Pharrell Williams is facing a legal battle with Chad Hugo, his longtime partner and producer. Despite their longtime friendship, Hugo has now raised accusations against Pharrell, saying the rapper is trying to “fraudulently” get control of the trademark for the duo’s group, The Neptunes. According to Hugo’s attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich, Pharrell excluded Hugo from “any and all applications filed” for the trademark.
“Applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith,” Freundlich said in a statement according to Billboard.
Pharrell’s representative responded in a statement to Billboard, saying he didn’t have any ill intent when he filed for the trademark.
“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 rep told Billboard. “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.”
Freundlich, however, rejects Pharrell’s explanation.
“If Pharell’s intent was to include Chad in the filing, he should have registered it in the name of their jointly owned company Neptunes, LLC and not in his own name,” the attorney told Billboard. “This was a land grab in a long simmering dispute that has yet to be resolved.”
The application includes a trademark to use The Neptunes on streaming music, as well as another filing for music videos and additional content. There’s also another trademark application for the use of the name on live performances.
Pharrell filed the applications in 2022 under his company, PW IP Holdings LLC. The company also owns registrations for the rapper’s N.E.R.D. band, along with his Goodtime Hotel in Miami and some of his other brand names.
Hugo’s attorneys say Pharrell “knowingly and intentionally” filed applications for The Neptunes without Hugo’s input.
“Nothing, either written or oral, provided Williams or [PW IP Holdings] with the unilateral authority to register the trademarks,” the attorneys said, Billboard reported.
The team also said they reached out to Pharrell’s representatives and his lawyers admitted that their client is “equal co-owner of the trademarks.” However, Pharrell’s company continues to follow “onerous business terms,” Hugo’s lawyers added.
Pharrell and Hugo produced several hits in the early 2000s as a songwriting duo. Some of their most popular tracks included Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl.” The duo was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022.
