Whether it's down to his banging career or his youthful skin that still hasn't caught a wrinkle, folks are always gobsmacked when they find out Pharrell Williams' age. Don't go fainting: today, April 5th, 2024, he's turned a ripe old 51. To celebrate his birthday, let's take a gander at some highlights from his rollercoaster of a career.
Back in the late '90s, Williams burst onto the music scene. Him and his mate Chad Hugo formed maybe the most famous producer duo ever: The Neptunes. With bangers like Britney Spears' "I'm a Slave 4 U," Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot," and Justin Timberlake's "Rock Your Body," they've been enshrined in the Songwriters Hall of Fame. They even snagged a Grammy for Best Producer in 2004.
Chad Hugo
Williams and Hugo go way back to secondary school, where they crossed paths at a summer music camp. They formed a band, and their gig at the school talent show turned heads, especially Teddy Riley's, known for his work with artists like Bobby Brown and Keith Sweat. In 1994, The Neptunes kicked off their hit-making journey.
Proving that Chad Hugo and Pharrell Williams are an unstoppable duo, there's N.E.R.D., the rock band they formed with Shay Hayley. In 2002, they dropped their first album, 'In Search Of...' which sold a whopping 603,000 copies in the US alone. The group name stood for 'No one Ever Really Dies' and released their latest album in 2017.
From N.E.R.D. to flying solo
In 2003, he smashed it as a solo artist with Jay-Z on the hit "Frontin'." Initially, Williams thought that would be his solo stint, but he dropped his first solo album, 'In My Mind,' in 2006. "Can I Have It Like That" with Gwen Stefani was the lead single. His creative juices kept flowing, and in 2013, his solo career hit big time.
That year, Pharrell Williams unleashed a string of his all-time greatest hits, including the iconic single "Happy," which in 2013 became the most successful song in the history of the Dutch Top 40, chilling there for 49 weeks. Just before that smash, he teamed up with Robin Thicke for "Blurred Lines" and the French dance duo Daft Punk for "Get Lucky."
Billionaire Boys Club
The singer also left a mark on today's streetwear scene, regularly spotted at the front row of fashion shows for years. Teaming up with Japanese designer Nigo, founder of the clothing brand BAPE, they launched the streetwear label Billionaire Boys Club in 2005. The brand got its first spotlight in the music video for Williams' solo debut single, "Frontin'."
Ice Cream, a Billionaire Boys Club subsidiary, launched its skate-focused footwear line licensed by Reebok the following year. Ice Cream's graphics flaunted all-over print motifs of ice lollies, dollar signs, and diamonds. A year later, BBC expanded its online presence with physical stores in Tokyo, New York, and London.
Pharrell Williams and Nigo have shared a tight friendship since the early 2000s. Their mutual love for pop culture, expressed through fashion and music, catapulted BBC to success. Music, Japanese streetwear, pop culture, and the skate scene blended with space-age elements. Hence, the brand's signature emblem of an astronaut with a helmet adorns the clothing.
adidas collaboration
2014 saw Pharrell Williams snagging a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame. That same year, adidas announced its collaboration with Williams, dropping the 'Solid Pack.' This collection dipped the 'Stan Smith' model in vibrant colours. So, Ice Cream wasn't the only brand getting a splash of colour from him.
The following year, they rolled out the 'Superstar Supercolor' pack, with 50 different colourways, each sneaker fully immersed in one hue. To keep the collab going strong, they dropped the colourful adidas NMD 'Human Race' collection on July 23, 2016, where the words 'Human Race' on the sneakers spread a message of positivity.
Additionally, in 2017, they transformed the classic 'Stan Smith' model into the sporty adidas 'Tennis Hu,' which has since gained popularity for its comfy fit. The successful partnership between adidas and Pharrell continues with new releases, including an NMD tribute to N.E.R.D.'s debut album in 2021 and a collaboration with Billionaires Boys Club.
Creative Director Louis Vuitton
After crafting a sunglasses collection with then Creative Director of Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, in 2004 and 2008, Williams added another major chapter to his collaboration with the brand in early 2023. On Valentine's Day, the fashion house announced that Pharrell Williams would be the new Men's Creative Director of Louis Vuitton. His appointment followed the sudden passing of Virgil Abloh in late 2021, who had previously held the position. Williams' close friendship with Abloh made him the ideal choice for this role.
Taking over Abloh's role isn't a small feat, but Pharrell proved himself with his debut collection showcased during Paris Fashion Week 2023. Exotic fabrics and a checkerboard camo print were the collection's focal points. Pharrell's nods to hip-hop, skateboarding, and Louis Vuitton's classic designs, combined with a spectacular show, made it a memorable moment.
Piece By Piece
Pharrell Williams' versatility shone through once again when he made a surprising announcement on his Instagram in early 2024. In collaboration with Lego, he'll shape his life story into a new film called Piece By Piece. We're not sure when it'll hit screens in Europe, but the film will start showing in cinemas in the United States from October 11, 2024.
We can safely say that in his 51 years on this earth, Pharrell Williams hasn't just snagged 13 GRAMMYs but has also built an impressive portfolio of brands and collaborations. As Louis Vuitton put it, “He is a visionary whose creative universes expand from music to art, and to fashion – establishing himself as a cultural, global icon over the past 20 years."