Although Pharrell is the lead vocalist and drummer for the rock band N.E.R.D., he has made the most of his money as a solo artist and producer for other artists.
Early Years
Pharrell Lanscilo Williams was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on April 5, 1973. Pharaoh, a handyman, and Carolyn Williams, a teacher, are his parents. Pharrell attended Princess Anne High School, where he was a member of the marching band and played the snare drum. He was a two-year student at Northwestern University before dropping out. Pharrell, the eldest of three sons, began his career by forming the production business
The Neptunes with boyhood buddy Chad Hugo to promote and sell the work of pop, hip-hop, and R&B musicians. Hugo and Williams also created the same-named four-piece R&B ensemble. Teddy Riley spotted them as they were performing at a high school talent event. Riley Studios signed the group after they graduated.
Early on in your career
For Wreckx-N-Effects’ 1992 smash “Rump Shaker,” Pharrell Williams composed a verse and assisted with the production. Later that year, he did a rap solo for SWV on Right Here (UK Remix). Williams and Chad Hugo met rap group Clipse in Virginia Beach the next year, and the two later signed with Arista Records. By the time they assistant-produced Tonight’s the Night for Blackstreet, Hugo and Pharrell had established themselves as a production combo.
They experimented in producing on the side for the following three years until they had minor success in 1998 with N.O.R.E’s “SuperThug.” The song peaked at number 36 on the Billboard list, giving the duo their first international exposure.
The Neptunes
In 2000, The Neptunes created “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me),” a single for Jay-Z that featured a chorus by Pharrell. The song drew Britney Spears’ attention, and The Neptunes went on to develop the infectious hit “I’m a Slave 4 U” as the lead single for her third album. Later that year, Williams, Hugo, and Haley released “In Search Of…”, their first album as N.E.R.D. When the Neptunes produced Nelly’s track “Hot in Herre,” it went to No. 1 in the United States.
In 2003, the band published their debut studio album, “The Neptunes Present…Clones,” and in March 2004, they released their second studio album, “Fly or Die.” Williams won two Grammys in 2004 for his cooperation with Justin Timberlake on “Justified,” one for Producer of the Year and the other for Best Pop Vocal Album. Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” which achieved No. 1 on the Billboard chart, featured Williams. Gwen Stefani’s first smash single as a solo artist, “Hollaback Girl,” was produced by the Neptunes. The song reached No. 1 in the United States.
Career as an individual
Williams debuted as a solo artist in 2003. His first song, “Frontin’,” was released in 2003, and his first album, “In My Mind,” was released in 2006. Williams continued to produce solo, working on tracks for Beyonce, Britney Spears, and Madonna’s eleventh album, “Hard Candy,” which was released in April 2008. He co-wrote and produced Jennifer Lopez’s song “Fresh Out of the Oven” in 2009.
He has received Grammys for Producer of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Album, and Best Rap Song for “Money Maker.” Pharrell Williams has been nominated for a slew of other accolades and nominations. In July 2010, Williams composed the music for the film “Despicable Me,” and in 2011, he contributed on Adam Lambert’s new album. Pharrell Williams had four Grammy nominations in 2014 and won four of them. Producer of the Year, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Group Performance were among his Grammy wins.
Pharrell’s second album, Girl, was published in 2014 and debuted at #1 on the Billboard R&B chart in the United States, as well as in Australia, Denmark, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom. In addition to the Billboard 200 chart, the album charted at #2 in a number of other nations. His track “Happy” went to number one in ten countries and was certified seven times platinum. Williams was also featured on Robin Thicke’s blockbuster single “Blurred Lines” with T.I., which went to number one in ten countries, and Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky,” which went to number one in six countries.
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He also produced Ed Sheeran’s #1 single “Sing,” as well as “Blurred Lines” and “Happy.” On the seventh season of The Voice, Williams took over for CeeLo Green as a coach in March 2014. In June 2015, Williams and Al Gore collaborated on a seven-continent Live Earth event to raise awareness about climate change. Something in the Water, a three-day music and culture festival on the Virginia Beach waterfront, was inaugurated by Williams in 2019. Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliot, and a slew of other well-known artists gave solo performances. Williams later collaborated with Hans Zimmer on five tracks for Disney’s “The Lion King” later that year. Pharrell Williams is always busy, and he has a lot of fresh ideas on the drawing board or in various stages of implementation.
Business Partnerships
Pharrell Williams collaborated with Louis Vuitton on glasses and jewelry in 2008. In 2009, Williams collaborated on a sculpture with Takashi Murakami at Art Basel. Williams founded I am OTHER, a multimedia creative collaborative and musical label, in May 2012. I am OTHER has its own YouTube channel and clothing items. Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear are two of his clothing brands. Ice Cream Footwear has a store in Tokyo, Japan, while Billionaire Boys Club has a flagship store in New York City.
Williams designed a series of sunglasses for Moncler in 2013. Williams was an executive producer on the film “Dope,” which was released in 2015. The following year, he signed a deal with Adidas and on July 23, 2016, his “human race” collection was revealed. Williams is the founder of the non-profit From One Hand to Another (FOHTA). Their goal is to modernize the traditional community center so that impoverished children can benefit from new technology, media, and art. In 2017, Pharrell collaborated on a €1,000 sneaker with Chanel and Adidas. Williams teamed up with Verizon in April 2019 to offer a music curriculum for Verizon Foundation Learning schools around the country. The organization aims to assist under-resourced middle schools with free internet access and technology.
Personal Experiences
Williams now says he regrets being a part of Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines,” which has been widely panned due to its contentious lyrics, which many believe refer to sexual assault.
On October 12, 2013, Williams married Helen Lasichanh. Rocket Williams, their son, was born in 2008. For his son, he wrote the “Despicable Me” song “Rocket’s Theme.” Helen gave birth to triplets in January 2017.
Williams funded a $35 million afterschool center in his hometown of Virginia Beach, in addition to his other charities. He also offered 114 Harlem High School students internships. They were all accepted to college, and Pharrell’s gift was intended to assist kids in becoming the next generation of leaders who will effect meaningful change.
Purchasing Real Estate
Pharrell bought a 9,000-square-foot beachfront mansion in Virginia Beach for $1.85 million in 2001.
Pharrell’s Miami Beach penthouse condo was sold for $8.5 million in 2007. He upgraded to a triplex penthouse in Miami that same year, with approximately 9,000 square feet of living space. The price of this penthouse was $12.5 million. He listed this house in 2012 for just under $17 million. In 2015, he finally took $9.35 million.
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Williams and his family relocated to Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, in 2015, to a 17,000-square-foot mansion. Tyler Perry was the former owner of the property, which he purchased for $15.6 million. In March 2020, Pharrell put this house on the market for $17 million.
Pharrell paid $30 million for a property in Coral Gables, Florida, in April 2020. The waterfront property, which includes a 17,000 square foot mansion and stands on 3.5 acres, was originally advertised for $45 million.
Net Worth
Pharrell Williams has a net worth of $250 million and is a prominent recording artist, producer, musician, and fashion designer.