Pharrell Williams is now embroiled in a legal dispute with his former Neptunes partner, Chad Hugo, who has filed a lawsuit alleging a breach of trust and unpaid royalties amid their ongoing separation. The lawsuit, filed on January 23, 2026, claims that Williams has not only excluded Hugo from their company but also owes him as much as $1 million from the 2017 N.E.R.D. album, “No One Ever Really Dies.”
Once a dynamic duo that produced chart-topping hits throughout the early 2000s—including Nelly’s “Hot in Herre,” Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” and Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl”—Pharrell and Hugo formed the core of the hip-hop/rock group N.E.R.D. However, tensions between the two friends, who have known each other since childhood in Virginia, have escalated into legal allegations of “self-dealing” and “fraudulent conduct.”
In the lawsuit, Hugo’s attorney, Brent J. Lehman, outlines a range of accusations, including the withholding of royalties and failure to provide essential financial documents. According to Hugo, this conduct represents a “systemic denial” of his rights as a partner. The case seeks punitive damages for what Hugo’s team describes as “willful, fraudulent, and malicious conduct.”
This isn’t the first time the two have faced off in court. In 2024, Hugo filed a lawsuit accusing Pharrell of attempting to gain sole control of the “Neptunes” name, a dispute that remains pending at a federal trademark tribunal. The latest lawsuit, however, expands the scope of their conflict significantly, alleging that Hugo has not received his rightful share of royalties from both their collaborative efforts and N.E.R.D.’s ventures.
Hugo’s legal team claims that their client has not received any revenue since September 2023 from a merchandising partnership related to N.E.R.D. They assert that he is entitled to a substantial amount, with potential damages from the album “No One Ever Really Dies” exceeding $1 million. Despite repeated requests for financial transparency starting in 2021, Hugo’s attorneys say Pharrell has failed to provide the necessary statements and records, hindering their ability to assess owed revenues.
Over recent years, the duo continued to collaborate, producing tracks for prominent artists like Megan Thee Stallion and A$AP Ferg. However, underlying tensions were growing, culminating in this latest legal action. Hugo’s attorneys argue that after numerous attempts to obtain financial records, they were left with no choice but to initiate legal proceedings to seek accountability and compensation.
In a statement, Lehman emphasized the need for transparency and accountability, noting that Hugo had exhausted all other options before resorting to court. As the case unfolds, both sides will present their evidence, and the outcome could significantly impact the futures of both Pharrell and Hugo.
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