N.E.R.D.'s new album 'Fly Or Die' set for release March 23rd

NEW YORK (NERD Official newsletter) - N.E.R.D. � comprised of Chad Hugo, Pharrell Williams, and rapper Shae (Sheldon Haley) � is the alter ego of Grammy winners Chad and Pharrell's production team the Neptunes, the most successful hitmaking production team on the charts for the past three years. But all connections to the Neptunes cease when N.E.R.D. is in the picture. The thrash-around, do-as-you-will, set-your-soul-on-fire offspring adheres to no agenda � allowing the chemistry of Pharrell, Chad and Shae to explore the sounds, emotions and impulses of self and society, of identity and belonging: of life.

"Fly Or Die" is the highly anticipated follow-up to 2002's In Search Of..., "but that was only the beginning. Those were only doors to this other dimension and with this album we are there," says Shae of N.E.R.D.'s debut. Recorded over the last year in the group's hometown of Virginia Beach, as well as New York and Los Angeles, the new album finds N.E.R.D. dismissing former backup band Spymob in favour of doing it themselves.
"We've always played our own instruments in everything we do, but we convert them into programming for the final tracks. For "Fly Or Die", we decided to pick up the instruments and play ourselves and leave it like that. It's more honest and people don't know this side to us yet," says Chad.

"Fly Or Die" represents influences ranging from classic rock and Beatles-esque pop to old school funk and new wave. ""Fly Or Die"," for example, is a heartfelt song about a teenager facing real issues and choices in his life.