Pharrell Williams & Chad Hugo Are in a Legal Battle Over Their Group's Name, The Neptunes

justjared.com:

Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo are battling out. The producers who formed the songwriting duo The Neptunes are in a legal dispute over the group’s name, after Chad accused Pharrell of “fraudulently” seeking sole control over the trademarks, via Billboard. Keep reading to find out more… The Neptunes crafted songs for everyone from Nelly to Gwen Stefani to Justin Timberlake in the early ’00s.

The duo have been friends since childhood, and were just inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022. Attorneys for Chad accused Pharrell and his company of attempting to register trademarks for The Neptunes name, which they say violates their longstanding agreement to split everything equally. “Throughout their over thirty year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” wrote Chad‘s attorney Kenneth D.

Freundlich, a prominent music industry litigator. “By ignoring and excluding [Hugo] from the any and all applications filed by applicant for the mark ‘The Neptunes,’ applicant has committed fraud in securing the trademarks and acted in bad faith.” A rep for Pharrell said there had been no ill-intent in a statement to Billboard: “Pharrell is surprised by this.

We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer.