A long and complicated chapter in Neptunes history has officially moved to the courtroom. Chad Hugo has filed a lawsuit against Pharrell Williams, accusing his longtime collaborator and childhood friend of withholding royalties, engaging in self-dealing, and cutting him out of shared business interests connected to The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. According to the lawsuit, Chad claims he is owed significant unpaid royalties, including money tied to N.E.R.D.’s 2017 album No One Ever Really Dies.
His legal team suggests the amount could reach up to $1 Million when accounting for album sales, touring income, and merchandise deals. The lawsuit also alleges that Pharrell failed to provide proper financial transparency. Chad says he repeatedly requested access to royalty statements, books, and records starting in 2021, as required by their operating agreement. Despite multiple formal requests and demand letters over several years, Hugo claims he received only limited and incomplete information.
This is not the first legal clash between the two. In 2024, Chad filed a separate case accusing Pharrell of attempting to gain sole control of The Neptunes name through trademark filings. That dispute is still pending. Together, the cases paint a picture of a partnership that has quietly unraveled behind the scenes. Pharrell’s representatives responded by stating that an accounting review is already underway and described the lawsuit as premature.
They maintain that Pharrell has acted in good faith and that any money found to be owed will be paid. Pharrell also expressed respect for Chad and a desire to resolve the matter in a way that honors their shared history. What makes the situation especially striking is that Chad and Pharrell were still working together as recently as 2022. They collaborated on projects for artists like Megan Thee Stallion, Rosalía, and A$AP Ferg, and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall Of Fame that same year. Publicly, everything appeared intact.
Behind the scenes, however, Hugo’s legal team claims the relationship had already fractured, with unresolved financial issues and a growing lack of communication. Chad now says he has received no revenue since late 2023 from certain N.E.R.D. merchandising partnerships and that promised financial documents were never delivered.
The lawsuit accuses Pharrell of breaching fiduciary duties, seeks a full accounting of royalties from both The Neptunes and N.E.R.D., and asks the court to clarify each partner’s rights under their original agreement. For fans, this is a difficult moment. The Neptunes are more than hit records. They represent an era, a sound, and a rare creative chemistry. How this legal battle ends could have lasting implications not just financially, but for the legacy of one of music’s most influential duos. We’ll continue following the case closely.
