[73] In June 2014, it was announced that Williams would make a guest appearance on the docu-series Sisterhood of Hip Hop. [52], In March 2013, Robin Thicke's single "Blurred Lines", written and produced by Williams, was released. [58] In November 2013, Williams released the first 24-hour music video for "Happy". Williams also struck out on his own with the 2003 single “Frontin’ ” and the 2006 album In My Mind. [37] The following month, Williams made a guest appearance on French rapper Uffie's debut album, which was released in early 2010. [26] In 2006, Williams released his debut solo album, In My Mind. with a double major in Spanish and in theatre arts from Ripon College. [28] The Neptunes produced Clipse's second album, Hell Hath No Fury. [43], In 2013, Williams collaborated with French electronic duo Daft Punk on the songs "Get Lucky" and "Lose Yourself to Dance", both included on Daft Punk's fourth studio album, Random Access Memories. [124] In September 2016, they announced that they were expecting another child; in January 2017, Lasichanh gave birth to triplets. He took on a larger role when he lent his voice as narrator to the animated feature The Grinch (2018), an adaptation of Dr. Seuss’s children’s classic (1957). [74] Williams co-composed the score for The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (2014) with Hans Zimmer, Johnny Marr, Michael Einziger and David A. 1 On Billboard 200", "Gwen Stefani: The Sweet Escape Album Review", "Today In Hip-Hop History: Jay-Z Dropped His 'American Gangster' Soundtrack LP 12 Years Ago", "Pharrell Williams Talks Madonna Argument During 'Hard Candy' Studio Sessions", "NME News Pharrell Williams: 'I want to produce The Strokes' new album' - NME.COM", "Pharrell, Oakenfold, Of Montreal Remix Maroon 5", "Music – News – Shakira: 'Pharrell taught me a lot, "Clipse: Til the Casket Drops Album Review", "USA Today: Rapper-producer Pharrell has new CD, big plans", "Mike Posner: From His Mother's Basement To Here", "The Oscars: Hans Zimmer and Pharrell Williams know the score for the telecast – they wrote it", "Daft Punk's 'Random Access Memories' Collaborators: Pharrell Williams", "Daft Punk's 'Get Lucky' Is Year's Best-Seller in U.K., Rises To No. [126] He is a fan of the science fiction series Star Trek,[127] as indicated by his consistent use of the Vulcan salute to signify his label name, Star Trak.

By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. She previously worked on the Britannica Book of the Year and was a member... Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. [94] The festival featured solo performances by Travis Scott, SZA, J Balvin, Chris Brown, Anderson Paak, Jhené Aiko, Kaytranada, Pusha T, Charlie Wilson, Teddy Riley, DRAM, Rosalía, A$AP Ferg, and Mac DeMarco, in addition to the "Pharrell and Friends" set that closed the festival's second day, featuring Williams and a lineup of guests, including Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Diddy, Missy Elliott, Timbaland, Usher, N.E.R.D., Busta Rhymes, and Tyler, the Creator. [23] According to an unnamed August 2003 survey cited by The Age, it was found the Neptunes produced almost 20 percent of songs played on British radio at the time, and another survey in the US found them to produce 43 percent of radio songs. The show included 37 artists including Takashi Murakami, JR, Daniel Arsham, and Marina Abramovic among others. But then I thought about it, and I just decided just to...let it go. [41] In late 2011, Williams worked on three tracks for Mike Posner's second album, Sky High. [10] His ancestry traces back through many generations in Virginia and North Carolina, and one of his ancestors journeyed to West Africa in 1831, prompting other relatives to emigrate from the U.S. to Liberia in 1832. Williams has received numerous accolades and nominations.

L.A. (Antonio Reid, whose nickname was derived from his allegiance to the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team) and Babyface (youthful-looking Kenneth Edmonds) had been members of the Deele, a group based in Cincinnati,…. [47] The song was initially intended for Banks' debut studio album, Broke with Expensive Taste (2014), but was later removed from the album after Banks blamed Williams for the song's poor commercial performance.

[116], In June 2014, artist collective Rizzoli published a book by FriendsWithYou, We Are Friends With You, that featured contributions from Williams, Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Peter Doroshenko. [79] On February 8, 2015, Williams made a cameo in an episode of The Simpsons entitled "Walking Big & Tall" where he comes to Springfield to write a new anthem for the town. [92][93] The festival, created by Williams as a solution to years of violence on the Oceanfront associated with the aforementioned College Beach Weekend, also featured activities such as an Adidas Creator Park; conferences on technology, racial equality, and the music industry; and a pop-up church service featuring 20 local churches and performances by nationally renowned Gospel artists such as Kirk Franklin and Mary Mary. "[69] At the Oscar Awards that same year, he wore a controversial outfit consisting of a tuxedo with shorts. According to its website, its mission is to "change the world one kid at a time by giving them the tools and resources to meet their unique potential".

[16] After graduating from high school, the group signed with Riley. [111] In 2014, Williams entered a long-term partnership with Adidas. Omissions? Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. [42] In 2012, Williams composed and produced the music for the 84th Academy Awards alongside Hans Zimmer. His debut solo album, In My Mind, followed in 2006.