Before they found fame as super producers, it was just the cool cats like a pre-Milkshake Kelis who hit up the Neptunes Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo for cuts. Once word got around about how good they were, and stars like Britney Spears came flocking, their production fame increased. But though the offers were great, they also needed an outlet for themselves: enter N.E.R.D., formed with rapper Shay Haley. 2001 saw their debut, In Search Of , which captured the attention of critics and a Shortlist Music Prize. The rock/R&B crossover outfit later gained even more notoriety with 2004s Fly Or Die. But despite the growing fame, Williams seemed to signal the band was over in 2005, by telling BBCs Radio 1, N.E.R.D. is expired, seemingly over a disagreement with their label. He quickly stepped back from the statement a few days later, but the lack of releases from the project over the years left many disheartened. In early 2008 however, N.E.R.D. sent word they were ready for a comeback. The group hit the road in support of their pal Kanye West in Spring 2008 and shot a video with actress Lindsay Lohan in early April. Their long awaited new album, Seeing Sounds, is due out in June.