Pharrell Williams Locked in Bitter Trademark Battle With Chad Hugo Over The Neptunes Name
Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are known for being the songwriting duo The Neptunes.
April 1 2024, Published 7:45 p.m. ET
Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo — known for being the songwriting duo The Neptunes — are locked in a nasty legal dispute over the group's name, with the latter accusing Williams of “fraudulently” seeking sole control over the trademarks, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The childhood friends are behind early 2000 hits like Nelly’s Hot in Herre, Snoop Dogg’s Drop It Like It’s Hot, Justin Timberlake’s Rock Your Body, and Gwen Stefani’s Hollaback Girl.
The childhood friends are behind several early 2000s hits, like Nelly's "Hot in Heree.'
Hugo's lawyer, Kenneth D. Freundlich, accused Pharrell and his company of attempting to register trademarks for The Neptunes' name, which he claimed violated the powerhouse pair's longtime agreement of splitting everything 50/50.
“Throughout their over thirty year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” the filing read. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.”
Williams' rep slammed the allegations, telling Billboard the star wasn't trying to backstab his buddy.
“Pharrell is surprised by this. We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer. The goal here was to make sure a third party doesn’t get a hold of the trademark and to guarantee Chad and Pharrell share in ownership and administration," his spokesperson said on Monday.
Williams filed for several applications over The Neptunes, but Hugo took issue with three in particular.
Hugo took issue with three of Williams' applications to register The Neptunes as a trademark filed in 2022, which covered using the name on streaming music, music videos and other content, and live performances.
Williams' company, PW IP Holdings LLC, also owns several of the star's registrations for his brands, like his band N.E.R.D. and his Miami Goodtime Hotel.
Hugo's lawyer shot back at the Happy singer's denial about having no ill intent with his filings.
“If Pharell’s [sic] intent was to include Chad in the filing, he should have registered it in the name of their jointly owned company Neptunes, LLC and not in his own name,” he said. “This was a land grab in a long simmering dispute that has yet to be resolved," Freundlich told the outlet.
Hugo's attorney accused Williams of “knowingly and intentionally” filing the trademark applications without his client's input.
Hugo's attorney accused Williams of “knowingly and intentionally” filing the trademark applications without his client's input — a move he said is required. He claimed Williams was "fully aware" that Hugo or their partnership entity should be listed as co-owner.
“Nothing, either written or oral, provided Williams or [PW IP Holdings] with the unilateral authority to register the trademarks," he charged.
Freundlich alleged that he's “repeatedly” reached out to Williams' team over the filings, claiming his lawyers “admitted that [Hugo] is equal co-owner of the trademarks” while allegedly promising to include him; however, he said that never happened.
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Hugo's lawyer claimed that Williams' company presented "onerous business terms” that would have allegedly deprived his client of control and compensation.
Williams and Hugo formed The Neptunes in 1992. They were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame three decades later in 2022.
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