History of Pharrell Williams in Timeline
Pharrell Williams is a highly influential American musician, record producer, singer, songwriter, rapper, and fashion designer. He rose to prominence as one half of the production duo the Neptunes, known for numerous top-ten hits, including four number-one songs on the Billboard Hot 100. Williams is also the lead vocalist of the rock and hip-hop band N.E.R.D. with Shay Haley. He is widely considered one of the most impactful and innovative producers in contemporary popular music.
April 5, 1973: Pharrell Williams' Birth
On April 5, 1973, Pharrell Lanscilo Williams was born in Virginia Beach, Virginia, to Carolyn and Pharoah Williams.
1977: Copyright of Marvin Gaye song
In 2015, a unanimous jury determined that "Blurred Lines", was an infringement of the 1977 Marvin Gaye song "Got to Give It Up".
1990: Influence of A Tribe Called Quest
In 1990, A Tribe Called Quest's debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, caused a "turning point" in Williams' life, inspiring him to see music as art.
1991: High School Graduation
In 1991, Pharrell Williams graduated from high school.
1992: Formation of The Neptunes
In 1992, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo formed the music production duo The Neptunes.
1992: Writing "Rump Shaker"
In 1992, Pharrell Williams wrote Riley's verse on Wreckx-n-Effect's hit song "Rump Shaker".
1998: Production of "Superthug"
In 1998, as part of the Neptunes, Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo produced Noreaga's single "Superthug".
1999: Production for Kelis
In 1999, The Neptunes, including Pharrell Williams, produced Kelis' first studio album, Kaleidoscope.
1999: Formation of N.E.R.D.
In 1999, Williams, Hugo, and Shay Haley formed the rock and hip-hop band N.E.R.D., with Williams as the lead vocalist.
2000: Production of Hit Singles
In 2000, The Neptunes, including Pharrell Williams, produced Mystikal's "Shake Ya Ass" and Jay-Z's "I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)".
2001: Release of "In Search of..."
In 2001, N.E.R.D, including Pharrell Williams, released their debut album In Search of....
2001: Co-founding Star Trak Entertainment
In 2001, Pharrell Williams co-founded the record label Star Trak Entertainment with Chad Hugo as an imprint of Arista Records.
2002: Production of "Hot in Herre"
In 2002, The Neptunes, including Pharrell Williams, produced Nelly's single "Hot in Herre".
2002: Production on Justin Timberlake's Justified
In 2002, The Neptunes, including Pharrell Williams, produced multiple songs on Justin Timberlake's debut album Justified, including the singles "Señorita", "Like I Love You", and "Rock Your Body".
August 2003: Neptunes' Radio Dominance
According to a survey in August 2003, The Neptunes produced almost 20% of songs played on British radio and 43% on U.S. radio at the time.
2003: Release of "Frontin'"
In 2003, Pharrell Williams released his debut single, "Frontin'" featuring Jay-Z, which peaked at number five on the Billboard Hot 100.
2004: Production of "Drop It Like It's Hot"
In 2004, The Neptunes, including Pharrell Williams, produced Snoop Dogg's single "Drop It Like It's Hot", which also featured vocals from Williams.
April 2, 2005: "Hollaback Girl" on Billboard Hot 100
On April 2, 2005, Gwen Stefani's single "Hollaback Girl", produced by The Neptunes, entered the Billboard Hot 100.
2005: Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Brands
In 2005, Pharrell Williams partnered with Nigo to establish the streetwear brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream footwear.
2005: "Best Dressed Man in the World"
In 2005, Pharrell Williams was voted "Best Dressed Man in the World" by Esquire.
December 2006: Performance at Concert for Diana Announced
In December 2006, Pharrell Williams was announced as a performer at the Concert for Diana in Wembley Stadium.
2006: Release of "In My Mind"
In 2006, Pharrell Williams released his debut studio album, In My Mind, through Virgin and Interscope Records, which peaked at number three on the Billboard 200.
July 1, 2007: Performance at Concert for Diana
On July 1, 2007, Pharrell Williams performed at the Concert for Diana in Wembley Stadium, London.
June 2008: Interest in Producing The Strokes
In June 2008, Pharrell Williams expressed interest in producing the next album for the American rock band The Strokes.
2008: Birth of Son Rocket
In 2008, Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh welcomed their son Rocket.
2008: Louis Vuitton Collaboration and FOHTA Foundation
In 2008, Pharrell Williams co-designed eyewear and jewelry for Louis Vuitton. He also founded the non-profit organization "From One Hand To AnOTHER" (FOHTA).
2009: Art Basel Sculpture with Takashi Murakami
In 2009, Pharrell Williams unveiled a collaborative sculpture with Takashi Murakami at Art Basel, symbolizing the metaphor of value.
2010: Guest appearance on Uffie's debut album
In 2010, Pharrell Williams made a guest appearance on French singer Uffie's debut album.
2010: Despicable Me Score
In 2010, Pharrell Williams worked on the music score for the animated film Despicable Me.
May 2011: Creative Director of KarmaloopTV
In May 2011, Pharrell Williams was announced as the creative director of KarmaloopTV.
2011: $35 Million After-School Center
In 2011, Pharrell Williams announced that he is building a $35 million after-school center in Virginia Beach.
2011: Collaboration with Mike Posner
In late 2011, Pharrell Williams worked on three tracks for Mike Posner's second album, Sky High.
May 2012: I Am Other Social Media Venture Launch
In May 2012, Pharrell Williams launched the social media venture I Am Other.
2012: Composing the Academy Awards Music
In 2012, Pharrell Williams composed and produced the music for the 84th Academy Awards alongside Hans Zimmer.
March 2013: Release of "Blurred Lines"
In March 2013, Robin Thicke's single "Blurred Lines", written and produced by Pharrell Williams, was released.
August 2013: Mention of Unreleased Documentary Album
In August 2013, Busta Rhymes spoke about an unreleased "documentary album" by Pharrell Williams discussing "inner-city strife and hardship".
August 2013: Moncler Sunglasses Line
In August 2013, Pharrell Williams created a line of sunglasses for Moncler called "Moncler Lunettes".
October 12, 2013: Marriage to Helen Lasichanh
On October 12, 2013, Pharrell Williams married his longtime partner, Helen Lasichanh.
November 1, 2013: Performance at Emanuel AME Church
On November 1, 2013, Pharrell Williams performed with a gospel choir at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina.
November 2013: Release of 24-Hour Music Video for "Happy"
In November 2013, Pharrell Williams released the first 24-hour music video for his song "Happy", featuring various guest appearances.
December 2013: Grammy Nominations and Columbia Records Contract
In December 2013, Pharrell Williams was nominated for seven Grammy Awards and signed a contract with Columbia Records, announcing an album set for release in 2014.
2013: Collaboration with Daft Punk
In 2013, Pharrell Williams collaborated with Daft Punk on "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance", featured on Random Access Memories.
2013: Success of "Blurred Lines" and "Get Lucky"
In 2013, Pharrell Williams produced and performed on Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and guested on Daft Punk's "Get Lucky," achieving significant chart success and winning a Grammy Award for Record of the Year for "Get Lucky".
February 2014: Collaboration with Major Lazer
In February 2014, Major Lazer announced the release of an EP titled Apocalypse Soon, featuring Pharrell Williams.
February 2014: G-Star Raw Collaboration
In February 2014, Pharrell Williams announced a collaboration between G-Star Raw and his textile company Bionic Yarn called "RAW for the Oceans," using recycled plastic.
February 18, 2014: Announcement of "Girl" Album
On February 18, 2014, Pharrell Williams announced his second album, Girl, would be released on March 3, 2014.
March 2, 2014: Oscar Loss for "Happy"
On March 2, 2014, at the 86th Academy Awards, Pharrell Williams's song "Happy" lost to "Let It Go" from Frozen. He also wore a controversial outfit.
March 3, 2014: Release of "Girl" Album
On March 3, 2014, Pharrell Williams' second album, Girl, was released, supported by the Dear Girl Tour.
March 2014: Fragrance Collaboration
In March 2014, Comme des Garçons announced the release of a unisex fragrance with Pharrell Williams, named after his album Girl.
March 31, 2014: New Coach on The Voice
On March 31, 2014, Pharrell Williams was announced as a new coach for the seventh season of The Voice, replacing CeeLo Green.
April 2014: Uniqlo "i am OTHER" Collection
In April 2014, Pharrell Williams released a collection for Uniqlo entitled "i am OTHER", created with Nigo.
May 2014: Girl Art Show in Paris
In May 2014, Pharrell Williams curated an art show named after his album, Girl, at the Galerie Perrotin in Paris, France.
May 2014: Innovator Award at iHeartRadio Music Awards
In May 2014, Pharrell Williams received an Innovator Award at the iHeartRadio Music Awards.
June 2014: "We Are Friends With You" Book Contribution
In June 2014, Pharrell Williams contributed to the book We Are Friends With You by FriendsWithYou.
June 2014: Guest Appearance on Sisterhood of Hip Hop
In June 2014, it was announced that Pharrell Williams would make a guest appearance on the docu-series Sisterhood of Hip Hop.
October 21, 2014: Executive Producer of T.I.'s Album
On October 21, 2014, Paperwork, the ninth studio album by T.I., executive produced by Pharrell Williams, was released.
2014: Removal of "ATM Jam" from Album
In 2014, Azealia Banks removed the song "ATM Jam" with Pharrell Williams from her album due to perceived poor commercial performance.
2014: Release of "Girl"
In 2014, Pharrell Williams released his album Girl, which peaked at number two on the Billboard 200.
2014: Nomination for Best Original Song
In 2014, Williams received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for "Happy". Additionally, he founded the media company I Am Other.
January 2015: Musical Director for Live Earth Concert
In January 2015, Pharrell Williams was announced as the musical director for a 7-continent Live Earth concert to raise awareness about climate change.
February 8, 2015: Cameo in The Simpsons
On February 8, 2015, Pharrell Williams made a cameo in an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Walking Big & Tall".
May 18, 2015: Victory on The Voice
On May 18, 2015, Team Pharrell's Sawyer Fredericks won the eighth season of The Voice.
June 17, 2015: Emanuel AME Church Shooting
On June 17, 2015, Nine black parishioners were shot and killed at Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, where Pharrell Williams had performed in 2013.
June 18, 2015: Live Earth Concert
On June 18, 2015, Pharrell Williams was the musical director for a 7-continent Live Earth concert to raise awareness about and pressure governments to act on climate change.
October 2015: Artist-in-Residence at NYU
In October 2015, Pharrell Williams was named artist-in-residence at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University.
2015: House Purchase in Laurel Canyon
In 2015, Pharrell Williams bought a house in the Laurel Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles.
2015: Executive Producer of "Dope"
In 2015, Pharrell Williams served as the executive producer of the film Dope.
July 23, 2016: Adidas NMD "Human Race" Collection Release
On July 23, 2016, Pharrell Williams' Adidas NMD "Human Race" collection was released.
January 2017: Birth of Triplets
In January 2017, Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh welcomed triplets.
May 17, 2017: Commencement Address and Honorary Degree
On May 17, 2017, Pharrell Williams gave the commencement address at New York University and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.
2017: Chanel and Adidas Sneaker Design
In 2017, Pharrell Williams designed a €1,000 sneaker in collaboration with Chanel and Adidas.
2017: Academy Award Nomination for Best Picture
In 2017, Pharrell Williams was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture as a producer of Hidden Figures.
November 2018: Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Gala Performance
In November 2018, Pharrell Williams performed at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Gala, which raised a record $60 million and was subsequently criticized for it.
2018: Collaboration with Ariana Grande
In 2018, Pharrell Williams worked with Ariana Grande on her fourth studio album, Sweetener, producing several songs and being featured on "Blazed".
March 2019: Something in the Water Festival Announced
In March 2019, Pharrell Williams and Virginia Beach announced a three-day music and cultural festival called Something in the Water, scheduled for April 26-28.
April 26, 2019: Verizon Tech-Fused Music Curriculum Launch
On April 26, 2019, Verizon partnered with Pharrell Williams to launch a tech-fused music curriculum in Verizon Foundation Learning schools.
October 2019: Regret over "Blurred Lines"
In October 2019, Pharrell Williams expressed regret over the 2013 song "Blurred Lines" due to its sexist themes.
2019: Internships for Promise Academy Students
In 2019, Pharrell Williams offered internships to 144 students at Promise Academy in Harlem, New York City.
2019: Four-Count Loop Origin
In 2019, Williams revealed that the creation of his signature "four-count loop" was unintentional, originating from trying to start a song on the beat.
November 2020: Humanrace Skin Care Brand Launch
In November 2020, Pharrell Williams launched Humanrace, a skin care brand.
March 26, 2021: Death of Donovan Lynch
On March 26, 2021, Pharrell Williams' cousin Donovan Lynch was shot and killed by a Virginia Beach police officer.
December 2021: Adidas Originals "Premium Basics" Winter Line
In December 2021, Pharrell Williams launched the winter line "Premium basics" with Adidas Originals.
June 2022: Doodles Chief Brand Officer
In June 2022, Pharrell Williams was announced as the Chief Brand Officer for Doodles and will release a Doodles album.
February 14, 2023: Louis Vuitton Men's Creative Director Appointment
On February 14, 2023, Pharrell Williams was appointed the new men's creative director at Louis Vuitton.
June 2023: First Louis Vuitton Collection Display
In June 2023, Pharrell Williams showcased his first collection during Paris Men's Fashion Week.
2023: Creative Director for Louis Vuitton
Since 2023, Pharrell Williams has served as the Men's creative director for Louis Vuitton.
October 2024: Piece by Piece Documentary Release
In October 2024, Piece by Piece, an animated documentary film about Pharrell Williams' life and career using Lego animation, was released in theaters.
February 2025: "Golden" Film Cancellation
In February 2025, Universal canceled the film "Golden", loosely based on Williams' life, due to disagreements with Williams and other producers. The film was permanently shelved.
