“I had been working on the [‘Despicable Me’] score at Hans Zimmer’s place, and I kept walking past this Sergio Leone poster for ‘Once Upon a Time in the West.’ I’m looking at this poster thinking, 'It’s so fresh. I wonder what [the] type of music [in the film] would sound like with 808s [heavy drum beats] under it,' ” Williams said.

Inspired by the spaghetti western he flirted with more different sounds and kept a mental roster of inspiration locked away.

“I started thinking, this song reminds me of the Doors. Then once I had the 808s, it felt like something RZA would like. And then by choosing a western sound for some of the songs it felt like Quentin Tarantino would like it," explaining his eureka moment. "Those guys became like my invisible A&R [artist and repertoire]. One record felt like America, another felt like Neil Young ... I just started feeling like we really got it.”

Williams said the band comes out of hibernation whenever he feels people need to hear something that makes them go, “What the hell?”.

“See, its gotta be different,” Williams said. “I don’t want to do the same thing over and over again. I’m an Aries, unfortunately. I like the new, the different and the sticky. That’s what its gotta be. [Music that] gets stuck in your head and you can’t get over it. That’s my knockout punch. It’s not the biggest commercial punch in the world. But I’m a producer for commerciality.”

Treading that line of commercial pop producer by day, rock star at night has been a juggling act Williams has seemingly mastered. He said he’s amazed that nine years after N.E.R.D.'s debut album he's still able to do both -- though lately the hit-making has taken a backseat.

“We’re catering to a whole different audience that appreciates what we do, but that’s not what they look towards us for. They look to me and Chad to produce Jay-Z, T.I., or Britney, Beyonce and Ciara. They are looking for that,” Williams said. “I’ve been relentless for N.E.R.D. and a lot of times not doing a lot of producing because I’ve dedicated the last two and a half years of my life just touring these albums because I believe in what we do as a band.”

After N.E.R.D finishes touring, Williams will put his producer cap back on and go into the studio with Rick Ross, Pitbull, Shakira, Fabulous, Ciara and Beyonce. He also said the band plans on releasing music videos for each of the 10 tracks on the album -- a few of the politically charged visuals, as well as the clip for the Daft Punk produced single “Hypnotize U,” have already hit the Web.

There is also that long brewing full-length album of Child Rebel Soldier, another side group -- this one comprised of Williams, Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco (recently the track “Don't Stop” surfaced as part of West’s G.O.O.D. Friday leaks). Williams promises the trio is “cooking.”

Williams said he hopes “Nothing” connects with listeners, even if it isn’t “meant for radio so much.”

“I make records for the masses. But this record is not for the mass or minimal of human beings,” Williams said. “If it connects with you and resonates with a value or core belief or feeling you have about life, that’s what this album represents. If you’re human you’ll get it.”

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