Earlier this week, N.E.R.D debuted their first album in seven years live at California’s ComplexCon (I believe we’re now experiencing what you’d describe as “FOMO”). The trio — Pharrell Williams, Chad Hugo, and media-shy Shay Haley — sat atop a van on stage and played the 11-track record in its entirety to a surprised crowd, who were expecting a performance, not a world-first listening party.
The album, reportedly titled No_One Ever Really Dies, is stacked with features from Rihanna, André 3000, M.I.A., Gucci Mane, Future, and Ed Sheeran. i-D cover star Kendrick Lamar makes two appearances on the record, one with M.I.A and the other on Don’t Don’t Do It, a track Pharrell wrote after a North Carolina police officer fatally shot Keith Lamont Scott in 2016. The artist paused the ComplexCon festivities to say a few words about the song, also dedicating it to “unarmed motorists” who’ve been killed by police.
Last week, the group shared their stellar returns single Lemon (a rap verse from Rihanna!) and at ComplexCon, the crowd demanded not one but two encore performances of the song. Of course, Pharrell obliged.
Check out the full No_One Ever Really Dies track list below, bearing in mind a representative for N.E.R.D clarified to Pitchfork this is simply the order the song were performed in, not necessarily how they will appear on the final album.
Deep Down Body Thirst
Lemon ft. Rihanna
Voilà ft. Gucci Mane and Wale
1000 ft. Future
Don’t Don’t Do It ft. Kendrick Lamar
Kites ft. Kendrick Lamar and M.I.A.
ESP
Lightning Fire Magic Prayer
Rollinem 7’s ft. André 3000
Lifting You ft. Ed Sheeran
Secret Life of Tigers