Pharrell Williams and Chad Hugo’s Fight Over The Neptunes Name Affects New Clipse Album

A bitter legal battle erupted when Chad Hugo sued Pharrell Williams this March over The Neptunes' name. The two music giants, who started making beats as teenagers, now find themselves at odds.

The conflict started in October 2022. Williams filed trademark papers through PW IP Holding LLC to claim the name The Neptunes for various music ventures. This move clashed with their old agreement to split everything down the middle.

The dispute now casts a shadow over Clipse's next release. No Malice spoke about the split per HipHopDX: "Absolutely miss Chad. As far as, you know, being on the album. But I'll see Chad in the airport, in the street, at Buffalo Wild Wings, you know, in VA. Whatever they got going on, just hope for the best for that [...] Whenever we see each other, it's always still love. Always."

Communication between the former partners has stopped cold. Williams shared this detail with The Hollywood Reporter. When asked if he and Hugo still talk, Pharrell answered, "No. But I love him, and I always wish him the absolute best, and I'm very grateful for our time together."

Their split affects Clipse's upcoming album, Let God Sort Em Out, set to drop on July 11, 2025. Williams now works on the production alone.

Pusha T shrugged off worries about Hugo's absence. "Everybody knows my favorite album is Hell Hath No Fury. Pharrell did that alone. That's it [...] Chad's my guy. I love Chad. Pharrell's my guy. Love Chad, too. We're brothers, we came up together. But you know, when you say missing in the music, there is no missing in the music when it comes to the Clipse," he stated.

Hugo wants the trademarks canceled or moved to joint control. His legal team blasted Williams' actions as "fraudulent" and "done in bad faith." Williams' side claims they just wanted to stop others from taking the name.

The duo's history stretches back to the 1990s. Their first big break came in 1999 when they linked up with Clipse, which helped the group secure a deal with Elektra Records.

The legal fight focuses on three key areas: streaming rights, video content, and concert performances. Before the court battle, Williams says he tried many times to work out a deal with Hugo to share the trademark.