Pharrell Trying to ‘Rewrite History’ and ‘Erase’ Chad Hugo from Neptunes, Producer Claims

The Neptunes’ Chad Hugo is pushing back against an effort by his estranged production partner, Pharrell Williams, to dismiss his copyright infringement lawsuit, accusing Williams of trying to erase his contributions to one of hip-hop’s most influential duos.

via: All Hip Hop

Hugo maintains that his former friend withheld royalties and songwriting credits from their work as The Neptunes, according to an Oct. 16 federal court filing opposing Williams’ attempt to dismiss the lawsuit.

The disagreement has moved far beyond creative differences.

Hugo claims his longtime collaborator has withheld money and recognition tied to music they produced together.

In an Oct. 16 federal court filing, Hugo’s attorneys urged a judge to reject Pharrell’s attempt to dismiss the lawsuit. Their argument portrays the dispute as a fight over more than unpaid royalties. They contend that Pharrell seeks to diminish Hugo’s historical contributions to the production team.

Hugo’s lawyers characterized the situation as an “effort to rewrite history and turn The Neptunes’ success into the work of only one person,” according to a report from The Jasmine Brand.

“Defendants ask the Court to write Chad Hugo out of The Neptunes on the pleadings, before a single document has been produced,” the filing states. “But The Neptunes were two people.”

For decades, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo operated as The Neptunes, helping define the sound of contemporary Hip-Hop and R&B. Their partnership established them as one of the music industry’s most recognizable production teams, with a creative reputation built on their collective work.

According to Hugo’s allegations, the two producers reached an agreement in 2019 to share production revenue and publishing rights equally. Hugo maintains that Williams subsequently retained earnings and recognition associated with compositions they created together.

The complaint reportedly addresses nearly 50 recording sessions conducted between 2019 and 2021.

Among the disputed recordings is EarthGang’s “U Gotta,” which Hugo claims he helped create without receiving appropriate acknowledgment.

Pharrell and company have challenged the lawsuit, arguing that Hugo has failed to identify the disputed musical compositions with sufficient specificity.

Their request for dismissal focuses on whether the complaint meets the legal requirements necessary for the case to proceed.

Hugo’s attorneys reject that position and maintain that the dispute deserves further examination through the litigation process.

Hugo initially filed his lawsuit in January, seeking recognition of his copyright ownership and a financial accounting of revenue generated from the contested works.

His legal team has also requested permission to amend the complaint within 21 days if the court determines that additional information is necessary.

The allegations remain contested, and the court has not established that Williams improperly withheld royalties or denied Hugo ownership rights.