🔵 Neptunes Split Up!

The Neptunes will no longer revolve around the sun.

The fallout between two major record producers. They started in 1992 and broke up in 2022. 

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are feuding and they are now in federal court to settle the matter. The two were part of the Neptunes production. The Hampton Roads duo were producing hits for Jay-Z, Mystikal, Snoop Dogg, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake, Nelly, Pusha T, Kelis and others.

Both grew up inspired by New Jack Swing. They learned how to master the talents from Teddy Riley. They were competing with Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott and Timbaland for production visibility.

Now they are permanently separated.

Pharrell continues on as a solo producer, singer, actor, fashion designer, model, skateboarder, rapper and activist. He is also called out for cultural appropriation, his support for Israel and tone deaf responses to today's politicial climate.

He was recently knighted by French president Emmanuel Macron.

Chad is suing for over $1 million in unpaid royalties and production theft.

Hugo claims Williams withheld money and failed to report the accounting of their numerous shared businesses, related to N.E.R.D. Music LLC. Hugo said he did not receive his agreed-upon 25% of the proceeds and claims he was denied access to the accounting records in 2021.

Hugo's attorney, Brent Lehman, declined to comment to 13News Now but wrote in the complaint that many of Hugo's songs are also “missing” from label portals.

It's also not the first time the music producer has sued Williams. In 2024, Hugo filed a complaint against Williams for trademarks on music production and branding.

A spokesperson for Pharrell Williams released a statement on that matter, saying:

“We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark ... The goal here was to make sure a third party doesn't get a hold of the trademark."

Hugo's attorneys said he is owed more than a million dollars just from N.E.R.D.’s final album, 2017’s “No One Ever Really Dies.”

Both the 2024 case and this latest lawsuit are moving forward at the federal level.

13News Now has reached out to Williams’ lawyers, the publicist for N.E.R.D. Music, The Neptunes, PW Branding, and Talamasca Incorporated, but none have responded at the time of this article’s publication.

The two were part of the rap/rock group N.E.R.D. which released two albums as a group.