Usher & Nicki Minaj Interpolate A S.O.S. Band Classic On Another Pharrell Time Machine (Audio)

Pharrell’s production over the last 18 months has been interesting. The N*E*R*D front-man drew very close to Marvin Gaye’s 1977 wallflower-directed “Got To Give It Up” on Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” causing Thicke—who added a stylized delivery, to get some criticism from some purists. Now, Pharrell cooks up Usher’s latest single, “She Came To Give It To You.” Built for the clubs, this narrative track features those same late ’70s sounds that Skateboard P has given himself, Daft Punk, Thicke, and others.

With Nicki Minaj featured on the track, Usher’s latest dance-minded single features a slick vocal interpolation of S.O.S. Band’s 1983 hit, “Just Be Good To Me.” Not exactly sampling, this light-handed allusion might bridge the gap, as Ush is known to do, so many times over:

Pharrell_Usher

Is Pharrell helping bring awareness to the types of records that greatly influenced him?

Related: Usher Raises The Bar In His New Single All About Lockin’ Lips (Video)