Biography
Charles "Chad" Hugo (born February 24, 1974), also known as Chad Hugo is an American Grammy Award-winning producer. He is best known as one half of the music production and writing duo The Neptunes and is a member of funk/rock band N*E*R*D. He is a saxophonist, pianist, and guitarist. Along with his production partner Pharrell Williams, he has produced numerous number-one hit tracks.
Hugo was born in the South Hampton Roads city of Portsmouth, Virginia. He grew up in Virginia Beach to Filipino parents; his father is a retired Navy officer. He met Williams in the seventh grade during a summer program for gifted students. The two began working together, mixing beats and playing in various live bands. In 1992, while the two were attending different high schools in Virginia Beach (Hugo at Kempsville High School), Pharrell was paid to write a verse to the 1992 single "Rump Shaker", by Wreckx-N-Effect.
After several years of occasional productions for artists often associated with founder Teddy Riley, such as BLACKstreet and SWV, they scored songwriting and production assignments with artists such as N.O.R.E. and Mystikal, which became hits, allowing them to produce with their own distinctive sound for megastars such as Jay-Z. Hugo signed a global music publishing deal with BMG Music Publishing.
In August 2002, The Neptunes were named Producers of the Year at both The Source Awards and the Billboard Music Awards. The album The Neptunes Presents… Clones was then released, debuting at number one in August 2003.
Hugo has been described by The Source Magazine as the "Mr Spock" to Pharrell's "Captain Kirk", an analogy that does not sit well with Hugo, as he does not see himself as "stiff" like "Mr Spock". However, he does say Pharrell usually provides the beat (as the drummer of the duo) and most of the melodies to the Neptunes productions, whereas his role lies more in as a 'one man band' and sequencer. Despite this he states that their roles are flexible and do interchange, and has shown his ability away from band-mate Pharrell, in producing Kenna's 2003 album New Sacred Cow. He briefly attended Old Dominion University on a music scholarship. Once his career took off, he put his studies on hold and has not resumed his academic career since. Currently for 2007 along with doing Neptunes productions, Hugo is separately producing music for Alicia Keys, Ashley Simpson, Bishop Lamont (Aftermath), Daniel Merriweather, and the majority of the production on Kennas 2007 release Make Sure They See My Face. Hugo is married and has two children.
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