2003 Star Trak Entertainment Black T-shirt

Summer 2003: Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo had produced “Hot in Herre,” “I’m a Slave 4 U,” “Grindin’,” and “Frontin’,” and the Neptunes were the most-booked production duo in American pop. Their Star Trak Entertainment imprint — launched on Arista as the label-side vehicle for the Neptunes’ own roster — had grown accordingly. The Summer/Fall 2003 lineup printed on the back of this black cotton tee reads as a snapshot of the exact peak: CLIPSE / SUPER CAT / ROSCO P. COLDCHAIN / FAMLAY / KELIS / N.E.R.D. / SPYMOB / VANNESSA MARQUEZ / CLASH OF THE CLONES, closed by “SUMMER/FALL 2003” at the base. The front carries the distressed white Star Trak arrowhead at the chest. Clipse were preparing Hell Hath No Fury, N.E.R.D. had just dropped In Search Of..., and the Star Trak sound was defining mainstream pop-rap production.