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Pharrell Debuts Unreleased N.E.R.D. Track on Beats 1 Radio Show

Skateboard P shares "Locked Away," recalls interesting meeting with Michael Jackson.

Apple Music’s Beats Radio is quickly becoming a destination for rap news, with Dr. Dre announcing the Compton album through the platform and now never-before-heard content from N.E.R.D.

Pharrell debuted a previously unreleased N.E.R.D. cut titled “Locked Away,” on his OTHERtone radio show over the weekend, with Tyler the Creator in the building. The track has a similar feel to some of N.E.R.D.’s work from their 2001 debut, In Search Of debut. 

Besides letting old music out the vault, Skateboard P shared an interesting story about meeting Michael Jackson. The King of Pop had a certain swag about him, as P recalled. "He comes in, he's tall, standing there, two beautiful women walk in, he kisses one. It's a moment!" he said. "It ain't like no peck, it's a situation. [The women] look Brazilian, and I'm like, 'Wow!’ He's the king of catching you off guard."

Another memorable run-in happened over the phone, after Pharrell gave tracks that MJ turned down to Justin Timberlake. Jackson found out, and he put in a call to the Virginia producer. "The [first] meeting was supposed to be for us to meet to talk about music, and the songs that he turned down, I don't think he realized that I was going to give those songs to Justin," Pharrell explained. "So I’m in the studio with Justin, and they say, 'Got a call for you on line one, it's Michael Jackson. I'm thinking it's one of my friends trying to be funny, and I heard someone eating popcorn in my ear, that's how I know that it's him. 

“He's the king of control, I think he invented it!" continued P. “He's like, 'Hey, OK, you working with Justin? Ah that's really nice. OK cool. Well you guys have a great session. Tell Justin I said, 'Hello,' and Justin was like, 'Who was that? Michael? Yeah he does that.'" 

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(Photo: Richard Bord/Getty Images for iHeartMedia)

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