By Trendsetter Tribune 
Chad Hugo has filed a new lawsuit against longtime production partner Pharrell Williams, accusing him of withholding about $1 million in royalties tied to N.E.R.D.’s 2017 album No One Ever Really Dies.
In the suit, filed Friday, Hugo alleges Williams engaged in self-dealing, hid financial information, and diverted revenue owed to him as an equal partner in both The Neptunes and N.E.R.D. His lawyer says the conduct was willful and fraudulent, warranting punitive damages.
This follows a 2024 lawsuit in which Hugo accused Williams of trying to seize sole control of The Neptunes’ trademarks without his consent, violating their long-standing agreement to split everything equally.
The two produced some of the biggest hits of the 2000s and were inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2022, but their relationship has since collapsed. Williams has said they are no longer on speaking terms.
Williams has not commented on the new lawsuit.