Pharrell Williams Gives Advice About the Pitfalls of the Music Industry at His Adidas Film Premiere: “It’s Crazy”

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After the unexpected closure of my much-anticipated movie “Golden,” co-created with Michel Gondrey for Universal, which was supposed to hit theaters on May 9, I found myself showcasing another project in Atlanta a week later. This time it’s a short film titled “All Day I Dream About Is Sport” made alongside Gabriel Moses, a London-based photographer and filmmaker, for Division and Adidas. The title, when acronymed, cleverly references the sneaker brand. This film is a heartfelt visual ode to West African culture, specifically Senegal, focusing on daily life there rather than my upcoming big-screen musical starring Janelle Monae, Kelvin Harrison Jr., and Halle Bailey. Instead, it brings attention to the people of Dakar.

The 20-minute movie that started screening for a week on Le Cinema last Friday showcases characters ranging from an unborn child imaged via ultrasound to the elderly, illustrating life’s difficulties. Simultaneously, it beautifully and joyfully portrays different sports such as rowing, martial arts, and swimming. Primarily filmed in black and white, the movie occasionally bursts into color.

A 20-minute film that debuted its weeklong run on Le Cinema last Friday depicts characters from an unborn child captured by ultrasound to the elderly, exploring life’s struggles. Meanwhile, it captures both the beauty and happiness of existence through various athletic pursuits like rowing, martial arts, and swimming. Mostly shot in black-and-white, the film occasionally adds splashes of color.

In both versions, I tried to maintain the original meaning while making the sentences more conversational and easy to read.

Additionally, Williams oversees an assortment of tracks, with “Mike Tyson Blow to the Face” being particularly noteworthy. This American track is a collaboration from Pusha T, who was once mentored by him, and it stands out against a predominantly African musical backdrop. The song, powerfully synchronized with a scene featuring a muscular Senegalese man wearing a cowboy hat and galloping on a horse, became available for streaming on February 17th at the High Museum campus in Atlanta, which was also sponsored by Soho House.

As I was putting together the game, I figured adding an extraterrestrial vibe would bring something unique and contrast nicely with all the other elements. That’s why I included the African music in the mix, which I sourced specifically for this purpose. This tune actually stems from my recent musical collaborations with a rapper known for challenging Drake – the guy who dropped that diss track in 2018 revealing Drake’s secret about having a son.

The Q&A featured James Whitner, a prominent figure who co-hosted the event and owns several boutiques such as A Ma Maniére through his company, The Whitaker Group. This gathering was also attended by students from Morehouse College and Spelman College, often collectively referred to as SpelHouse. Later on, Williams, an Oscar-nominated artist in music and film production, the creative director for Louis Vuitton Men’s line, a 13-time Grammy winner, entrepreneur, and philanthropist, was celebrated by Morehouse College for his outstanding achievements in arts and entertainment.

At the panel, Williams, whose autobiographical film titled “Piece by Piece” employs LEGO bricks to narrate his rise, provided some career advice. He suggested, “I understand your parents may be telling you something different, but it would be wonderful if you could attempt to pursue a profession that’s so dear to your heart that you would work at it without being paid.” Sharing his passion for his own job, the father of four emphasized how much he enjoys what he does.

When Hughes asked about his collaboration with Moses on their film, Williams shared his approach to teamwork in every creative project. “I’m a unique type of collaborator,” he stated. “In the presence of talent, I diminish myself because I want the real talent to shine.” He explained, “My role is to reflect their strengths back to them, helping them discover confidence and the ability to approach their craft in a fresh, unprecedented manner. If this results in success, then we’ve achieved our goal.

He employed Atlanta-native Andre 3000, who was part of the duo Outkast nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2025, to reinforce his argument. “What makes him exceptional is his willingness to venture into uncharted territories when others wouldn’t, and he excelled at it while infusing his neighborhood, his Black identity, and his distinct life experiences into his verses. He assaults the lyrics in so many creative ways, not everyone can do that. Some people require producers for that kind of creativity, and that’s where I find myself,” he explained.

During the afternoon session, a student from Spelman College posed the sole audience question. The student addressed Williams as a “cultural architect” and highlighted his career’s use of music as a storytelling tool, before delving into a detailed inquiry about the process of creating soundtracks. The student acknowledged that crafting effective soundtracks seemed more challenging than ever, among other points. In response to this multi-faceted question, Williams provided a lengthy but straightforward answer.

He acknowledged that the world of soundtracks is extremely competitive, particularly in an industry not traditionally designed for our success. He highlighted both racial and financial hurdles as he spoke further. ‘None of these industries are structured for us to succeed,’ he asserted, elaborating on the complexities of contracts. ‘They’re like intricate mazes,’ he said, implying that one needs to be a lawyer just to understand them clearly.

He went on to say that it’s more challenging for people of color, despite appearances. ‘The first decade,’ he explained, ‘is just a series of being run over again and again. It makes you doubt the goodness of people, but there are good ones out there, they simply need to prove themselves to you.’ Once this mindset is adopted, when discussions like soundtracks come up, all one can think about is impressing everyone with the best music possible to shift the conversation.”

“He pointed out that things are tougher for people of color, even though it might seem otherwise. ‘The first ten years,’ he said, ‘are just a string of getting trampled on repeatedly, leading you to question if there are any good people in the world. But there are, they just have to prove their worth to you.’ With this perspective, when it comes to discussions like soundtracks, all one can focus on is making the best music to sway everyone and alter the conversation.

He exclaimed, “You’re in a field that constantly jumps on the bandwagon of popular trends. It’s like they keep changing lanes, moving from one trend to another, it’s astonishing.” Using musicals as an illustration, he pointed out that there are periods when they are not popular, and then suddenly, they become extremely fashionable again.

At the reception he was unable to attend, students received instead:
1. Limited edition Pharrell x Adidas Superstar 92 sneakers (over-sized) worth $200, which were exclusively released in Atlanta’s A Ma Maniére store that day.
2. A 7D Gel Facial Set valued at $85 from his Humanrace skincare line.

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2025-02-19 04:25