The Neptunes #1 fan site, all about Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo

H&M and Designers Against AIDS (DAA) has once again teamed up with some of the biggest celebrities for Fashion Against AIDS, to help fight the disease and raise youth awareness. Dita Von Teese, Katy Perry, Róisín Murphy, Estelle, Cyndi Lauper, NERD, Robyn, Yoko Ono, Yelle, Moby, Katharine Hamnett, Dangerous Muse, and Tokio Hotel are among the artists who designed T-shirts, T-shirt dresses, vests and bodies for the cause. 25% of the sales price will be donated to youth HIV/AIDS awareness projects. The collection, in 100% organic cotton, for both guys and girls will go on sale in H&M’s youth DIVIDED department from May 28, 2009. “The designs have a real 80’s feel to them, there’s lots of white, bright colours and graffiti-like prints. Girls can wear the pieces with mini’s, or worn denim and big jewellery, while boys can team them with coloured jeans or rolled-up chinos – it all adds to that 80s feeling.

T-Shirt (Blue)
Design: NERD
14.90 €

T-Shirt (Purple)
Design: NERD
14.90 €

Top (Red)
Design: NERD
9.90 €

Fighting AIDS is always of great importance, and H&M is overwhelmed with the enthusiasm and the commitment from each and every celebrity involved in this collection.” Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M head of design. “H&M and Fashion Against AIDS are so important to us because we could never reach so many young people on our own. AIDS is still very much a subject that’s vitally important today. People build their attitude towards their sex lives when they’re very young, so it’s important for them to realize that safe sex is a vital part of that as early as possible.” Ninette Murk, founder, Designers Against AIDS.

*freshnessmag.com
*hm.com

Fashion Against AIDS

According to Brent Paschke (SpyMob guitarist), Timbaland teamed up with NERD to work on the new album again. Timbaland previously worked with NERD on the 2008 single “Everyone Nose” by adding scratches (Uncredited) on the track.
“Getting done w/my day w/ N*E*R*D. In with Pharrell & Timbaland. Capped off the night listening to old school tunes. Love the Star Trak camp! – 11:42 AM May 21st from Tweetie”

N¤E¤R¤D – Everyone Nose (All The Girls Standing In The Line For The Bathroom)

Sony-BMG confirmed that Colombian singer Shakira will release a new single at the end of June, Los40.com reported. The single will be released in both English and Spanish. Los40.com also reported that both versions of the single will appear on her as yet untitled album that will come out in October. The album will be recorded in English and will be launched in an English-speaking country. Five or six months later the album will be released in Spanish. Despite the rumors, the first single from the album will not be a duet. According to Los40.com, it was confirmed that artists Pharrell Williams, Wycleaf Jean, Toby Gad, Gustavo Cerati and Redone will collaborate with the Colombian singer on the album. So we’ll maybe hear a Neptunes single.

*colombiareports.com

Derrty Entertainment R&B singer Avery Storm is close to unvealing his anticipated debut album. Known for lacing songs from Rick Ross and even The Notorious B.I.G.’s “Nasty Girl” with his vocals, Avery Storm will take his own shot at the charts with “Shotgun Love“. The album (”Shotgun Love“), following Rick Ross’ “Rich Off…,” is already packed with industry heavyweights including The Runners, Pharrell Williams, Cool & Dre and DJ Khaled. Speaking of “Shotgun Love” recently, Storm offered: “Based on the response I get from my mixtape and feature songs I CAN’T wait for the people to really hear me and just me.” Storm is hoping to release his lead single early this summer followed by the album. Earlier this year, Storm was featured on Jadakiss’ latest effort, also featuring Mary J. Blige, “The Last Kiss“.

*singersroom.com

Harvard graduates Chester French have most certainly lived up to their Star Trak label expectations, meshing their core rock sound with urban sensibility. HipHopDX recently sat down with D.A. Wallach of Chester French to talk about the groups’ new album, current and future collaborations, and a poor review from Blender magazine. With Love The Future cracking the Billboard’s Top 100 in its first week, D.A. was grateful to the fans that made the effort to grab a copy of their debut album. “In an era where you don’t have to buy records, to me it shows that 7,000 people gave us a vote of confidence in what we’re doing, which is pretty cool.” Supporting other acts such as Common, Lady Gaga and Blink-182 later this summer, Wallach added, “It’s been great to play with all these different type of artists, and I think also it’s helped us develop a base of supporters that are really diverse.”

D.A. told DX that Chester French has worked on some records recently with Bronx rapper Mickey Factz, which will likely be featured on his new album. “We’re helping him revamp a song he already had that he is planning on putting out as a single,” he said. Likewise, the group has collaborated with several other prominent emcees, one of which had the Milwaukee-native star struck. “We’re working on a new record with Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek. We also did a song with Masta Ace, which I was super stoked about because he’s one of my favorite rappers. That song is with Edo G.” When they find time in between touring, Chester French has plans to work on Jacques Jams Vol. 2: Stamina, the sequel to Vol. 1: Endurance. “I’d loved to have Q-Tip on there, Andre 3000 and Malice as well; we love collaborating,” Wallach said. Still, their main focus is keeping their fans pleased with a combination of music, shows, and an intimate connection that money can’t buy. “The relationship we have with our supporters is really the most important thing we cultivate. Anyone who supports us I feel is a part of our band almost. I want them to feel like they’re right there with us.

*hiphopdx.com

Chester French Projects
- Mickey Factz
- Talib Kweli
- Hi-Tek
- Masta Ace & Edo G.

Chester French – Jacques Jams, Vol. 2 (2009)

Fast Company issued a list of 100 Most Creative People In Business and Pharrell made it on #36. “Pharrell Williams knows it all starts with a beat — he got his start on the snare drum in his high-school marching band back in Virginia Beach, Virginia. As half of the production duo known as The Neptunes, he has helped everyone from Britney Spears to Justin Timberlake to Madonna to The Hives find time on the charts. Williams also fronts the funk-rock band NERD, produces a clothing line called Billionaire Boys Club, hawks a line of shoes under the Ice Cream Footwear brand, and designed sunglasses and jewelry for Louis Vuitton. Most recently, Limelight, an updated version of Fame that he created with film director McG, was picked up by ABC. Tapping Williams’s own beat, the show is loosely based on his performing-arts experience in high school.

*fastcompany.com