Chad Hugo And Pharrell Williams Are Involved In A Legal Dispute Regarding $1 Million Related To Royalties From The Neptunes

Chad Hugo is once again suing his former creative and business partner Pharrell Williams. The producer alleges that Pharrell is withholding potentially millions in royalties from him, which he attributes to “self-dealing.”

According to Billboard, Hugo filed his most recent lawsuit on Friday (Jan. 23). He asserts that Pharrell has not compensated him for his contributions as part of the production duo The Neptunes, as well as for his role in the recording group N.E.R.D.

“Williams engaged in self-dealing, concealed material information, and … diverted revenues owed to plaintiff,” stated Brent J. Lehman, Hugo’s attorney, in the court filing. “Such willful, fraudulent and malicious conduct warrants the imposition of punitive damages.”

Hugo claims he has not received his rightful share of royalties from The Neptunes and N.E.R.D.’s album sales, touring income, and various merchandising agreements. He is seeking up to $1 million after allegedly not receiving any revenue from N.E.R.D. merchandising since September 2023, particularly related to the 2017 N.E.R.D. album NO ONE EVER REALLY DIES, which is their last official project.

The legal disputes between the childhood friends are not new. In March 2024, Hugo filed a lawsuit against Pharrell, accusing him of “fraudulently” seeking sole control of the trademarks associated with their work as The Neptunes. That case is reportedly still ongoing in federal court.

As reported by Billboard, Hugo has been requesting financial transparency regarding The Neptunes’ revenue through royalty and financial statements since 2021. His attorneys claim that Pharrell has either ignored these inquiries or provided incomplete information.

While the initial conflicts occurred behind the scenes, leading fans to be unaware of any issues, Williams disclosed in September 2024 that he and Hugo were no longer in communication. “I love him, and I always wish him the absolute best, and I’m very grateful for our time together,” Pharrell told Billboard.

Currently, it appears that legal representatives are handling all communications.