Skater rapper Pharrell Williams, who is also known as Skateboard P in the skateboarding community, is being sued by his former Neptunes partner Chad Hugo.
The lawsuit claims that Hugo was unfairly cut out of the business they shared and is owed up to $1 million connected to an N.E.R.D. album.
Chad Hugo says Skateboard P took actions that hurt his financial interests.
According to the suit, Pharrell “engaged in self-dealing, concealed material information, and diverted revenues owed” to Hugo.
The lawsuit describes the actions as “willful, fraudulent, and malicious.” Hugo claims he never received the proper share of royalties from The Neptunes or N.E.R.D., including money from album sales, tours, and merchandise.
The dispute also involves requests for financial records. Hugo says he asked multiple times for access to company records starting in 2021, but those requests were ignored or only partially fulfilled.
His lawyer states this is a breach of their operating agreement. The damages Hugo is seeking range from $325,000 to $575,000, with potential total damages exceeding $750,000 and possibly reaching $1 million.
The lawsuit also highlights Hugo’s creative contributions to the duo. He is described as the main composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, and producer, while Pharrell is portrayed as the member who more often appeared in public.
Hugo’s legal team argues that his work played a major role in their shared projects, and he deserves compensation for the part he played in the success of The Neptunes and N.E.R.D.