N.E.R.D. In Search Of... Virgin Records, 2002   Buy it online Reviewed by John McCormack	Hip-hop's hottest production team, the Neptunes -- responsible for Mystikal's "Shake Ya Ass," ODB's "Got Your Money," and Britney Spears' "Slave" -- push the boundaries of conventional hip-hop and drop a scathing solo bomb on playas and playa-haters alike. Adopting the acronymic guise N.E.R.D. (No one Ever Really Dies) for their first venture into solo work, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo dip into their seemingly endless reserve of artistic genius to remind us all why we got into hip-hop in the first place -- for the fun of it. Showcasing a love of everything from 60s pop and Steely Dan to heavy metal, In Search Of… takes the fun, innocence and energy of 80s rap and gives it a 21st-century beat. Williams and Hugo, who actually met while in the high school band, aren't your typical hip-hop heroes. Natives and current residents of Virginia Beach, they clearly don't come from the same hard background or lifestyle as some of their industry peers. Most of the time sporting Dickies workpants, mesh hats, and 70s metal-band tees, Williams and Hugo bring an untapped style and perspective to a much-overplayed bling-bling industry image. Their success comes as no surprise to anyone who's been following their production work, but it does to them. Often quoted as saying they never thought two guys like themselves could pull any of this off, In Search Of... appears to be an ultra-clever inside joke. And a damn funny one at that. With In Search Of…, N.E.R.D. serve up a steady diet of dance floor anthems, bedroom grooves and funk-metal jams. On "Lapdance," which opens with an apocalyptic guitar hook and drumbreak guaranteed to fill the dancefloor, N.E.R.D. unleash an onslaught of seminal beats, indelible rhymes, and b-boy bravado, Virginia Beach-style. On later tracks, such as "Tape You," "Run To The Sun" and "Stay Together," N.E.R.D. conjure up an enticing fusion of jazzed-out Steely Dan and late 80s Prince seduction. They even have a go at thrash on "Rock Star," one of their two joints to date with a video. Originally recorded nearly a year ago as a collage of electronic instrumentation and 808 beats, In Search Of… saw its first and only release in France. Re-recorded half a year later, this time backed by funk metal band Spymob, who follow N.E.R.D. on tour, In Search Of… will now see a worldwide release. Nearly every new "live" version, minus "Lapdance," improves upon its predecessor. Now, with a long-overdue American release, N.E.R.D.'s acceptance into the mainstream is all but assured. Coming at a time when hip-hop success is more dependent on how much you flex and how much ice you've got, In Search Of… is a much-needed breath of fresh air. | June 2002   John McCormack is a freelance writer and music enthusiast.	Tracks 1: Lapdance 2: Things Are Getting Better 3: Brain 4: Provider 5: Truth Or Dare 6: Tape You 7: Run To The Sun 8: Baby Doll 9: Am I High 10: Rock Star 11: Bobby James 12: Stay Together