S. Samuel
Producer Pharrell Williams has explained his past decision not to formally induct singer Rhea into his N.E.R.D. hip-rock group a few years ago.
According to Pharrell, Rhea’s music did not necessarily fit the N.E.R.D. brand.
As recently as Jay-Z‘s Blueprint 3 Tour, N*E*R*D toured with songstress Rhea. The lovely singer was long rumored to be added as a fourth member to the band consisting of Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley. Pharrell told the Associated Press this week, why Rhea was never formally added. “She needed her own band to do the kind of music that she does, which is R&B,” said the bandleader, Skateboard P. Rhea’s role with N*E*R*D* in recent years is something he referred to as experimentation. (Hip Hop DX)
Details on Rhea being “kicked out” from N.E.R.D. landed online earlier this year.
Although Rhea performed with N.E.R.D. throughout the year and Pharrell confirmed her as their newest group member in October it seems that Rhea is no longer part of N.E.R.D. According to BOSSIP sources Rhea was kicked out of N.E.R.D. VERY RECENTLY “because they didn’t think her sound matched with N.E.R.D.’s style, which I don’t understand, because she never really did. Her sleeping around was also a problem.” Our source confirmed that while she claims to be in her twenties Rhea is actually 32. (Bossip)
Last October, Williams confirmed Rhea’s addition to N.E.R.D.
“Musically, we’re just somewhere else [with her],” Pharrell said in an interview. “The music is now very 3-D. It’s something you have to hear. But you’ll see. We’re definitely somewhere else. I want to leave that impact moment for when you purchase your download and you purchase your CD. The music is very three-dimensional. We’re just really excited. We feel like N.E.R.D. has always been the punks of hip-hop and the outcasts of alternative music — just a little different. But this time, we’re taking no prisoners…Now you have this little Tinkerbell that’s just stepped in and has been amazing…It’s made it a fun process. We can go in so many more directions, because we have the vocal support.” (MTV)
Rhea reportedly auditioned for her spot in N.E.R.D. via the computer application Skype.
Her rendition of “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” impressed the band. “It was just a really good time,” she recalled. “When I came in there and I met them and they heard me sing, I think they decided it was the right fit.” Report that N.E.R.D appointing a female member was brought to surface in August by [Fam-Lay], the rapper signed to The Neptunes‘ label, Star Trak Records. In the same month, the Hip-Hop group, which consist of Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo and Shay Haley, brought Rhea on-stage during their performance at Lovebox in London. (Ace Showbiz)
Check out Rhea and Pharrell performing “Beautiful” below:
