After putting in work behind the scenes for a decade—and contributing to tracks by Wreckx-N-Effect and SWV—Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams broke through with their own futuristic sound in '98. Combining punchy drums with wild synth lines, they scored club hits for Noreaga, JAŸ-Z, and the Clipse. The duo then smoothed-out the template to go pop with Snoop, Usher, and Justin Timberlake.