Connect with us

Entertainment

Kelis fans call Pharrell Williams a ‘thief’ who cheated her out of royalties amid legal battle with Chad Hugo over ownership of ‘Neptunes’

Published

on

Kelis might not be as problematic as music lovers once painted her. At least not now, with the recent publicity of a lawsuit alleging that Pharrell Williams attempted to defraud his partner, producer and songwriter, Chad Hugo, with the intention to take advantage of the copyright to their group’s name, The Neptunes.

Williams is accused of fraudulently filing multiple applications with his company PW IP Holdings LLC in 2022, naming him as the only owner of The Neptunes. He wants to make use of the name to stream music, music videos, live performances and other content. Billboard first reported that the duo was in the center of a legal battle on April 1.

The application for audio recordings has already been approved, while the appliance for clothing and goods is pending. PW IP Holdings LLC also owns the trademarks of creative director Louis Vuitton’s NERD team, Goodtime Hotel and various other business ventures.

Hugo’s legal team argues that the longtime friends have all the time shared property and profits 50/50. In the criticism, attorney Kenneth D. Freundlich wrote that “over the course of their more than three-decade history, (Hugo) and Williams have agreed to and in fact divided their entire estate” and that “by ignoring and excluding (Hugo) from any and all reports filed by the declarant “The Neptunes” mark, the applicant committed fraud in securing trademarks and acted in bad faith.

The two men have known each other since childhood growing up in Virginia Beach, Virginia. They formally founded The Neptunes in the early 1990s.

Their production credits include Kelis’ first two albums: “Kaleidoskop” (1999) and “Wanderland” (2001), “Grindin'” by The Clipse, “SuperThug” by NORE, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg, “Jay-Z Records “I Just Wanna Love You (Give It 2 ​​Me)”, Usher’s “U Don’t Have To Call” and tons of other chart hits from Justin Timberlake, Brittney Spears, Nelly, Ludacris and Omarion to call just a few several .

Hugo’s team further alleges that “Skateboard P” “consciously and intentionally” neglected to list its partner as a co-owner in its applications and didn’t make the most of Hugo’s comments regarding its plans.

“Nothing, either written or oral, gave Williams or (PW IP Holdings) unilateral authority to register the trademarks,” Freundlich wrote.

They further stated that the mega-producer’s team admitted that The Neptunes was jointly owned by the lads and guaranteed Hugo that it might be trademarked. Although that hasn’t happened yet.

The “Happy” artist’s legal team addressed the claims in a statement to Billboard, which read: “Pharrell is surprised by this. We have been contacted numerous times regarding an interest in the ownership and administration of the trademark and will continue to make this offer. The goal was to ensure that a third party would not hijack the trademark and to ensure that Chad and Pharrell had an ownership and administration share.”

The split has renewed interest in Kelis’ claims that the duo has bad practices, especially her former friend Williams. She said that in 2020, when she was speculated to rejoice the twentieth anniversary of the discharge of her debut album Guardian that the lads involved her in a bad deal that resulted in her signing with The Neptunes as an artist.

– Kelis tried to inform you all. Now Chad goes through the identical thing.” he tweeted someone with X. Another person commented“Now I wonder if Kelis was just Pharrell and if Chad could have shared the heat for it.” Third perspective on this case we read: ‘tldr; Pharrell the thief. he didn’t just rob Kelis. He also tries to rob Chad Hugo.

The “I Hate You So Much Right Now” singer stated, “I was told we would split the whole thing into 33/33/33, which we didn’t.” Instead, she stated that The Neptunes, their management and lawyers “blatantly lied” and “deceived” her.

“Their argument is, ‘Well, you signed it,'” Kelis told the British outlet. “I say, ‘Yes, I signed what I was told, but I was too young and too stupid to double-check it.'”

She admitted that she initially didn’t notice the dearth of payments for publications because she earned money from live shows. Kelis’ criticism against Williams got here into the highlight again in 2022 when she discovered that Beyoncé’s song “Energy” used an interpolation from “Milkshake.”

“Pharrell knows higher. This is a direct blow to me. He keeps doing it, he’s very petty,” she said in a video in which she sharply criticizes the artist.

Kelis added that the right thing for Williams to do would be to ask for permission to sample the song.

The interpolation was later removed by Beyoncé’s team during the drama. Williams has never made a public statement regarding Kelis.


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Entertainment

Pharrell Williams ‘Irritated’ by Celebrity Political Endorsements

Published

on

By

Pharrell Williams shouldn’t be a fan of celebrity political endorsements. In an interview with Hollywood ReporterThe multi-faceted star shared her more “humanist” view of politics and her opinion on the music and entertainment industry’s involvement in elections.

“I’m more of a humanitarian. I like people who try to help others. I’m not sure I’ll ever vote for the far right. I won’t,” he reportedly said with fun. “But I’m not really into politics. I do like some of the politics; I think education is important. We have a nonprofit called YELLOW (whose mission is equality through education), and then there’s another 501(c)(3) that helps black and brown entrepreneurs called Black Ambition—those are the things I lean into. I’m not an activist, but I believe in action.”

As hundreds of men and girls rally to support Vice President Kamala Harris within the 2024 presidential election, Williams revealed his mixed feelings about celebrities publicly endorsing political candidates. When asked if he would allow any party to make use of his music of their campaigns, as Beyoncé did with Harris, Williams said no, adding that he sometimes “gets irritated” by celebrities getting involved in politics.

Featured Stories

“Sometimes I get annoyed when I see celebrities trying to tell you (who to vote for). There are celebrities I respect who have their own opinions, but not all of them. I’m one of those people (who says, ‘What the hell? Shut up. Nobody asked you,'” he explained. “When people come out and start thinking they’re righteous, they roll up their sleeves and go around with a sign saying, ‘Shut up!'”

In recent years, celebrity endorsements have turn into a key a part of each parties’ political campaigns. While Williams apparently has no plans to endorse anyone this election cycle, he publicly endorsed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in 2016. Similarly, he sent former President Trump a letter demanding that he stop using his song “Happy” at one in all his rallies.

“Politics is not my field of expertise,” he said, at a Clinton rally in 2016“But I am a human being. I am a human being with a family, a human being who shares this Earth with other people. These elections are simply too important. I could not sit on the sidelines and just remain silent.”

Social media users were quick to criticize the Louis Vuitton menswear creative director for his seemingly contradictory comments.

“I respectfully disagree, Pharrell. The voices of the informed can educate,” one user wrote on X.

“That’s a privileged approach, lol,” said one other as well as.

Regardless of your opinion on celebrity political endorsements, Williams’ statement reminds us how vital it’s to do your research and fully understand the ballot before casting your vote.

This article was originally published on : thegrio.com
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Jennifer Lopez allegedly wants ‘revenge’ on Ben Affleck, revealing how he ‘let her down’ in the bedroom amid embarrassing divorce

Published

on

By

jlo-ben-affleck revenge

Soon-to-be-four-time divorcee Jennifer Lopez is reportedly gearing up to disclose unflattering details about her relationship with Ben Affleck following their recent split.

According to a brand new report, Lopez, 55, who has previously praised their passionate sex life in her music, is now considering changing her praise and should be preparing to release a song that paints a very different picture.

jlo-ben-affleck revenge
Sources claim that singer Jennifer Lopez wants to embarrass her soon-to-be ex-husband Ben Affleck with songs about his poor bedroom performance. (Photos: @jlo/(Instagram; Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

As tensions between them intensify following their breakup, a more essential side of their time together begins to come back to light.

Lopez, who once bragged about watching the “Good Will Hunting” actor have sex in the bedroom while singing sensual lyrics in “The Greatest Love Story Never Told,” appears to be changing his tune on Affleck’s abilities in the bedroom.

“When things were going well between them, J.Lo put Ben and his bedroom skills on a pedestal,” the insider said. revealed to In Touch, “but she’s taken off her rose-tinted glasses and is telling people he was actually a pretty selfish and basic lover.”

This marks a major change from Lopez’s previous tributes to Affleck, in which she appeared to idolize him each personally and physically.

Her latest album, This Is Me… Now: A Love Story, released in February, was intended to have a good time their renewed romance.

Lopez’s ninth studio album featured a companion film that showcased their relationship in a vibrant light. While she produced the project herself, In Touch’s alleged source claims that Affleck played a major role behind the scenes, likely controlling the narrative greater than people realize.

Just two months after the project’s premiere, the couple announced their end of collaboration and have remained separated ever since.

However, Lopez’s tone has reportedly modified drastically. She not praises Affleck’s talent but as a substitute expresses frustrations about their personal lives, especially his mediocre performance in the bedroom, a brand new report claims.

“She’s so pissed she wrote all those sexy lyrics about him,” an alleged insider told In Touch, claiming Lopez is considering writing one other song that exposes Affleck’s flaws.

The person said at the time: “She says she’s now ready to write a breakup song that hits where it hurts most and makes up to him for all the ways he let her down, including in the bedroom.”

Adding that Lopez uses writing as an outlet for her emotions and that her team is fully supportive of the idea, the anonymous spokesperson said, “She’s very emotional and angry right now, and part of the way she deals with her emotions is by keeping a journal and writing. Her team is encouraging her to channel that into songwriting.”

Lopez’s longtime manager Benny Medina and her team are reportedly urging her to pursue the project, though some speculate they’ve been working behind the scenes to break Affleck’s image since their marriage began to unravel.

This alleged manipulation is not any stranger to those that have previously been involved with Lopez’s life.

Her first husband, Ojani Noa, recently spoke to the Daily Mail about the similar treatment he experienced during his marriage to the star.

“(Her people) wanted her to look good for everything that was coming out — the movie, the album, and they didn’t want any bad publicity,” Noa claimed. “They made it sound like I didn’t want to be with her, and it was the opposite.”

There’s no word on whether Lopez plans to officially channel her frustrations with Affleck into recent music. She’s currently promoting her latest film, “Unstoppable,” a project she co-produced with Affleck and his longtime friend Matt Damon. Lopez recently attended the Toronto International Film Festival to advertise the film, although Affleck was noticeably absent.

Despite their split, the duo have remained in touch, reportedly raising their combined family together. Lopez and Affleck were recently spotted at the Polo Lounge at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where they met up with their children — Affleck’s daughter Seraphina, 15, son Samuel, 12, and Lopez’s twins, Emme and Max, 16 — for a family chat.

Art often imitates life, and Lopez’s story suggests she could use this tumultuous time to fuel her creativity. Whether it’s a chart-topping song or successful movie, the fallout from this breakup could encourage her next big hit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA


This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading

Entertainment

Fans slam Oprah Winfrey’s ‘shady’ move to hide her secrets after blocking upcoming documentary on her life

Published

on

By

oprah winfrey documentary

Oprah Winfrey has officially halted production on her online documentary, but fans want to know why.

The billionaire actress and former talk show host reportedly spent “a fortune” to make sure the docuseries never saw the sunshine of day after she fell out with Oscar-winning filmmaker and director Kevin Macdonald over the biopic project.

oprah winfrey documentary
Oprah Winfrey faces criticism after paying a “fortune” to block a documentary about her life. (Photo: MICHAEL TRAN/AFP via Getty Images)

According to Page SixA rep for the 70-year-old media mogul confirmed she paid to shelve the documentary after her content take care of Apple expired in September 2022.

“As her Apple TV+ deal was coming to an end, Ms. Winfrey purchased the rights to her docuseries and has since decided to put the documentary on hold,” Oprah’s spokesperson told Page Six.

Additionally, one other source said, “Kevin made a video, but Oprah didn’t like it and refused to make changes, so Oprah gave Apple her fee back.”

While speculation suggested McDonald refused to comply with Winfrey’s requests to edit, the TV personality’s team denied the claims, with Oprah’s camp insisting to Page Six that “it just wasn’t the right time to do the documentary.”

It comes amid speculation that Winfrey spent “millions” on the rights to the documentary. However, Team Oprah dismissed the concept the deal was price seven figures.

Deadline Originally announced as an Oprah Winfrey documentary for Apple TV+ in January 2021, MacDonald teamed up with Emmy-nominated producer Lisa Erspamer to create the now-cancelled biopic, which was to be presented in two parts.

They previously worked together on the documentary “Whitney,” which premiered in U.S. theaters in July 2018.

Internet users reacted to the news that the documentary had been frozen, with many wondering whether Winfrey was fearful that some damaging information was about to be released.

“Well isn’t that suspicious!” one person wrote within the Page Six comments section. Another person asked, “What is she afraid of or hiding?”

Similar footage appeared on the X program. For example, in response to an article concerning the cancellation of the documentary, an individual identifying himself as a Donald Trump supporter he tweeted“What is Oprah hiding?”

Another X account published“Oprah Winfrey spent a fortune to prevent a documentary from being released, that sounds credible… money tells the truth… not the truth.”

Winfrey was a goal of conservatives throughout the 2024 presidential campaign. The Tennessee State University graduate endorsed Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, drawing the ire of Donald Trump’s MAGA legion.

After making a surprise appearance on the Democratic National Convention in August 2024, Winfrey faced backlash from Trump supporters over allegations of abuse related to the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa.

Winfrey apologized to the parents of scholars who accused a Leadership Academy worker of molestation in 2007. Tiny Makopo, a dormitory supervisor at the college, he was acquitted of 14 charges related to allegations of abuse.

Winfrey’s announcement that she would hold a virtual “Unite for America” ​​rally in support of Harris also sparked outrage from the appropriate.

Critics have relentlessly hounded the “Beloved” star over her alleged “disappearance of girls” allegations, despite no evidence to support the disappearance of any Leadership Academy students.

Oprah Winfrey was born on January 29, 1954, in Kosciusko, Mississippi. After graduating from college and dealing in journalism, she became a household name, hosting the favored program “The Oprah Winfrey Show” from September 1986 to May 2011.

The so-called “Queen of All Media” has built an empire price $3 billion. Winfrey earned an Oscar nomination for her role within the 1985 film “The Color Purple.” She can be a two-time Emmy winner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMFIOGsIdA

This article was originally published on : atlantablackstar.com
Continue Reading
Advertisement

OUR NEWSLETTER

Subscribe Us To Receive Our Latest News Directly In Your Inbox!

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Trending