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MILES: The Neptunes-- Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams,
two guys from Virginia Beach that
would change the sound of pop and hip hop forever.
Their futuristic, funky sound made their productions
instantly recognizable and was the focal point of any dance
party in the early 2000s.
So dust off that old [INAUDIBLE] and trucker hat, because today
we're looking at some of their game-changing hits.
[MUSIC PLAYING]
[MUSIC BRITNEY SPEARS, "BABY ONE MORE TIME"]
MILES: Britney Spears was an innocent girl-next-door type
when she debuted in 1998, but three years later,
when she took that step into sexy womanhood,
she made a Neptunes-produced statement that no one forgot.
[MUSIC BRITNEY SPEARS, "I'M A SLAVE 4 U"]
MILES: "I'm A Slave 4 U" let everyone know,
I'm an adult now, deal with it, and melted TV
screens across the world.
The Neptunes originally had Janet Jackson in mind
for the song, but when she passed,
Britney jumped on the opportunity.
And the rest is history.
MILES: Hey, there's my ex-girlfriend.
She was really cool.
She stole my TV though.
-Like that.
MILES: One year later, Justin Timberlake, just like Britney,
had to make that jump toward sweaty abs and sex appeal.
And after the breakup of NSYNC, the first single
off of his debut solo album would have to be major.
Cue The Neptunes.
When they first met with Justin, they
wanted to make a song that had more of a timeless R&B vibe
and less of that bling-bling.
And their intent is clear with the acoustic guitar
riff and live funk drums of "Like I Love You."
[MUSIC JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE, "LIKE I LOVE YOU"]
MILES: The Star Trak boys aren't just about hip hop
and pop R&B. In 2001, they made it clear
to everyone that they also have a hard rock edge as well.
That year, they dropped the first N.E.R.D. album
and teamed up with No Doubt.
[MUSIC - NO DOUBT, "HELLA GOOD"]
MILES: "Hella Good" is a great example
of The Neptunes' ability to bridge genre gaps.
The track was rock enough to keep existing fans happy
and funky enough to bring in a new audience for No Doubt.
[MUSIC - NO DOUBT, "HELLA GOOD"]
-After the success of "Hella Good,"
Pharrell and Gwen Stefani realized
that they had an undeniable chemistry--
kind of like Sonny and Cher except with,
like, better style.
When Gwen was finishing up her debut solo album, Love.
Angel.
Music.
Baby., she felt that something was missing.
But that all changed once she got in the booth with Pharrell.
[MUSIC GWEN STEFANI, "HOLLABACK GIRL"]
MILES: Whether you thought she said, "Hollaback girl or Harlem
fat girl," there is no way that you will ever forget that song.
Now, I know we haven't talked about any of their rap tracks,
so let's just get right into it.
[MUSIC LUDACRIS, "SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY"]
MILES: There aren't many rap producers that rank higher
than the two Virginia natives.
Their beats were some of the most sought
after by new artists, because the right Neptunes track could
change your career almost instantly.
Ludacris found that out after the big drums, signature
synths, and catchy hook of "Southern Hospitality"
had everyone talking about throwing 'bows, or elbows,
for the ebonically challenged.
[MUSIC LUDACRIS, "SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY"]
MILES: But the biggest example of the transformative power
of a Neptunes beat came in the form of two more Virginia
natives-- Clipse.
The strip-down beat of "Grindin'" is one
of the Neptunes' most recognizable.
Everyone remembers the "grindin'" part.
But the real standouts are the neck-breaking drums
on this track that took Malice and Pusha
T from obscurity to superstardom.
[MUSIC - CLIPSE, "GRINDIN'"]
MILES: That beat was so big that it even
inspired a few copycats.
Anybody else remember "Tipsy" by J-Kwon?
Now that I've armed you with some useful knowledge
about The Neptunes, you can flex your music history muscles
at your next dinner party.
And if you're having a dinner party where you discuss stuff
like The Neptunes, please invite me.
But before you go and bust out the table settings,
click here to start the playlist so
you can see and hear even more classic Neptune-age like this.
[MUSIC SNOOP DOGG, "DROP IT LIKE IT'S HOT"]
MILES: Now play us out, the original queen
of screaming, Kelis.
[MUSIC - KELIS, "MILKSHAKE"]