Pharrell Williams Hit with Another Lawsuit Over Unpaid Royalties from Chad Hugo, N.E.R.D. Collaboration
Chad Hugo, one half of renowned production duo The Neptunes, is suing his former partner Pharrell Williams for allegedly failing to pay him $1 million in royalties and rights from their 2017 album "No One Ever Really Dies". According to Hugo's attorney Brent J. Lehman, Williams engaged in "self-dealing", concealed material information, and diverted revenues owed to the plaintiff.
This latest lawsuit marks the second time Hugo has taken Williams to court, as he initially filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging that Williams had tried to gain sole control over their production and songwriting work. The dispute began after Williams revealed that he was no longer on speaking terms with his former partner following Hugo's initial lawsuit.
As members of The Neptunes, Hugo and Williams have produced some of the biggest hits of the 2000s, including Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot" and Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl". However, the duo last worked together in 2022 and were subsequently inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Williams' representative did not respond to Rolling Stone's request for comment at press time. According to Lehman, Hugo is seeking substantial compensation and accountability from Williams, stating that he had no choice but to seek relief in court after years of "obfuscation" by Williams and his team.
Chad Hugo, one half of renowned production duo The Neptunes, is suing his former partner Pharrell Williams for allegedly failing to pay him $1 million in royalties and rights from their 2017 album "No One Ever Really Dies". According to Hugo's attorney Brent J. Lehman, Williams engaged in "self-dealing", concealed material information, and diverted revenues owed to the plaintiff.
This latest lawsuit marks the second time Hugo has taken Williams to court, as he initially filed a lawsuit in 2024 alleging that Williams had tried to gain sole control over their production and songwriting work. The dispute began after Williams revealed that he was no longer on speaking terms with his former partner following Hugo's initial lawsuit.
As members of The Neptunes, Hugo and Williams have produced some of the biggest hits of the 2000s, including Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot" and Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl". However, the duo last worked together in 2022 and were subsequently inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.
Williams' representative did not respond to Rolling Stone's request for comment at press time. According to Lehman, Hugo is seeking substantial compensation and accountability from Williams, stating that he had no choice but to seek relief in court after years of "obfuscation" by Williams and his team.
. I feel bad for Chad Hugo, the other half of The Neptunes - they've made some amazing music together over the years. But at the same time, Pharrell's got a reputation for being super creative and innovative... maybe he just wasn't managing his business end as well as he thought? 
like what's up with these lawsuits? Pharrell and Chad were partners for so long, and now they're at each other's throats over some royalties 
but on the other hand, it feels like these guys were business partners who just couldn't agree on stuff anymore. and now Chad is seeking $1 million in damages... that's a lot of money 
! Like, I get it, Chad Hugo's all upset about the royalties and stuff... BUT at the same time, Pharrell's been making bank off those tunes for years 
On the other hand, Hugo did kinda drag out his lawsuit in 2024, so maybe this is just a case of him trying to get some leverage back 
. Pharrell and Chad's beef is like something out of a soap opera - they were once partners in the best way possible, creating some iconic tracks together, but now it's all about who got what share of the profits 
. Can't these artists just work things out amicably like normal humans? 
. It's all about the benjamins, you know? One minute you're swimming in gold, the next you're fighting over a few million dollars. I mean, what even is the point of all this? Can't we just be happy for each other and share the wealth? 
.
. Chad Hugo, aka half of The Neptunes, is suing Pharrell for $1 million in royalties from their 2017 album "No One Ever Really Dies". this isn't the first time, btw - he filed a lawsuit last year too! 
. it's crazy to think about how much money is at stake here - $1 MILLION! 
. anyway, this latest lawsuit is giving me major anxiety 
Second lawsuit in 2024? That dude must be swimming in cash... or not 
Can't wait to see how this drama unfolds 
. Anyway, I hope Chad gets what he deserves, but at the same time, I feel bad for Pharrell too...he's just trying to make music and live his best life 
.
and we still rockin to 'hollaback girl' to this day 
. Chad's all like "Pharrell didn't pay me my due" and Pharrell's all like "Chad, calm down, we're in the 2000s again... or something 
". And honestly, who needs another lawsuit when you've got songwriting royalties for days? 
.
! One mil is a big ask, especially considering the album's been out for ages 
. I get it, partnerships can be sketchy, but Chad's gone from N.E.R.D. to lawsuit mode too fast 
. Can't say I'm surprised tho, 'cause we all know how these industry deals can go sour 
... whoever wins this battle will definitely have a tale to tell 
. Another lawsuit isn't exactly a surprise, considering the drama between him and Chad Hugo from The Neptunes. I mean, $1 million in unpaid royalties? That's a big number. It makes you wonder how long this has been going on and why Pharrell hasn't addressed it sooner.
. Guess that's just how the cookie crumbles when you're a global superstar 
.