Pharrell Williams Sued by Neptunes Partner Chad Hugo for “Fraudulent & Malicious Conduct”

The Neptunes – two-thirds of the group N.E.R.D. and masterminds behind megahits like Britney Spears’ ‘Slave 4 U,’ Nelly‘s ‘Hot in Herre,’ Gwen Stefani‘s ‘Hollaback Girl,’ and countless other hits from the 2000s – shocked fans and music lovers alike when they announced their breakup.

And, if a recent lawsuit lifted by member Chad Hugo is to judge by, the split was far from amicable.

Legal docs obtained by Billboard reveal Hugo has slammed longtime friend and former business partner Williams with a lawsuit alleging the ‘Happy‘ hitmaker cut him out of their company and still owes him a large sum of revenue from music they created together.

Filed Friday (January 23), the suit claims Chad was the victim of several “wrongdoings” at the hands of Pharrell.

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

According to Hugo’s legal counsel, the producer hasn’t seen revenue from N.E.R.D merchandising since 2023 and believes he’s owed at least $1 million of withheld royalties.

“After years of obfuscation by Pharrell and his team, Mr. Hugo had no choice but to seek substantial compensation and accountability in court,” said Lehman. “We look forward to presenting the evidence and obtaining the full relief the law provides.”

The new suit is the second in as many years filed by Chad against Pharrell on the basis of “fraud.” Back in 2024, Hugo accused his former bandmate of “fraudulently” seeking sole control over the “Neptunes” name.

As far as the legal docs filed Friday, however, Williams has not made a public statement on the matter as of the time of this report.

[photo source: AP Photos]