Pharrell Williams

Pharrell Williams (born April 5, 1973) is a record producer, singer-songwriter, rapper, and fashion designer from Virginia Beach, Virginia. Pharrell, along with his production partner Chad Hugo, formed the production duo The Neptunes, which has produced several hip-hop, R&B, and pop hits for artists such as JAY-Z, Usher, Gwen Stefani, among others. He is also the lead vocalist and drummer of the rap/rock band N.E.R.D, which he formed alongside Hugo and Shay Haley.

During his high school years, Pharrell was part of a group called SBI (Surrounded By Idiots), which included his cousin Timothy “Timbaland” Mosley and Melvin “Magoo” Barcliff, and they produced a few demo tracks. Pharrell began his music career under the guidance of producer Teddy Riley, who set up his studio in Virginia. Pharrell wrote Teddy’s verse on the successful 1992 song “Rump Shaker” and contributed vocals on SWV’s “Right Here (Human Nature Remix),” produced by Riley.

The Neptunes produced their first single, SWV’s 1996 track “Use Your Heart,” but their reputation started to grow in 1998 with the singles “Lookin' At Me” by Ma$e and “Superthug” by Noreaga. After providing vocals on some Neptunes-produced tracks, Pharrell released his debut solo single, “Frontin',” in 2003. He launched his first solo album, In My Mind, in 2006, followed by his second album G I R L in 2014, which included the #1 pop hit “Happy”.

Pharrell has been awarded several accolades, including Billboard Music Awards and three Grammy Awards for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (2004 with The Neptunes, 2014, 2019), and received an Oscar nomination in 2014 for Best Original Song for “Happy” from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack. He was also a coach on the singing competition show The Voice in 2014.

Pharrell co-founded the clothing brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream, has a partnership with Adidas, and in 2024 was named the Men’s Creative Director of Louis Vuitton. He established the multimedia company i am OTHER in 2012 to consolidate his business ventures under one entity. On October 11, 2024, Pharrell’s biopic Piece By Piece was released, depicting his story through LEGO animation.