Pharrell Williams is facing renewed legal action from longtime collaborator Chad Hugo, with allegations relating to royalties and business dealings connected to The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. The case follows earlier disputes between the pair, including trademark-related litigation brought by Hugo several years ago.
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According to court documents cited by Billboard, Hugo alleges that Williams engaged in wilful and malicious conduct by withholding royalties and excluding him from revenues generated by recorded music, touring and merchandising. The claim states that Hugo is owed at least $1 million in connection with N.E.R.D.’s 2017 album No One Ever Really Dies, alongside additional sums linked to merchandise partnerships.
Hugo’s legal team further alleges that no payments have been received since September 2023 from an N.E.R.D. merchandising arrangement. They also claim that promised financial documentation from Williams’s representatives was never produced, despite acknowledgements that such records exist. Hugo’s lawyer said the lack of transparency left his client with no alternative but to pursue the matter through the courts.
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The dispute builds on long-running tensions between the former collaborators, who worked together for more than three decades. In earlier filings, Hugo accused Williams of improperly registering trademarks without his involvement, despite an alleged agreement to share assets equally. Williams has previously confirmed that the two are no longer in contact, while stating publicly that he wishes Hugo well and remains grateful for their time working together.
