VIRGIN - N*E*R*D SPLIT

Hip-hop act N*E*R*D have split after a row with their record label VIRGIN.

The trio - PHARRELL WILLIAMS, CHAD HUGO and SHAY - shot to fame with 2001 LP IN SEARCH OF... which they followed up with 2004's FLY OR DIE.

But Williams, who with Hugo also makes up producer duo THE NEPTUNES, has announced the group are no more.

He reveals, "N*E*R*D is dead. I don't agree with the management at Virgin Records so we're done.

"Me and Chad still do what we do in the studio, Shay is still our best friend, you know, perhaps we'll do some music for our fans and leak it to the internet or something, who knows?

"I've been very quiet about it for the last two years. I'm not here to slander or throw dirt, I'm just not happy so therefore N*E*R*D is expired."