Looking Back: The Neptunes Sound......Didn't really age that well.

[king milaac]

Am I the only one who feels the whole Neptunes sound didn't age well at all? 

I was one of the biggest Neptunes fans back in the late 90's to the early 2000's. I was blown away the first time I heard "Superthug," and became a huge fan of the over processed kicks, high pitched snares, spacey toms, clavs, etc etc. 

Fast forward to 2013 and I rarely, if ever, play any Neptunes produced records. With the exception of a few tracks, the majority of their catalog has no replay value for me whatsoever. Some songs I can't bare to listen to entirely without getting a headache. 

On the contrary, a lot of other music from that time still remain timeless. Take for example, Kanye's old stuff, like College Dropout, that album reinvents itself to me everytime I hear it. 

 

[meek meals]

Boy you crazy

 

[sonoftony]

please bring back the wait period. please

 

[awwsome]

Oh.

 

[king milaac]

Boy you crazy

This is one of the few exceptions that I'll keep around. Maybe stuff like

Jay Z "Allure"

Common "Come Close"

Usher "U don't have to call"

are a few that I can still play, those come to mind now but I'm sure there are more, but overall the sound IMO didn't age well.  

 

[philosophiae dr]

 

[flacobey]

I see where you're coming from OP

 

[powerballin]

The Neptune sound is for year 3000 we just got it early.  Don't worry

 

[victor page]

Didn't age well my ***.

People are still going to them for that sound.

 

[obeahmyal7]

Good topic, OP. Your point about engineering a "sound" is well taken. As a producer myself, the biggest challenge is trying to devise unique drum patterns, filtering effects, and a rhythmic quality that is identifiable. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and of course Dilla Dog mastered these elements of beat production.

"Timelessness" is an entirely separate issue. Whereas Pete and Jay Dee's music have aged incredibly well, I think Premo's style belongs to a particular moment in time that doesn't translate well today. Something about the bells and continuous looping of a jazz horn section seems "so '90s." And I mean that with all the respect in the world for early '90s New York hip hop. 

The question here is not whether a producer is in demand. That's a question of popular culture and the external demands placed upon an artist to rhyme over a formulaic construction. I'm talking about the rare feat of having the selection of samples and arrangements seem like they were composed last week. 

 

[deleted]

I agree somewhat.

 

[king milaac]

Good topic, OP. Your point about engineering a "sound" is well taken. As a producer myself, the biggest challenge is trying to devise unique drum patterns, filtering effects, and a rhythmic quality that is identifiable. DJ Premier, Pete Rock, and of course Dilla Dog mastered these elements of beat production.

"Timelessness" is an entirely separate issue. Whereas Pete and Jay Dee's music have aged incredibly well, I think Premo's style belongs to a particular moment in time that doesn't translate well today. Something about the bells and continuous looping of a jazz horn section seems "so '90s." And I mean that with all the respect in the world for early '90s New York hip hop. 

The question here is not whether a producer is in demand. That's a question of popular culture and the external demands placed upon an artist to rhyme over a formulaic construction. I'm talking about the rare feat of having the selection of samples and arrangements seem like they were composed last week. 

This. Timelessness in Hip Hop is so rare, especially given how fickle the fans of the genre are. I think it has to do with being able to create a sound, or emotion, that can recreate itself over and over again throughout a listeners life, as he/she ages, the song ages with them.

So much of the Neptunes sound, as well as DJ Premier (100% agree with the above), are so stuck in that particular time, and don't have the ability to reinvent itself  as the years go on. For the Neptunes, the drum patterning is what I can't mess with now, the staccato hi hats and shakers, cheesy toms, heavy kicks, that stuff sounds terrible to me now. 

In regard to recent music, I feel that Kendrick Lamar's catalog will be listenable 10 years from now, the guy has a superb ear for beats. 

 

[scotthallwithapick]

Some? Yes. Most or even half? Hell nah.

 

[cocotaso1]

see 3:56-5:40 for examples of beats that didnt age well. but when they win its by so much of a landslide those can be forgiven.

 

[penalize]

i listened to nores old album this morning...still fire in '13

 

[Maximus Meridius]

Nah. A lot of their beats from 10 years ago still sounds dope and better than the recycled beats we keep hearing now. Them and Tim's production aged well IMO.

The Neptunes run between 01 - 06 was crazy. Everything they touched was fire.

 

[antidope]

16 posts in and no mention of Grindin. I dont understand

 

[ilike turtles]

Mann bump that. The Neptunes sound lives on forever! Soooo many of their old tracks still get heavy spins from me at least. There's a reason why they were named producer of the decade. They've produced hits for so many artists and it didn't matter what genre of music it was (hip-hop, pop, r&b, dancehall). I remember I was at this club last summer and the DJ played nothing but classic Neptunes hits for like a good 15-20 mins. Everything from" Superthug" and "Southern Hospitality" to JT's "Like I Love you". And I'll tell you man, everyone in the club went bananas.

 

[victor page]

And ya'll only talking rap.

In Search Of is still being discovered by new fans.

I know 90s babies who keep that in rotation and they weren't of age when that dropped.

 

[Hahahaha]

Said this in the Justin Timberlake thread.

Their beats didn't age well at all, a lot of songs I can't even listen to and I was a huge fan. Some songs still sound great though. Off the top of my head, some of those beats on Justified and Ghetto Fabolous are awful now.

 

[JRaW’d]

agreed, although i think its mostly applies to their old hip-hop beats. as far as their n.e.r.d. rock vibe, not so much...

this is the case with most keyboard heavy/spaced out sound producers. same deal with timberland...

 

[illphillip]

Eh. Some people will have these opinions about any music by artist from any particular timeframe.

Its not like I have the same reaction to "Through The Wire" now as I did however long ago.

But c'mon.....

 

[airjordan jb23]

N.E.R.D. albums - classic
Clipse albums - classic
Justified - classic
All his work with Jay - classic

You can't say that none of those ^^ albums didn't age well.

Not to mention all their work with Lupe, Luda, T.I., Kelis, Snoop, Slim Thugg, etc.

Im not gonna mention In My Mind because that was just P producing, but even the replay value on that still goes flawlessly.

Plus all their hit singles still go to this day... Whether the tracks with Britney, Mystikal, Fab, Diddy, etc (& that's not even counting the above names in my post)... Those are some tracks that weren't just hot for their time, you can throw those on & they still go after all these years.

& you still have artists going to them (more so to just Pharrell lately) for that same sound after all these years... The heat that's been releasing whether Chasin Papers, Gotta Have It, Presidential, Nuclear, Rise Above, Good Kid, still has that classic Neptunes sound & its still sought after.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

\V/

 

[king milaac]

N.E.R.D. albums - classic
Clipse albums - classic
Justified - classic
All his work with Jay - classic

You can't say that none of those ^^ albums didn't age well.

Not to mention all their work with Lupe, Luda, T.I., Kelis, Snoop, Slim Thugg, etc.

Im not gonna mention In My Mind because that was just P producing, but even the replay value on that still goes flawlessly.

Plus all their hit singles still go to this day... Whether the tracks with Britney, Mystikal, Fab, Diddy, etc (& that's not even counting the above names in my post)... Those are some tracks that weren't just hot for their time, you can throw those on & they still go after all these years.

& you still have artists going to them (more so to just Pharrell lately) for that same sound after all these years... The heat that's been releasing whether Chasin Papers, Gotta Have It, Presidential, Nuclear, Rise Above, Good Kid, still has that classic Neptunes sound & its still sought after.

Spoiler: Warning: Spoiler!

\V/

Personally I think N.E.R.D is terrible. I'm a HUGE fan of rock music, and N.E.R.D is awful. I do agree with you on Justified, and the majority of Jay tracks though. 

 

[victor page]

Personally I think N.E.R.D is terrible. I'm a HUGE fan of rock music, and N.E.R.D is awful.

Bye.