second album, Fly or Die, sold 412,000 copies in the United States, but shipped at least 500,000 units, certifying it Gold.

In 2005, N*E*R*D ended their contract with Virgin and disbanded. Three years later, the band reunited under Star Trak Entertainment, a subsidiary of Interscope Records established by Williams and Hugo. The band's third album, Seeing Sounds, released in 2008, sold just under 80,000 copies in its first week. The album was followed by Nothing, which was released in 2010.

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo met at the age of 12 at a band class in Virginia Beach. Hugo was the Drum Major for the Kempsville High School Marching Chiefs, under the direction of current University of Virginia Band Director, William Pease, while Pharrell was a drumline member of the (FMC) The Fabulous Marching Cavaliers of Princess Anne High School, both of Virginia Beach, VA. They spent their free time making beats and performing in groups with fellow childhood friend Timbaland. Williams and Hugo met Shae Haley in high school and began performing together. The trio often met in Hugo's garage, where he beatboxed through a speaker system while Haley danced. After watching the duo perform at a high school talent show, Teddy Riley, a musician and producer, signed Williams and Hugo in 1992. After producing songs for several artists throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, the production duo formed N.E.R.D in 1999 as a side project known for their appearance on Ghetto Children off Kelis' debut Kaleidoscope.