Pharrell Williams is responding to a new lawsuit filed by his former Neptunes partner Chad Hugo, who claims he is owed hundreds of thousands of dollars in unpaid royalties.
Hugo’s complaint, filed in federal court in California, alleges that Pharrell failed to properly manage and disclose finances tied to their joint ventures, including The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. Music, LLC. Hugo says he has been trying since 2021 to review company records and has not received what he believes is his fair share of income from music, touring and merchandise.
He estimates he is owed between $325,000 and $1 million from N.E.R.D.’s 2017 album No One Ever Really Dies alone.
“[Pharrell] Williams engaged in self-dealing, concealed material information, and diverted revenues owed to plaintiff,” Hugo’s attorney Brent J. Lehman said in the filing.
A representative for Pharrell denied any wrongdoing and said the matter is being handled through routine procedures. “A standard accounting review is already in progress,” the rep told Billboard. “The lawsuit filed is premature as there may not even be a dispute between the parties.”
The statement continued, “Pharrell has consistently acted in good faith. He has great respect for Chad and looks forward to resolving this in a way that honors their shared history.”
The lawsuit follows earlier legal tension between the longtime collaborators over ownership of The Neptunes name.