Pharrell Williams: Five Iconic Collaborations, From Gwen Stefani to Kendrick Lamar

Not many artists can ignite creativity in others quite like Pharrell Williams. As we prepare for the release of Piece By Piece, a unique take on the biopic genre hitting theaters on November 8, let's revisit five remarkable partnerships from Pharrell's illustrious career.

You can't talk about the key people in Pharrell Williams' career without starting with Chad Hugo. The two of them grew up together in Virginia Beach and began making music in their early teenage years, eventually forming the influential production and songwriting duo known as The Neptunes. Under this name, they produced hits for some of the biggest artists in the industry, released their own celebrated compilation album, Clones, which topped the Billboard 200 chart in 2003, and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2020. Their partnership didn't end there; alongside their longtime friend Shay Haley, they also created innovative and genre-blending music as part of their group N.E.R.D.

Before they became teammates on The Voice, Gwen Stefani and Pharrell Williams started their musical journey together in the early 2000s. Gwen, as part of No Doubt, collaborated with her bandmate Tony Kanal to write the 2002 hit "Hella Good" with Pharrell and Chad from The Neptunes, who at the time were more recognized for their hip-hop skills. As Gwen embarked on her solo career, she teamed up with The Neptunes again to create her famous 2005 hit "Hollaback Girl." She also lent her vocals to Pharrell's 2005 song "Can I Have It Like That," from his first album, In My Mind. Over the years, they’ve collaborated on tracks like "Shine," which was featured in the 2014 film Paddington, and "Spark The Fire," also released in 2014.

Over the years, Pharrell and Snoop Dogg have collaborated several times. The Neptunes played a key role in some of Snoop's most notable tracks from the 2000s, such as the Grammy-nominated hit "Beautiful" released in 2003, which featured Pharrell’s vocals. The following year, Snoop teamed up with the Neptunes once more for his iconic track "Drop It Like It's Hot," where Pharrell contributed his voice again. This song reached No.1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for three weeks, marking the first occasion both artists achieved a top spot on the chart. In 2015, Pharrell took the helm as producer for Snoop Dogg's 13th studio album, titled Bush.

Pharrell and Daft Punk first teamed up when he was part of The Neptunes, remixing 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger' back in 2003. This marked the start of a series of innovative collaborations between him and the French electronic group. Daft Punk co-wrote and co-produced N.E.R.D.'s 'Hypnotize U' in 2010, while Pharrell lent his vocals to their tracks 'Get Lucky' and 'Lose Yourself to Dance' from their final album, Random Access Memories, released in 2013. 'Get Lucky' became a global sensation, dominating charts for weeks and winning Grammy Awards for Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance. In 2014, Pharrell also brought Daft Punk on board for his single 'Gust of Wind'.

Pharrell's influence on today's hip-hop landscape is clear. He has played a significant role in encouraging young artists like Tyler, the Creator, and has collaborated with key figures in the genre, such as Kendrick Lamar. Pharrell's contributions to Kendrick's award-winning song "Alright" from the 2015 album *To Pimp a Butterfly*—which became a rallying cry for the Black Lives Matter movement—include co-producing, writing lyrics, and providing backing vocals. In 2018, both artists appeared on Mike WILL Made-It's "The Mantra," featured in the *Creed II* soundtrack, and they teamed up again for Pharrell's production of "Mr Morale" on Kendrick's recent album, *Mr Morale & the Big Steppers* (2022).

Naturally, that's only a glimpse of the groundbreaking music Pharrell has been involved with throughout his career. You can explore this captivating journey for yourself in the innovative biopic, Piece By Piece, which hits Irish cinemas on November 8.

Check out the trailer for Piece By Piece below: