Pharrell faces a lot of challenges as the men’s creative director for Louis Vuitton, and one of the big ones is the backlash from animal rights protestors. He ran into a group of activists rallying against his use of fur and animal products for his clothing creations – or rather, LV’s – while outside the GQ Men of the Year party at the Chateau Marmont in Los Angeles on Thursday (November 14). The PERFECT FANTASY collaborator kept things cool, responding in a calm tone with some repetitions of “God bless you” and even offering one of the protestors a hug. They didn’t appreciate that and rejected it, but he eventually got back into his car. You can check out a clip of the moment by clicking the “Via” link down below.
For those unaware, this is not the first time that Pharrell directly confronted animal rights protestors in a peaceful and amicable manner. A similar situation occurred at a private screening of his Piece By Piece LEGO biopic, where a PETA protestor interrupted the celebration. Regardless, it’s easy to see why he didn’t pay this much mind this time around, as he was too busy celebrating GQ‘s honor of “Designer of the Year.”
Pharrell At The 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony
Jul 26, 2024; Paris, FRANCE; Pharrell Williams poses for a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower before the Opening Ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports via Imagn Images
Elsewhere, Pharrell recently ruffled some feathers given a recent interview with GQ, in which he briefly talks about Drake’s beef with him and how he bought P’s jewelry at an auction. “I think beyond all of the on-goings, at the heart of all of it, he’s a fan of music,” he told the outlet. “He’s a fan of the history of what it is, and I happen to be a part of that, and those artifacts are a part of it.” “It didn’t,” the Neptunes producer answered when asked whether or not Drizzy’s comments about having his legacy in his house, melting his chains down, and featuring them in a music video bothered him.
That GQ conversation also saw Pharrell speak on André 3000 and his hiatus from rap, Taylor Swift beef rumors, celebrity endorsements of political candidates, and a whole lot more. It was a very engaging conversation, but hopefully he also takes some time to address the protests against his creative endeavors in advocacy for animal rights.
About The Author
Gabriel Bras Nevares is a staff writer for HotNewHipHop. He joined HNHH while completing his B.A. in Journalism & Mass Communication at The George Washington University in the summer of 2022.
Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Gabriel treasures the crossover between his native reggaetón and hip-hop news coverage, such as his review for Bad Bunny’s hometown concert in 2024. But more specifically, he digs for the deeper side of hip-hop conversations, whether that’s the “death” of the genre in 2023, the lyrical and parasocial intricacies of the Kendrick Lamar and Drake battle, or the many moving parts of the Young Thug and YSL RICO case.
Beyond engaging and breaking news coverage, Gabriel makes the most out of his concert obsessions, reviewing and recapping festivals like Rolling Loud Miami and Camp Flog Gnaw. He’s also developed a strong editorial voice through album reviews, think-pieces, and interviews with some of the genre’s brightest upstarts and most enduring obscured gems like Homeboy Sandman, Bktherula, Bas, and Devin Malik.
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