Pharrell Williams sued by Chad Hugo in new $1M royalty dispute

Pharrell Williams is facing a new lawsuit from his former Neptunes collaborator Chad Hugo.

Hugo is reportedly seeking $1 million over alleged unpaid royalties and denied rights tied to their past work together.

In his legal filings submitted on January 23, Hugo claimed he was subjected to a “systematic denial” of royalties and credits connected to his role in both The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. 

The complaint points to N.E.R.D.’s 2017 album No One Ever Really Dies, alleging that the revenue was withheld.

The lawsuit accuses Williams of self-dealing and hiding financial details, claiming money owed to Hugo was intentionally diverted. It describes the conduct as deliberate and seeks punitive damages.

This marks the second major legal clash between the former partners in recent years. In 2024, Hugo filed another lawsuit claiming Williams tried to take sole control of The Neptunes trademark without his knowledge or consent. That case has not been publicly resolved.

At the time, Williams’ representatives said he was surprised by the legal action and maintained there was no intent to exclude Hugo. They insisted efforts had been made to share ownership and administrative control of the trademark.

Williams later acknowledged that he and Hugo were no longer in contact but expressed gratitude for their history together.

The Neptunes, formed in 1992, became one of the most influential production duos in modern music, shaping chart-topping hits for artists including Britney Spears, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Kelis, and Nelly. Hugo and Williams also co-founded N.E.R.D., releasing five albums between 2002 and 2017.

Williams’ latest lawsuit comes as he continues to see solo success after the 2024 release of his LEGO-themed biopic, Piece By Piece.