Back in August, thanks to some fine investigative work by our own Chris Coplan, we told you how the hip-hop group known as N.E.R.D. appeared set to add a 25-year-old R&B singer named Rhea as its fourth member. Recently, the band officially confirmed the news in an interview with MTV.com.
“Musically, we’re just somewhere else [with her],” frontman Pharrell Williams explained to MTV. “The music is now very 3-D. It’s something you have to hear. But you’ll see.”
He continued: “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.”
Williams went on to confirm that Rhea will join the band for its next album, tentatively titled Instant Gratification and due for release in 2010, and future live shows.
Speaking of future live shows, N.E.R.D. has a bounty of upcoming ones opening for Hova…
N.E.R.D. 2009 Tour Dates:
10/09 – University Park, PA @ Wembley Stadium *^#
10/10 – Highland Heights, KY @ The Bank of Kentucky Center *^#
10/13 – Edmonton, AB @ Rexall Place *^#
10/14 – Calgary, AB @ Pengrowth Saddledome *^#
10/15 – Kelowna, BC @ Prospera Place *^#
10/16 – Vancouver, BC @ General Motors Place *^#
10/17 – Seattle, WA @ Key Arena *^#
10/21 – Ypsilanti, MI @ Eastern Michigan University *^#
10/23 – Philadelphia, PA @ Wachovia Center *^#
10/24 – Providence, RI @ Dunkin Donuts Center *^#
10/25 – Amherst, MA @ Mullins Center *^#
10/27 – Baltimore, MD @ 1st Mariner Arena *^#
10/28 – Columbus, OH @ Value City Arena *^#
10/29 – London, ON @ John Labatt Centre *^#
10/30 – Montreal, QC @ Centre Bell Centre *^#
10/31 – Toronto, ON @ Air Canada Centre *^#
11/01 – Ottawa, ON @ Scotiabank Place *^#
11/07 – Fresno, CA @ Save Mart Center *^#
11/12 – Champaign, IL @ Assembly Hall *^#
11/19 – Albuquerque, NM @ Tingley Coliseum *^#
11/20 – El Paso, TX @ Don Haskins Center *^#
11/21 – Lubbock, TX @ United Spirit Arena *^#
11/22 – Austin, TX @ Frank Erwin Center Arena *^#
* = w/ Jay-Z
^ = w/ Wale
# = w/ J. Cole
