pharrell
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We think it’s safe to say that 2024 wasn’t too kind to Drake as Kendrick Lamar basically turned a good portion of the culture against the Canadian crooner/rapper, but before that Drizzy was embroiled in a heated battle with Pusha T and his former producer, Pharrell caught a wild stray as a result.
In a recent interview with GQ magazine, Pharrell was asked about a 2023 Drake “diss” when the King of The North threatened to melt down some of Skateboard P’s fancy jewelry that he purchased after Pharrell sold off more than a million dollars worth of his personal belongings. In his guest appearance on Travis Scott’s 2023 cut “MELTDOWN,” Drake threatened to, well, meltdown some of Pharrell’s signature chains and pieces saying “Man, f*ck all that spinnin’ the narrative sh*t / I melt down the chains that I bought from yo’ boss / Give a f*ck about all of that heritage sh*t.”
While we Drake ever followed through with his threat at all, Pharrell doesn’t seem to care much for what might’ve happened to his old jewelry anyway. When asked if he was phased when he found out that Drake was buying his old iced out pieces, Pharrell gave an honest answer and explanation behind it.
Per GQ:
No, because I think beyond all of the on-goings, at the heart of all of it, he’s a fan of music. He’s a fan of the history of what it is, and I happen to be a part of that, and those artifacts are a part of it.
And then when he was rapping about melting the jewelry down and saying, “Come get his legacy out my house” and all that stuff, how did that strike you?
It didn’t.
That didn’t strike you?
No.
It’s interesting that these things are weighing on you, you get rid of them, somebody else takes them on, and what they mean to him—I guess that’s for him to decide?
Or not. I guess some things are not for me to understand. When you let things go, a huge part of it is actually letting go. Not just of the physical item, but letting go of your connection to what it’s supposed to mean, or the memory. You’re literally letting them go. That was the purpose. It’s like when people sell something and they go, “I just want to make sure you take care of it because this is my baby.” And I’m like, “No, no, no.” This is not my baby. That’s why I’m letting it go.
One can only hope to touch the level of zen that Pharrell has seemingly reached. Just sayin,’
Though Drake has rocked Pharrell’s pieces as recently as his video for “Family Matters,” he could’ve melted down a piece or two since then just to make a point. Then again, why would he? Could Drizzy be that petty? Guess we’ll have to wait and see.
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Pharrell Williams opened up about his relationship with former Neptunes partner Chad Hugo and stated the two aren’t speaking, presumably due to a legal dispute.
The rift between Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo has been noticeable, and the multifaceted producer has confirmed how deep it is. In a recent interview, Pharrell spoke at length about the new documentary on his life, Piece By Piece. He was asked about Hugo and the lawsuit that was filed against him by his former partner who claims that Pharrell is trying to monopolize The Neptunes, which the two performed under. “I always wish him the absolute best,” Pharrell replied. When asked if the two were on speaking terms, he answered: “No. But I love him, and I always wish him the absolute best, and I’m very grateful for our time together.”
The lawsuit by Hugo was filed in a federal court in April, alleging that Pharrell’s move to register a sole claim to The Neptunes name, which the filing states goes against the duo’s prior agreement that everything be equally divided. Williams made the filing through his PW IP Holdings LLC company in 2022. “Throughout their over thirty-year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” wrote Hugo’s attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich in the filing. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.”
In response, an attorney for Pharrell claimed the “Happy” artist was “surprised” by the lawsuit, stating that “We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer.”
The news comes as Piece By Piece recently premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. The Focus Features film, which is animated by LEGO figurines, features Jay-Z, Snoop, Kendrick Lamar, Missy Elliott, Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, and Busta Rhymes lending their voices – as well as Hugo. “This is a next level of breaking so many norms and boundaries of what a typical narrative is. This one feels like it could be the most special thing we’ve ever done,” said Focus Features chair Peter Kujawski.
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Pharrell Williams’ new collaboration is gearing up for liftoff,= ahead of his animated biopic due in theaters next month. The Grammy-winning producer teamed with Lego to create the Over the Moon set announced on Tuesday (Sept. 3).
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“Growing up, I was obsessed with space and the infinite possibilities it represents,” Pharrell said in a statement. “This partnership aims to inspire creativity and inclusivity. With my Lego Over the Moon set I want everyone to feel seen and empowered to imagine their own stories. The spaceship is blasting off, and you’re in the pilot seat.”
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Over the Moon with Pharrell Williams
The Lego x Pharrell Over the Moon Builder Set ($109.99) is a black-and-gold space shuttle powered by a colorful jet stream. The celestial set, designed to “inspire creativity and curiosity,” features seven ranges of minifigure skin tones, the largest range of any Lego product. A total of 51 different minifigure heads are included and more than 30 of them were designed exclusively for the set.
“Our values for over 90 years have been rooted in creativity, curiosity and imagination. Pharrell is unique in his ability to draw on those qualities to influence his art. A true icon of our time, he never fails to innovate and inspire his audience, through any of his many endeavors” said Julia Goldin, chief marketing and product officer for Lego Group. “Through our partnership, we want to inspire people of all ages to unlock their own limitless potential through Lego Play. This is a shared mission, and we’re excited to take off today.”
Lego Over the Moon is available for pre-orderontheLegowebsite and will be released on Sept. 20.
In addition to the exclusive set, Pharrell and Lego are launching the Lego Build the Change global challenge through his non-profit organization, Yellow.
Piece by Piece, featuring Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Timbaland, Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes and Snoop Dogg, debuts in theaters on Oct. 11.
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Pharrell Williams continues to create with purpose. His Humanrace brand has partnered with evian for a tennis collection.
Source: Hadda / Hadda
As reported by Blavity, the Virginia Beach native has yet another co-branded effort to add to this resume. This week, his Humanrace brand announced a limited-edition drop inspired by tennis with evian, the official water of the US Open. Their intention was to celebrate the sport while injecting the spirit of New York City, where the tournament has been hosted since 1987. Included in the drop is a quarter zip sweater, shorts, t-shirt, caps, and an expandable carry-all bag. All the pieces are made from 100% natural fibers and are manufactured in the United States.
Pharrell explained his vision for the initiative in a formal statement. “Every piece in this line reflects my belief that being well is a lifestyle,” he said. “Water’s the essence of life, right? We can’t live without it. So it’s only natural for Humanrace and evian to come together for this collaboration. It’s all about celebrating what keeps us connected, mindful, and moving.”
The water brand also detailed why this co-branded effort made was a no brainer. “The collaboration between evian, Pharrell and Humanrace encapsulates the spirit of our ‘Live Young’ ethos,” said Leeni Hämäläinen, marketing director for evian in North America. “Whether sporting the sleek tenniscore collection around town, celebrating with the local community at the US Open or sipping on our natural spring water from the French Alps, we want to inspire people to embrace joy and wellbeing – both physically and emotionally.”
The evian x Humanrace capsule collection will available starting Aug. 24 on Humanrace.com.
Source: Laura Jane Coulson / Laura Jane Coulson
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Source: Louis Vuitton / Louis Vuitton
Pharrell’s highly anticipated Louis Vuitton collaboration is upon us, and if you have a few thousand dollars to spare in that shoe box, you might want to get in on this.
After creating much buzz with his Timberland x Louis Vuitton boots earlier this year, Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton workwear capsule collection will be hitting the shelves next week. According to Highsnobiety, the pieces will be available for prelaunch for the ballers who have money to burn. That’s not us. Just sayin’.
Per Highsnobiety:
Louis Vuitton’s workwear capsule will be available for prelaunch on Louis Vuitton’s website and app come July 18 before officially releasing to select flagship stores on August 8. Expect prices to sit in typical LV range: that is to say, around $3,000 for the Timbs.
It’s meaty, comprising all that aforementioned apparel: hardy chore coats, dusters, double-knee pants, and Western shirts, embroidered, embellished, studded and sumptuously cut from overdyed earth-toned LV monogram jacquard.
While the attire in the collection is pretty dope, many will be looking to snag a pair of those Timberland boots as they are indeed the star of the show. But at $3,000 a pair, don’t be surprised if you only see rappers and entertainers stunting in those buttery suede worker boots as that’s basically two months worth of rent for the average Joe.
There is Louis Vuitton’s riff on timeless Timberland 6″ boot, fabricated in LV’s Fiesso d’Artico footwear atelier of Italian nubuck, dappled with gilded eyelets, and stamped with the LV monogram. This is the one with which Pharrell secured his place in the history books.
It’s joined by the Louis Vuitton by Timberland LV Boot, which blows up the original 6″ boot’s silhouette by 15 percent and thus reaches similar XXXL scale to Pharrell’s favored puffy trainers.
One has to wonder what resale would be on a pair of those Timberlands.
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Will you be trying to cop anything from Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton collection? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Two of the biggest brands might be joining forces for a drop. Pharrell’s IG post might be a nod to a collaboration between Apple and Louis Vuitton.
As reported on High Snobiety, Skateboard P’s social media activity is once again causing speculation about a forthcoming release. On Friday, June 14, the Virginia Beach, Virginia, native shared a very interesting piece of footage that instantly turned some heads. His @skateboard handle, an Instagram account dedicated to his creative director work at Louis Vuitton, posted a video that showed a circular object that resembles a medal spinning around on its axis. While the footage was low quality, we are able to see that one side features the Apple logo in white, and on the other side we see the LV marque in what seems to be silver.
As expected the post created instant conversation regarding what could be a sneak peak for an upcoming Louis Vuitton and Apple collaboration. “Surprised LV and Apple haven’t worked in the past” one user wrote. While another user rhetorically asked “LV Airtag Holder?” This is not the first time Pharrell’s social media activity has caused a frenzy. Back in January he unveiled the Timberland x Louis Vuitton 6-Inch Boot.
Representatives at Louis Vuitton nor Apple have yet to comment on the post.
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Source: Focus Features / Focus Features
Biopics about your favorite music artists have become all the rage over the past few years, but this latest one is by far thee most original as Pharrell Williams will be releasing his own biopic film as a Lego.
Yes, you read that right. With the help of Lego and Focus Features, Pharrell’s upcoming Piece By Piece film will tell his story in the form of animated Lego pieces, and honestly, we’re low-key loving it. Directed by Morgan Neville, Piece By Piece delves into Pharrell’s childhood as the “odd” kid who developed a deep love of music and how his passion for it turned him into the music legend/icon that he is today.
Speaking to Variety, Skateboard P explained why he chose such a unique method to tell his story and as it turns out, it was a genius way of going about it.
Variety reports:
“Everyone was doing them at the time, and I was like, ‘Hell no.’ I never want to do what everybody else is doing,” Williams recalls. “Everybody’s taking the Lincoln Tunnel, then I want to take a plane.” Neville chimes in: “Or a jet ski.”
He continues: “But when he finally said the magic words, ‘You can do it any way you want,’ I knew deep down inside that I wanted to do it through Lego.”
There was freedom in the bricks, which would allow Williams’ story to reach more than just the people who’d be nostalgic for the behind-the-scenes stories about his music.
“We wanted it to be a medium for anyone that just wanted to hear a good, aspirational, inspiring story told vividly, in a way that felt like it could apply to them personally,” he explains. “That they’d realize that at seven years old or 77 years old, they could wake up tomorrow and go tell their story, piece by piece.”
It really does look like it’s going to be a fun and inspirational film for people of all ages. And for all you true blue Hip-Hoppers out there, the film will also have Lego appearances from the likes of Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes and Snoop Dogg.
So yeah, we can’t wait for this one.
Check out the trailer for Piece By Piece below, and let us know if you’ll be checking it out when it hits theaters Oct. 11.
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Source: Candice Ward / Getty / Brian Tyree Henry
The cast of Pharrell Williams’s upcoming film/musical continues to add some serious star power.
Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta, Godzilla X Kong: A New Empire) will star alongside Kelvin Harrison Jr., Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Halle Bailey in the upcoming musical from Pharrell Williams and Michael Gondry.
Like the news of Bailey joining the cast, there is no word on Henry’s role in the upcoming film. According to reports, the film will take place in 1977 in Virginia and draw inspiration from Williams’ childhood at Atlantis Apartments.
Martin Hynes (Toy Story 4) and Steven Levenson (Tick, Tick…Boom!) will handle the script while Williams and Mimi Valdés are producing under the i am OTHER banner alongside Gil Netter for Gil Netter Productions.
Brian Tyree Henry has become one of the hottest acts in Hollywood after making a splash with FX’s Atlanta, starring alongside Donald Glover and LaKeith Stanfield.
Since then, Henry has starred in Hollywood blockbusters like Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse, the sequel, Across The Spider-Verse, Marvel Studios Eternals, Godzilla vs Kong, Godzilla X Kong: A New Empire, and the recently announced animated feature, Transformers One, where he will voice a young Megatron.
Henry will also star in the upcoming boxing drama from Amazon MGM Studios, The Fire Inside, from filmmaker Rachel Morrison, out August 9, and Apple’s upcoming crime drama Sinking Spring, which he will also serve as an executive producer on.
Of course, he will also reprise his role as Officer Jeff Morales, father of Miles Morales in Beyond The Spider-Verse, the third film in Sony’s animated Spider-Man movie franchise.
Stay booked and busy, Brian Tyree Henry; we are here for it.
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Source: L. Cohen / Getty / Chad Hugo / Pusha T / Pharrell
First Hall & Oates, now Chad and Pharrell. After the stunning news of the legendary music-producing duo’s legal beef hit the timelines, Pusha-T is now weighing in on the matter.
Spotted on XXL, Clipse member and our favorite cocaine rap supplier, Pusha-T, shared his thoughts on his favorite collaborator’s legal drama around the Neptunes trademark.
Hugo, 50, claims that Pharrell, 50, violated an agreement between the two in his attempt to secure the trademarks for The Neptunes’ name.
Taking to his Instagram Stories on Tuesday, April 2, Pusha-T touched on the matter, claiming that Hugo’s lawyer, Kenneth D. Freundlich, trying to fatten his pockets is the reason for what is going on.
Per XXL:
“There’s not a dollar involved in this stupidity,” Push commented on an Instagram post resharing the initial article. “Just a lawyer looking to drain Chad’s pocket. Unreal.”
Pusha T then reshared his comments again to his Instagram Story after IG user Artemus Gordon agreed with King Push’s assertions.
“SMH…nothing more nothing less,” Push wrote.
A Breakdown of Hugo’s Lawsuit
The Hip-Hop world collectively sighed when news broke of the two Virginia native’s legal drama. Billboard shared the details of the lawsuit.
“Throughout their over thirty year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” wrote Hugo’s attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich, a prominent music industry litigator. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.”
In a statement via a representative, Williams claims the move was not to ice out Hugo but to ensure no other people can get their slimy hands on The Neptunes name.
“Pharrell is surprised by this. We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer. The goal here was to make sure a third party doesn’t get a hold of the trademark and to guarantee Chad and Pharrell share in ownership and administration,” the statement says.
In response, Freundlich wrote, “If Pharrell’s intent was to include Chad in the filing, he should have registered it in the name of them jointly or as a partnership and not in his own name.”
We hope these two can settle this dispute amicably.
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Source: Mario Renzi – Formula 1 / Getty / Pharrell
Pharrell always seems to be in a good mood, but fans in Saudi Arabia saw a different side of the super-producer/rapper during a recent performance.
The man who traveled the globe singing “Because I’m happy” wasn’t feeling that while performing at an F1 Post Race concert in Saudi Arabia.
According to the Daily Mail’s reporting, Louis Vuitton’s latest Men’s Creative Director ended his performance early because fans in attendance would not stop throwing their light-up wristbands on the stage.
“This is the liveliest city right now on the planet but we have also got to be the safest,” Williams said to the crowd. “I know you guys are excited and I know you are wanting to throw your wrist gadgets and lights and all that, but you can’t as the girls are dancing. And me? I love women. How about you?”
He continued, “We must protect our women, so if you want to throw them lights, you have to throw them the other way, not at the stage. Who understands what I’m saying?”
Despite his warning, fans continued to chuck their wristbands on the stage. “Let’s take those stupid wristbands and throw them in the air right now when I count to three. And now we are done,” he said before exiting stage left like Jackson Heights’ own Randy Watson in Coming To America, telling the crowd, “Okay, I am going to let you all finish.”
Damn.
It takes a great deal of disrespect when Pharrell to make Pharrell end a performance early.
The “Frontin’” singer was not the only significant act during the event; Alicia Keys and Martin Garrix were headliners.