Pharrell & Chad Hugo Fighting Over “Neptunes” Name
Chad Hugo accused fellow Neptunes member Pharrell of attempting to obtain complete control of their duo’s trademarks despite an agreement to split everything equally. According to Billboard, Hugo’s legal team raised concerns over Pharrell’s company PW IP Holdings LLC filing three applications to register “The Neptunes” as a trademark.
“Throughout their over 30-year history, [Hugo] and Williams agreed to, and in fact, have divided all assets,” Hugo’s lawyer Kenneth D. Freundlich wrote in a legal filing. “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.”
Hugo’s lawyers said Pharrell and PW IP Holdings “knowingly and intentionally” sought to register the trademarks without Hugo. PW IP Holdings filed for trademarks regarding streaming, music videos and live performances in 2022. Pharrell’s team insisted the filings were not meant to deprive Hugo of ownership of The Neptunes name.
“Pharrell is surprised by this,” his rep told Billboard. “We have reached out on multiple occasions to share in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make that offer. The goal here was to make sure a third party doesn’t get a hold of the trademark and to guarantee Chad and Pharrell share in ownership and administration.”
Attorneys for Pharrell admitted Hugo co-owns The Neptunes name, but Hugo’s lawyers claimed Pharrell’s company tried to force “onerous business terms” on Hugo over the trademarks. The terms were not disclosed in Hugo’s filing.
Pharrell’s company previously trademarked The Neptunes for musical sound recordings. An application for clothing and other merchandise is pending. Hugo’s attorneys hinted at taking further legal action to void the trademarks.
The Neptunes produced hits for everyone from the Clipse and Snoop Dogg to Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. Hugo and Pharrell were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.