they got big when i first started h.s.... when i realized they were from VA (like me), i took a deeper interest.. i found every track they were associated w/.. was entranced by the "neptunes sound" haha... started "making beats" which forced me to pay attention to music more, cuz all of my shit sucked... listened to the N.E.R.D project when they first dropped the streaming electronic version on the neptunes website.. and up to that point i was only listening to "black music"... that shit really forced me to expand my music horizons (esp. after finding out my biggest music influences listened to other stuff)... i credit those mofos w/ inspiring me to get where i'm at w/ this music thing..

on top of that, they made radio great during that time period... i wish there were less cheap imitations and more ppl really working to come up w/ their own *sound*... shit's way too copycat these days..