Pharrell Williams happily accepted a Grammy trophy this year… but his acceptance speech was missing one key ingredient: any mention of his OG collaborator, Chad Hugo.
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Indeed, the “Happy” hitmaker reached another milestone on Feb. 1, receiving the Dr. Dre Global Impact Award at the 2026 Grammy Awards. Presented by Q-Tip, the award honored the producer’s decades-long impact on Black music, culture, and creativity.
Williams opened his speech with a touch of humor, acknowledging the awkwardness of watching his own career montage. “It’s always awkward for me to sit through these montages. I don’t know how… some of y’all feel, but it’s like listening to your voicemail over a loudspeaker,” he said. He then thanked Q-Tip for his guidance, saying, “Q-Tip is someone that I’ve looked up to since the very beginning… There’s no one like you, and I call you teacher every day.”
Williams recalled early mornings with Pusha T, listening to The Chronic and 2001. For the Louis Vuitton men’s creative director, receiving an award named after Dr. Dre was deeply significant. “The idea that I get to like hold this award that is signatory of one of the greatest producers of all time. Dr. Dre. The greatest,” he said.
The ‘Happy’ Artist Thanked Plenty of Folks During His Grammys Global Impact Award Speech…
Williams took the opportunity to celebrate his collaborators Clipse on their first Grammy win and shared advice about staying consistent. “I’ve never stopped loving this job. I’ve never stopped being a student,” he said. “Never stop grinding. Never stop working. Stop doing anything else but working. Work, man. Because… I’m 52, I get to do this every day. I love what I do, and if you do what you love every day, you’ll get paid for free.”
However, longtime fans of Williams likely noticed a glaring omission. He started in the early 1990s as part of the Neptunes with Chad Hugo, transforming hip-hop and R&B production. Their innovative sound redefined genres and inspired artists and listeners alike.
Williams didn’t bother to mention Hugo during the lengthy speech.
To those in the loop, the snub wasn’t exactly a shocker. Their partnership hit the rocks in 2024 when Hugo sued Williams, claiming he “acted in bad faith” by trademarking The Neptunes name solo. The legal drama doubled down in January 2026 with another lawsuit over missing royalties. Hugo alleges Williams is sitting on up to $1 million from their 2017 N.E.R.D album, No One Ever Really Dies, claiming he hasn’t seen a cent since 2023.
Fans React to Pharrell Williams Snubbing Neptunes Partner Chad Hugo
Unsurprisingly, fans didn’t take the Grammy speech snub very well.
“I cannot take Pharrell getting all these accolades seriously when he just got sued by his longtime production partner,” one Grammy viewer wrote on X of Williams’ speech.
“Pharrell has produced amazing stuff BUT don’t get it twisted, he owes a lot of his success to Chad Hugo, and Chad deserves all the awards and recognition Pharrell gets. Don’t forget Chad’s name,” another fan added.
Here’s hoping the two bury the hatchet… but things aren’t looking good.