Pharrell Williams Essentials

Pharrell Williams first gained notoriety as one half of production duo The Neptunes alongside longtime friend Chad Hugo. The pair produced for SWV and Ma$e in the late '90s, but emerged as hip-hop and R&B's most in-demand producers following a string of hits from JAY Z, Mystikal, and Ludacris in the early '00s. The duo soon crossed over to pop and worked with Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, and Gwen Stefani, among others. Williams' catchy falsetto hooks quickly became one with The Neptunes' futuristic soundscapes. Seizing their momentum, the 'Tunes introduced alternative band N.E.R.D fronted by Williams. To date, the band's released well-received albums and has cultivated a solid fan base. Williams has experienced a resurgence of late. He guested on Daft Punk's blockbuster comeback single "Get Lucky" and contributed production—sans Hugo—to Robin Thicke's No. 1 hit, "Blurred Lines," Kendrick Lamar's "Good Kid," and Mac Miller's “Objects in the Mirror.”