Pharrell_Williams

Pharrell Lanscilo Williams (; born April 5, 1973), sometimes known mononymously as Pharrell, is an American record producer, songwriter, rapper, and singer. Born and raised in Virginia Beach, Virginia, he first gained mainstream recognition as one half of the hip hop and R&B production duo the Neptunes, which he formed in 1992 with fellow musician Chad Hugo. Collectively, they have produced 15 singles which peaked within the top ten of the Billboard Hot 100—including four songs that peaked atop the chart—as Williams gained initial recognition as a frequent backing vocalist for the duo's productions. He also formed the alternative band N.E.R.D. with Hugo and drummer Shay Haley in 1999, for which Williams serves as lead vocalist. He has been widely considered as one of the most influential music producers of the 21st century, and is credited with impact on various genres of modern popular music.After co-founding the record label Star Trak Entertainment with Hugo as an imprint of Arista Records in 2001, Williams released his 2003 debut single, "Frontin'" (featuring Jay-Z). Despite commercial success and peaking at number five on the Billboard Hot 100, he deemed the song to be a one-off project upon release and opted out of an immediate recording career; however, he signed with Virgin and Interscope Records to continue doing so. His debut studio album, In My Mind (2006) was met with commercial success and peaked at number three on the Billboard 200, although critical reception was mixed. Williams produced and guest performed alongside T.I. on Robin Thicke's 2013 single "Blurred Lines", which peaked atop the Billboard Hot 100 and received diamond certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). That same year, he won two Grammy Awards—Record of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance—for his appearance alongside Nile Rodgers on Daft Punk's single Get Lucky", which peaked at number two on the chart. Furthermore, his own 2013 song, "Happy"—released for the soundtrack to the animated film Despicable Me 2—became his second to peak atop the chart within that same year. The latter preceded the release of his second album, Girl (2014), for which it served as lead single; the album peaked at number two on the Billboard 200 and saw positive critical reception.Williams has received numerous accolades and nominations. He has won 13 Grammy Awards, including three for Producer of the Year, Non-Classical (one as a member of the Neptunes). He is also a two-time Academy Award nominee: in 2014 for Best Original Song, for "Happy" (from Despicable Me 2); and in 2017 for Best Picture, as a producer of Hidden Figures. As sole proprietor, he founded the multi-disciplinary media company I Am Other in 2014, which acts as both a record label and creative umbrella for his other endeavors, including his fashion label and retailer, Billionaire Boys Club.