Super-producers The Neptunes have killed off their live incarnation, N.E.R.D, following an alleged disagreement with Virgin Records.
According to Neptunes’ Pharrel Williams, it was a record company dispute that forced an end to the group. While Virgin Records have yet to comment, Williams cites a disagreement with the major label as the reason for the split, though he added he is not looking to make recriminations.
“N.E.R.D. is dead,” Williams said. “I don’t agree with the management at Virgin Records so we’re done. Me and Chad (Hugo, Neptunes partner) still do what we do in the studio, Shay (third member of N.E.R.D.) is still our best friend, you know, perhaps we’ll do some music for our fans and leak it to the internet or something, who knows?
“I’ve been very quiet about it for the last two years,” continued Williams. “I’m not here to slander or throw dirt, I’m just not happy, so therefore N.E.R.D. is expired.”
While the exact nature of the dispute remains unclear, the Neptunes production team have confirmed they’ll be hitting the studio soon for future work with hip-hop royalty N.O.R.E., P. Diddy, Mary J. Blige, and Mariah Carey, among others.
N.E.R.D. released two critically acclaimed albums, In Search Of… and 2004’s Fly or Die.