Pharrell Williams

Before launching a successful solo career, Virginia-born Pharrell Williams dominated the airwaves from behind the scenes as half of the R&B/hip-hop production duo The Neptunes, whose credits include hits from Justin Timberlake ("Rock Your Body"), Britney Spears ("I'm A Slave 4 U"), Gwen Stefani ("Hollaback Girl"), Snoop Dogg ("Drop It Like It's Hot"), Jay-Z ("I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)", and Nelly ("Hot In Herre"), among others. In 2003, the Australian publication The Age reported that 20% of songs on British radio at the time were Neptunes productions, as well as a whopping 43% in the US.

Williams and his Neptunes partner, Chad Hugo, were former classmates who reunited at a summer music camp for gifted kids (Williams played the drums; Hugo played the sax). Originally performing as a hip-hop group with their friends Shay Haley (aka rapper Shade) and Mike Etheridge, they were discovered at a local talent contest by producer Teddy Riley, the inventor of New Jack Swing. Williams initially wanted to be a soul singer, but Riley steered him toward songwriting and producing, with a writing credit on Wreckx-n-Effect's 1992 hit "Rump Shaker." As The Neptunes, he and Hugo cut their teeth on Noreaga's 1998 single "Superthug," which was a #1 hit on the rap chart.

Williams and Hugo reunited with Shay Haley to form the hip-hop/rock band N.E.R.D. in 1999. They issued their debut album, In Search Of…, in 2001.