N.E.R.D.

Williams and Hugo originally recorded an album for European release in 2001 using the same digital production techniques used on Neptunes productions. However, they decided that if N.E.R.D was to be different from the Neptunes it should sound diff

Williams and Hugo originally recorded an album for European release in 2001 using the same digital production techniques used on Neptunes productions. However, they decided that if N.E.R.D was to be different from the Neptunes it should sound different. This led to them recording the album In Search Of... with the funk-rock band Spymob for worldwide release in 2002.

In Search Of... achieved moderate success in the US: the album reached number 59 on the Billboard 200; its first single, "Lapdance", reached the top 40 on the modern rap charts; and its second single, "Rock Star", reached the top 40 of the modern rock charts in the US. "Lapdance" also went top 40 in the Netherlands and its music video received heavy airplay on American MTV2. The album was well-received by critics even though it was not as successful as the Neptunes' previous productions for Jay-Z, Busta Rhymes, Usher, Babyface, Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake and No Doubt.