Portsmouth native and music producer Chad Hugo is suing his longtime creative partner Pharrell Williams, claiming Williams cheated him out of hundreds of thousands of dollars in royalties and profits from their work as The Neptunes and N.E.R.D.
In a federal lawsuit filed this week, Hugo alleges Williams has systematically withheld financial records and revenue from their decades-long partnership, despite a 2014 agreement requiring monthly financial statements and equal profit sharing.
Watch related coverage: Pharrell’s SITW didn’t happen in 2025, but mayor remained open to another weekend
Something in the Water is definitely not happening in April, but VB’s mayor is open to another weekend
The complaint claims Hugo is owed at least $325,000 from just one album alone, with potential damages exceeding $1 million…