In the famed producer’s animated biopic, Piece By Piece, he showcased his ability to maintain his cool under pressure. Following after the GQ Men Of The Year Party in West Hollywood, California onlookers witnessed it firsthand. As the “Happy” musician attempted to leave the annual shindig, held on November 14, Pharrell was aggressively confronted outside of his car service.
During the exchange, captured by The Hollywood Fix (viewable here), the animal rights advocates can be heard screaming: “Shame on you, you animal murder. You are a loser. What type of person still uses fur?”
Initially, Pharrell lashes back at the protester mocking them repeating back, “Shame on you.” Then as the cameras grew closer, Pharrell let his frustrations go. He then says, “I don’t use fur. God bless you.”
Afterward, Pharrell attempts to cut their tension with a hug. However, the activists were not open to the embrace. Back in September, Pharrell’s Piece By Piece screening, the event was crashed by PETA supporters carrying a sign which read: “Pharrell: Stop Killing Animals For Fashion.”
Drake boasted about buying and melting down Pharrell Williams‘ old chains in a few recent songs, but Pharrell isn’t bothered by the gestures, calling them the actions of a “fan of music.” In a conversation with GQ, Pharrell was asked how he felt about Drake’s verses from songs like Travis Scott’s “Meltdown” and the Kendrick Lamar diss “Family Matters.”
Pharrell responded with a typically even-keeled answer, saying, “No, because I think beyond all of the on-goings, at the heart of all of it, he’s a fan of music. He’s a fan of the history of what it is, and I happen to be a part of that, and those artifacts are a part of it.” He said he was “cool” with Drake buying his chains and didn’t have any thoughts on what the Canadian star melting them down might mean about Drake’s feelings about him.
“I guess some things are not for me to understand,” he admitted. “When you let things go, a huge part of it is actually letting go. Not just of the physical item, but letting go of your connection to what it’s supposed to mean, or the memory. You’re literally letting them go. That was the purpose. It’s like when people sell something and they go, ‘I just want to make sure you take care of it because this is my baby.’ And I’m like, ‘No, no, no.’ This is not my baby. That’s why I’m letting it go.”
While some fans determined Drake’s actions and bars to be disrespectful toward Pharrell (“I melt down the chains that I bought from yo’ boss / Give a f*ck about all of that heritage sh*t” from “Meltdown” and “You wanna take up for Pharrell, then come get his legacy out of my house” from “Family Matters”), it seemed that Williams was merely collateral damage in Drake’s ongoing feuds with Pusha T and Kendrick Lamar — the only ones he is widely believed to have lost. Maybe his first step at making amends could be to mend fences with the Virginia hitmaker.
Pharrell is in legacy mode. The legendary producer is promoting his new biopic, Piece by Piece, and talking about the various ways in which creativity manifests. Pharrell has always been someone who has balanced his artistic muse with commercial sensibilities. It’s this threading of the needle that makes him uniquely qualified to speak on the career of Andre 3000. The Outkast rapper has seemingly abandoned hip hop to make experimental jazz. Pharrell is not worried, however. He predicted that Andre will find his way back to the genre that made him.
Pharrell got on the topic of 3K during a recent profile with GQ. Pharrell and Andre came up around the same time, and were at their artistic and commercial peak during the 2000s. Both men are also revered for their eclectic tastes and adoration of Prince. Skateboard P commended the Outkast rapper for taking a risk and following his muse. He also urged the fans to be patient, and let Andre 3000 return to hip hop on his own terms. “People got all this judgment and they don’t understand,” he asserted. “People should just give him his time. He’s going to be back. That feeling finds you—you can’t run from it.”
Pharrell also noted that the same eclecticism that’s driving Andre 3000 to experiment with jazz is the same eclecticism fans praised during his time with Outkast. You can’t separate one from the other, and so patience is the best approach. “He not running, he just saying he not going to force it,” he explained. “What you love about him was when he was compelled. It’ll be back.” P also voiced excitement over how good Andre 3000’s return to hip hop will be. “When [he] does,” he noted. “He’s going to come in hot.”
Pharrell and Andre 3000 worked together on the N.E.R.D song “Rollinem 7’s” from 2017. The latter drops an absolutely mind-melting guest verse, proving that he still has what it takes to out rhyme guys who are half his age. Pharrell’s iconic production duo, the Neptunes, was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2019, the same year as Outkast. We hope Pharrell’s assertions about Andre 3000 are correct, and we hope to see these two collaborate again in the future.
GRAMMY Award-winning and Academy Award®-nominated musician Pharrell Williams has unveiled the official music video for his new original song, “Piece By Piece.” Directed by Academy Award-winner Morgan Neville, the video blends footage from the animated biopic Piece By Piece and new LEGO® animation.
The music video follows the release of the full soundtrack for the major motion picture Piece By Piece, which includes five original songs by Williams. Among these tracks are “Piece By Piece,” featuring the Princess Anne High School Fabulous Marching Cavaliers, and other songs like “It’s Happening,” “VIRGINIA Boy (Remix)” featuring Tyler, the Creator, “L’EGO Odyssey,” and “For Real.”
In addition to new tracks, the soundtrack features 16 of Pharrell’s greatest hits from his storied career, including collaborations with artists like Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, and Gwen Stefani.
Pharrell, who is also the Louis Vuitton menswear Creative Director, continues to expand his artistic influence with this latest venture into film music, blending his distinct musical style with animation in Piece By Piece.
Piece By Piece, the Lego-animated biopic/documentary about the life and career of Pharrell Williams is out now. Although its box office receipts don’t exactly reflect it, it’s one of the most innovative and interesting examples of the genre, even with a growing number of “weird” biopics on the market. The new music video for its title track is a shining microcosm of the vibrancy of the film, including clips from the movie’s musical sequence highlighting the song and bits and pieces (heh) from throughout its colorful narrative.
The film knows it’s an unusual take on the genre, too, pointing out repeatedly that animating a story — with Lego pieces, no less — is a move most musicians wouldn’t take. Pharrell even went so far as hiding its animated format from some of the interview subjects, like Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, to ensure they’d give more naturalistic responses. The result is as visually stunning as Pharrell’s production catalog has been for audiences’ ears for the past 20 years — although it does take a few liberties with the facts of Pharrell’s development as an artist and a pitchman. It’s still fun to see little animated details on the Lego avatars of his collaborators, like Lego Snoop Dogg’s little pocket bandana or Lego Gwen Stefani’s painted-on, Rocksteady-era abs. It’s worth checking it out, when you get some time.
In the meantime, you can watch the “Piece By Piece” video above.
Pharrell Williams’ life story is officially on the big screen. The famed producer’s Lego style biopic, Piece By Piece, can be viewed at your nearest theater and to promote it Pharrell is opening up about some major moments in his career.
During an interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Pharrell made a shocking confession about his optimistic hit, “Happy.” The track, which featured in Despicable Me 2 and its soundtrack served as positive reinforcement for listeners. But according to Pharrell writing the smash “broke him.”
“I had written 9 songs that were rejected,” he said. “It was only until you were out of ideas, and you asked yourself a rhetorical question, and you came back with a sarcastic answer, and that’s what ‘Happy’ was. How do you make a song about a person that’s so happy that nothing can bring them down? And I sarcastically answered it and put music to it, and that sarcasm became the song, and that broke me.”
However, Pharrell managed to find the silver lining, saying: “It’s so crazy for us to think like as individuals, everything comes from us. Your ideas, everything that you get, is coming from a library of existence. Nothing is new under the sun.”
In the past, Pharrell admitted that after a while he grew annoyed with the record just like the rest of us after it become unavoidable.
Watch Pharrell Williams and Morgan Neville’s full interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe above.
Pharrell knows how to make great music. He’s been doing it since 1992, when he penned a verse for the classic rap single “Rump Shaker.” The single is on the Piece By Piece soundtrack, since the movie of the same name tells Pharrell’s life and career story. There are other classic songs on here, and collabs with the likes of JAY-Z, Snoop Dogg, Clipse, and Justin Timberlake. Piece By Piece is, in one regard, one of the best greatest hits packages you could ever hope to come across. It is a sampler of the best hip hop, pop and R&B music of the last three decades. Don’t worry, though, there’s new stuff too.
It would be pointless to sit here and write about the merits of, say, “Superthug” or “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk. You know these songs, and depending on how you feel about “Happy,” you love these songs. It’s the new material, largely composed and performed by Pharrell solo, that makes Piece By Piece such an interesting listen. Most of the new songs are up top, and they are stellar. “For Real” and the title song are Pharrell in his bag, dishing out radiant melodies over oddball production. The obvious highlight is the “Virginia Boy” remix, though. Pharrell and his protege, Tyler, The Creator, sound like they’re having a ball on the hard-hitting song.
Let us know what you think of this brand new album, in the comments section down below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the music world. We will continue to keep you informed on all of your favorite artists and their upcoming projects.
Last night, the heart of New York City pulsed with creativity and star power as Jazz at Lincoln Center hosted the unforgettable premiere of the highly anticipated film, Piece by Piece, a vibrant celebration of Pharrell Williams’ iconic life and career. The event drew an impressive array of stars, including A$AP Ferg, Pusha T, N.O.R.E, Bianca Lawson, Teddy Riley, and Nigel Sylvester, who came together to preview the unique LEGO®-animated film that chronicles the Virginia native’s remarkable journey.
Focus Features’ New York Premiere of “PIECE BY PIECE”
Piece by Piece is unlike any other biopic, blending Pharrell’s visionary creativity with LEGO® animation to tell the story of one of music’s most innovative minds. Directed by Academy Award-winner Morgan Neville, the film takes audiences on a colorful, heartwarming journey through Pharrell’s life, from his roots in Virginia to his evolution as a global superstar and cultural icon. Featuring star-studded appearances from artists like Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay Z, and Snoop Dogg, the film offers an inside look into Pharrell’s creative brilliance.
In attendance to celebrate the film were not only its director and star but also key producers Mimi Valdés, Caitrin Rogers, and David Lawrence, as well as cast members Pusha T, N.O.R.E., and Teddy Riley. The event buzzed with excitement as guests, including notable figures like A$AP Ferg, Bianca Lawson, and BMX star Nigel Sylvester, gathered to witness the fusion of animation and music that brings Pharrell’s inner world to life.
Pharrell’s creative genius is on full display in the film, offering a peek into his thoughts and inspirations. Through this animated masterpiece, audiences are reminded of the powerful connection between creativity and empathy, as Pharrell opens up in ways that resonate globally. His talent, vision, and willingness to be vulnerable shine throughout the movie, delivering an inspiring message to all.
As Focus Features gears up to release Piece by Piece this Friday, October 11, fans won’t want to miss this dynamic cinematic experience that blends art, music, and imagination through Pharrell’s unique perspective.
Piece by Piece will be released exclusively in theaters, and it promises to turn up the volume on your imagination as you follow the story of one of music’s most influential icons.
Directed by: Morgan Neville Produced by: Pharrell Williams, Mimi Valdés, Caitrin Rogers, Morgan Neville Executive Producers: David Lawrence, Shani Saxon, Jill Wilfert, Keith Malone, Joshua R. Wexler, Sanjee K. Gupta, James De Julio, Lesley Worton
At around 11 minutes into the interview, host Sean Evans made note of Pharrell’s apparent ability to make accurate predictions about the future. So, on that note, he asked Pharrell for his take on some future predictions. He began by asking if Pharrell thinks there will be a human colony on Mars “in our lifetime.” Pharrell responded, “Yes, because I think that it’s possible to terraform that planet. I think the conditions aren’t too far off for them to do the work that they would need to do to make it happen.”
Evans also asked if there’s anything that excites or scares Pharrell about the future of music and he responded, “You know, creativity bifurcates, and if you were to ask somebody 15 years ago about what music is right now, what is OK to say now, they’d be surprised. What it’s not OK to say right now, they’d be surprised. That’s just an effect of, like, the evolution in humanity.”
Pharrell also discussed his relationship with luxury, saying, “I’m not a materials person in terms of wanting those things as much. I mean, I’m grateful for what I have and I’m cool. I’m not looking for too much more than just experience and the ability to design and do partnerships. I’m enjoying that, I’m enjoying just designing and artistically iterating.”
The Metropolitan Museum of Art announced today that the 2025 Met Gala will be co-chaired by Colman Domingo, Lewis Hamilton, A$AP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour, with LeBron James serving as honorary chair. According to Vogue, the star-studded event will occur on May 5, 2025, with the Costume Institute’s spring exhibition, Superfine: Tailoring Black Style, as its centerpiece.
Inspired by Monica L. Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, the exhibition will showcase garments, paintings, photographs, and more, highlighting the influential style of Black men from the 18th century to the present day.
The Met Gala, chaired by Wintour since 1995, has long been one of fashion’s most anticipated events. The 2025 edition will focus on the enduring legacy of Black fashion and culture. The exhibition will open to the public on May 6 and run through October 26, 2025. The official dress code will be revealed in early 2025, setting the stage for an unforgettable evening of fashion and culture.
