Things are still going on between Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams, with Pharrell trying to get Chad’s copyright lawsuit dismissed and Chad now firing back. This time, the focus is on nearly 50 studio sessions, song credits, royalties and music they worked on between 2019 and 2021. According to Rolling Stone, Pharrell’s legal team says Chad hasn’t properly identified the songs and copyrights behind his claims. They also point out that eight songs named in an earlier version of the lawsuit were later removed. One of the tracks still in the discussion is EarthGang’s “U Gotta,” which has become part of the disagreement over Chad’s contributions and credits.
Chad isn’t backing down, though. In his response, he says there are nearly 50 studio sessions worth of material that need to be looked into, and that Pharrell and the companies connected to him have records that could help identify the music. Chad also claims he requested royalty statements and financial documents covering 2021 through 2024 but received very little in return. The “U Gotta” situation is another part of this. Chad says his contribution to the EarthGang track was left out of the credits, even though he claims his involvement was acknowledged. The song was released as a Pharrell-produced record, and now the question of who contributed what is part of the legal fight.
There’s also the money involved. Chad has previously claimed he is owed royalties from The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. catalog, including the 2017 album “No One Ever Really Dies.” According to his lawsuit, the amount he could be owed from that album alone could be more than $1 million. These are Chad’s claims, and the dispute over what is owed has not been settled. If you’ve followed The Neptunes for years, you know how much music these two have made together. From Clipse and N.E.R.D. to Jay-Z, Kelis, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake and countless other artists, their work is all over the place. Chad’s production and musicianship were a big part of that sound, just as Pharrell’s songwriting, production and vision helped take the duo around the world.
That’s what makes this whole situation worth following for Neptunes fans. We’ve spent years digging through their production credits, tracking down old sessions, instrumentals, remixes and unreleased material. Now, some of the questions fans have always had about credits, ownership and the business behind the music are becoming part of a legal case. For now, Pharrell wants the copyright claims dismissed, while Chad argues that he needs access to more records to identify the music involved. The court still has to deal with these arguments, so there’s no final answer yet on the disputed credits or royalties. Whatever happens next, hopefully we get some clarity on the music and the business behind it.
*rollingstone.com
*allhiphop.com
