Some of the biggest singles of the 2000s and 2010s, such as Nelly’s “Hot In Herre” and Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” were created by the team.
The legendary producing trio The Neptunes’ Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are suing over their disagreements.
Hugo, a former friend and production partner of Williams, is now suing him, claiming that the creative director of Louis Vuitton fired him and owes him up to $1 million from the 2017 N.E.R.D. album “No One Ever Really Dies.”
Billboard was the first to report the news.
Hugo claims that his boyhood friend “engaged in self-dealing, concealed material information, and diverted revenues owed” in the complaint he filed on Friday, January 23.
Hugo’s lawyer, Brent J. Lehman, stated in the document that “such willful, fraudulent, and malicious conduct warrants the imposition of punitive damages.” Additionally, Hugo accuses Williams of hiding papers and royalties that would establish the amount he owes, including the $1 million from their 2017 album that resulted in the popular single “Lemon” featuring Rihanna.
According to Lehman, “Plaintiff has not received his proper share of royalties in connection with The Neptunes and N.E.R.D.’s album sales and released music, as well as distributions from touring income and various merchandising deals.”
The old production team has previously been sued for suspected improprieties. Hugo sued Pharrell in 2024, claiming that he had “fraudulently” sought exclusive ownership of the moniker “The Neptunes.” A federal trademark tribunal is still considering the matter.
Williams and Hugo were among the most sought-after producers of the 2000s and 2010s prior to their court battles. They collaborated to create songs for Nelly (“Hot In Herre”), Snoop Dogg (“Drop It Like It’s Hot”), Britney Spears (“I’m A Slave 4 U”), SWV (“Use Your Heart”), Jay-Z (“I Just Wanna Love U (Give It To Me)), Usher (“U Don’t Have To Call”), Kelis (“Milkshake”), and more.
Hugo’s attorneys claim in the latest lawsuit that he hasn’t received any income from an N.E.R.D. merchandise deal since 2023 and that he is owed “at least $325,000-$575,000” from “No One Ever Really Dies,” with potential damages reaching “$750K to $1M.”
“Mr. Hugo had no choice but to seek substantial compensation and accountability in court after years of obfuscation by Pharrell and his team,” Lehman wrote in an email to Billboard. “We are eager to present the evidence and get the full relief that the law offers.”
