History of Pharrell Williams in Timeline

Pharrell Williams, a multifaceted American talent, is a musician, record producer, and fashion designer. He rose to fame as one half of The Neptunes, a highly successful production duo with Chad Hugo, crafting numerous top-ten Billboard hits. Williams is also the lead vocalist for the rock and hip-hop band N.E.R.D. alongside Shay Haley. Known for his significant influence on contemporary pop music, he's contributed to the Despicable Me films as a musical contributor, showcasing his diverse artistic capabilities.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

1990: Influence of A Tribe Called Quest's Album

In 1990, A Tribe Called Quest's debut album, People's Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, was a turning point in Pharrell Williams' life, making him see that music was art.

2005: Launch of Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream Footwear

In 2005, Pharrell Williams partnered with Nigo to create the streetwear brands Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream footwear.

2005: Voted "Best Dressed Man in the World"

In 2005, Pharrell Williams was voted "Best Dressed Man in the World" by Esquire.

2008: Birth of Son Rocket

In 2008, Pharrell Williams and Helen Lasichanh welcomed their son Rocket.

2008: Collaboration with Louis Vuitton and Founding of FOHTA

In 2008, Pharrell Williams co-designed eyewear and jewelry for Louis Vuitton and founded the non-profit organization "From One Hand To AnOTHER" (FOHTA).

2009: Collaboration with Takashi Murakami at Art Basel

In 2009, Pharrell Williams unveiled a collaborative sculpture with Takashi Murakami at Art Basel, which spoke to the metaphor of value.

May 2011: Creative Director of KarmaloopTV

In May 2011, Pharrell Williams was announced as the creative director of KarmaloopTV alongside founder and CEO Greg Selkoe and former AMC president Katie McEnroe.

2011: Funding of After-School Center in Virginia Beach

In 2011, Pharrell Williams announced that his charitable foundation, From One Hand to Another, would be funding a $35 million after-school center in his hometown, Virginia Beach.

2011: Brief use of the rap name Sk8brd

In 2011, Pharrell Williams briefly used the rap name Sk8brd.

May 2012: Launch of I Am Other Social Media Venture

In May 2012, Pharrell Williams launched the social media venture I Am Other.

August 2013: Creation of Moncler Lunettes Sunglasses Line

In August 2013, Pharrell Williams created a line of sunglasses for fashion brand Moncler called "Moncler Lunettes".

October 12, 2013: Marriage to Helen Lasichanh

On October 12, 2013, Pharrell Williams married his longtime partner, model and fashion designer Helen Lasichanh.

February 2014: Partnership with Adidas and Collaboration with G-Star Raw

In February 2014, Pharrell Williams entered a long-term partnership with Adidas and announced a collaboration between G-Star Raw and his textile company Bionic Yarn called "RAW for the Oceans," which is a collection of denim made from recycled plastic found in the ocean.

April 2014: Release of Uniqlo "i am OTHER" Collection

In April 2014, Pharrell Williams released a collection for retail giant Uniqlo entitled "i am OTHER", created with Nigo, the creative director of UT.

June 2014: Feature in 'We Are Friends With You' Book

In June 2014, artist collective Rizzoli published a book by FriendsWithYou, We Are Friends With You, that featured contributions from Pharrell Williams, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Peter Doroshenko.

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: Executive Producer of 'Dope' Film

In 2015, Pharrell Williams was the executive producer of the crime comedy-drama film Dope.

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July 23, 2016: Release of Adidas NMD "Human Race" Collection

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: Honorary Doctorate from NYU

On May 17, 2017, Pharrell Williams gave the commencement address at New York University and received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree.

2017: Design of Sneaker with Chanel and Adidas

In 2017, Pharrell Williams designed a €1,000 sneaker in collaboration with Chanel and Adidas.

November 2018: Performance at Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Gala

In November 2018, Pharrell Williams performed at a Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Gala, which raised a record high of $60 million. He also commented on the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting, expressing support for the Jewish community.

March 2019: Something in the Water Festival Launch

In March 2019, Pharrell Williams and the city of Virginia Beach announced the launch of the Something in the Water, a three-day music and cultural festival. The festival was scheduled to be held during College Beach Weekend, April 26–28, on the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

April 26, 2019: Partnership with Verizon for Tech-Fused Music Curriculum

On April 26, 2019, Verizon partnered with Pharrell Williams to launch a tech-fused music curriculum in Verizon Foundation Learning schools nationwide.

October 2019: Regret over "Blurred Lines"

In October 2019, Pharrell Williams expressed regret regarding the 2013 song "Blurred Lines," acknowledging the intense backlash it received for its perceived sexist themes.

2019: Internships Offered to Promise Academy Students

In 2019, Pharrell Williams offered internships to 144 students at Promise Academy in Harlem, New York City.

2019: Explanation of the "Four-Count Loops"

In a 2019 interview with Vulture, Pharrell Williams revealed that the creation of his signature "four-count loops" was unintentional and was essentially what was left in the song while trying to start a song on the beat instead of using a metronome.

November 2020: Launch of Humanrace Skincare Brand

In November 2020, Pharrell Williams launched Humanrace, a skin care brand.

March 26, 2021: Death of Cousin Donovan Lynch

On March 26, 2021, Pharrell Williams' cousin, Donovan Lynch, was shot and killed by an officer from the Virginia Beach Police Department. Williams called for a federal investigation into the incident.

December 2021: Launch of "Premium basics" Winter Line with Adidas Originals

In December 2021, Pharrell Williams launched the winter line "Premium basics" together with Adidas Originals.

2021: Virgil Abloh's Death

In 2021, Virgil Abloh, the previous Louis Vuitton men's creative director, passed away, leading to Pharrell Williams' appointment to the position in 2023.

June 2022: Chief Brand Officer of Doodles and Album Release

In June 2022, Doodles announced Pharrell Williams as its Chief Brand Officer and set a release date for him to release a Doodles album, available to stream and sold exclusively as NFTs.

February 14, 2023: Appointment as Louis Vuitton's Men's Creative Director

On February 14, 2023, Louis Vuitton announced that Pharrell Williams had been appointed their new men's creative director, succeeding Virgil Abloh who passed away in 2021.

June 2023: First Collection Displayed at Paris Men's Fashion Week

In June 2023, Pharrell Williams displayed his first collection as Louis Vuitton's men's creative director during Paris Men's Fashion Week.

October 2024: Release of 'Piece by Piece' Documentary

In October 2024, 'Piece by Piece', an animated documentary film about Pharrell Williams' life and career, created using Lego animation, was released in theaters.

February 2025: "Golden" Film Canceled

In February 2025, the film "Golden" was canceled by Universal prior to post-production due to a disagreement with Williams and other producers.

May 9, 2025: Planned Release of "Golden" Film

On May 9, 2025, the film "Golden", loosely based on Williams's life and directed by Michel Gondry, was originally set for release.

July 11, 2025: Release of Clipse's "Let God Sort Em Out" Album

On July 11, 2025, Clipse's fourth album, "Let God Sort Em Out", which Pharrell Williams executively produced and appeared on, was released.

2025: Feature on Tyler, The Creator's Album

In 2025, Pharrell Williams appeared as a feature on track 1 of Tyler, The Creator's album "Don't Tap the Glass", titled "Big Poe" under his rap name Sk8brd.