Is Pharrell Williams the World's Best Neighbor?

The musical superstar is on a mission to save the world—starting with his hometown. ... The musician and philanthropist Pharrell Williams, whose ... SearchSubscribeT&CAllAccessT&CExclusivesSocietyMoney&PowerHeritagePoliticsTheScenePartiesWeddingsStyleFashionJewelry&WatchesBeautyMen'sDept.HomeCollectiblesLeisureTravelArts&CultureDrinksFoodSportingRealEstateInsiderFollowFacebookTwitterPinterestInstagramWinNewsletterDoNotSellMyPersonalInformationSkiptoContentLuxuryStyleTravelLeisureSocietySubscribesigninThemusicianandphilanthropistPharrellWilliams,whoseworkoftenfocusesonhishometownofVirginiaBeach,VA.OnPharrell:Chaneltop,800-550-0005.Pharrell’sownnecklaces.MicaiahCarter"Wehadtoburymycousinonmybirthday,”saysPharrellWilliams.Sothedaythemusicproducerandimpresarioturned48yearsoldwasdevotednottohisownlifebuttoonecutshortat25,thatofDonovanLynch.“Itwasbittersweet,”Williamssays.“Thewayhediedwasbitter.Whereheisrightnowissweet.”LynchwasgunneddownbythepoliceinhisandWilliams’shometownofVirginiaBeach,Virginia,onMarch26;WilliamshasjustreturnedtoMiamiafterspeakingatthefuneral.“Iwasn’tabletodeliverthespeechwiththefireandintentionIwanted,”hesays,hisvoicewavering,“becauseIwasjustchokedwithemotion.”Inthedaysaftertheshooting,thepolicedepartmentgavevaryingstoriesaboutwhetherLynchhadbrandishedagun.Thebodycamoftheofficerinvolvedwasneveractivated,aviolationofdepartmentprocedures,sonofootageoftheincidentexists.“It’snotjustthelossoflife.It’salsothecauseofthelossoflife,”Williamssays,runninghishandsoverhisface.“Andit’samuchlargerproblem,youknow?”Thefamilyandotheradvocateshavecalledforafederalinvestigation.Williams’seducationalnonprofit,Yellow,willopenamicro-schoolthisfallinNorfolk,Virginia;anotherlocationwillbeaddedin2022.Beforeexpandingtomajorcitiesacrossthecountryinthenextfiveyears,Yellowplanstoopenlocationsprovidingpre-KthroughworkforceeducationthroughoutVirginia’sHamptonRoadsregion.OnPharrell:Chaneljacketandjeans,800-550-0005.RichardMillewatch,richardmille.com.Pharrell’sownnecklaces,bracelets,andring.MicaiahCarterTheepidemicofpoliceviolenceis,Williamssays,rootedinafour-century-oldforceof“gravity”—aweight,invisibletomanywhitefolks,thatcanmanifestasaliteralkneeontheneck,thoughitistypicallyfeltasapersistentandperniciousdownwardpull.“AsaBlackperson,whenyou’reborninthiscountry,youimmediatelyfeelamuchheaviergravity,”hesays.“Thegravityisonethatweseeinourrulesandregulationsandlaws.Weseeitinthelackofoptions.Weseeitinwhatwe’refed,whatismarketedtous.Weseeitinbrokeneducationalsystems.”Attimesthisforcecanbecrushing.“KnowingthatifDonovanhadbeenwhitehewouldn’thavegottenshotmultipletimesandleftinthestreetforaninhumaneamountoftime,’tilthenextmorning,noguninhand—that’sgravity.Theraceoftheofficerdoesn’tpertaintotheconversation,becauseifDonovanhadbeenwhitetheywouldhavenevershothimlikethat.”Williamspullshishandsoverhisface,tearsstreakingfromhisglisteningeyes.“Sothereisgravity.Andthere,too,ishopethatthingswillchange.”Itmaybejarringtoseethesingerof“Happy”shedtearsofanguish,butbehindWilliams’sfashion-forwardimageliesacreativesoulwithadeepcommitmenttosocialjustice.Performingatthe2015GrammyAwards,hereimaginedhisfeel-goodhitasapowerfulstatementofsupportfortheBlackLivesMattermovement.Williamsstoodwithbackupdancerscladinblackhoodies(inhomagetoTrayvonMartin)andstruckthe“handsup,don’tshoot”postureinsolidaritywithprotestersinFerguson,Missouri.Sixyearslater,itseemsclearthatrecenteventswilldriveWilliams’sactivisminnewdirections,thoughhecan’tsayyetwhattheywillbe.“I’mstillprocessing.Idon’treallyhavealotofanswersatthemoment,”hesays.“IthinkI’vebeensosadoverthispastweekbecauseIdon’tknowwhatI’mdoing.”Williamsperformingatthe2019SomethingintheWaterfestival.BrianAch//GettyImagesThereisanoft-cited(thoughunverified)factoidthatclaimsthatWilliamswasbehind43percentofallhitrecordsin2003—eitheraloneoraspartoftheNeptunes,hisproducingpartnershipwithChadHugo.Regardlessofwhetherthatstatistrue,Williamsisundeniablyoneofthemostsuccessful,influentialproducersaround—puttinghisMidastouchonhitsbyJustinTimberlake,Jay-Z,Beyoncé,andArianaGrande,amongothers,andamassing38Grammynominationsand13wins.However,Williamsfeaturesprominentlyinonlyafewchart-toppingsongs.Foryearshisphilanthropiceffortsmirroredthisparadigm.Hewouldspeaksoftlybutwriteabigcheck,makinghismarkprimarilybehindthescenes.(Forexample,hemadetheexpansionofJoséAndrés’sWorldCentralKitchenpossiblethroughhisunsolicitedfinancialsupport.AsAndréssays,“Wewouldn’tbeabletodowithouthim.”)Inthepastyear,however,Williamshastakencenterstage,pilotingapairofboldinitiativesaimedataddressingdisparitiesinentrepreneurshipandtheeducationsystem.Asheputsit,“Ifit’sfixedandunfair,thenitneedstobebroken.”Williamshascircumventedtheexpectedpathwaysandpitfallsofpopmusicbybringinganentrepreneurialapproachtohiseclectictastes—infashionandart,filmandTV,techandtextiles.HisdesiretonurturethesamespiritledhimtolaunchBlackAmbition,anonprofitinitiativetosupportBlackandLatinxentrepreneurs,inDecember.Beyondsimplyrewardinginnovation,Williamshopestheventureswillenrichandempowerthosecommunities.“We’resayingtoourselves,‘Whyareweinthepositionthatwe’rein?’”Williamssays.“Becausewedon’tnecessarilyhaveavoice,becausewedon’townenoughbusinesses.It’stimeforustobepartoftheAmericanpiechart.”Williams,right,performingwithJay-Zin2018attheGlobalCitizenFestival:Mandela100concertinSouthAfrica.KevinMazur//GettyImagesTheprogramprovidesmentorshipandfinancialsupportforstartupsintech,design,healthcare,andconsumerproductsandservices.Entrepreneurspitchtheirlaunchestoadvanceinapairofcompetitions,eachofwhichculminatesinawardsrangingfrom$15,000to$1million.OnecompetitiondrawsfromstudentsandrecentgraduatesofHistoricallyBlackCollegesandUniversities(HBCUs),whichWilliamscalls“themostfertileground”tosearchforentrepreneurs.Aheadofthelaunch,WilliamswasabletobringtogethersupportersincludingAdidas,Chanel,theChanZuckerbergInitiative,andtheRockefellerFoundation,aswellassuchindividualinvestorsasventurecapitalistRonConwayandBuzzFeedco-founderJonahPeretti.Inaddition,herecruitedVirgilAbloh,CEOoftheOff-WhitefashionlineandartisticdirectorofLouisVuittonmenswear,tocollaborateontheproject.“Howdoyoucombatsystemicracism?BlackAmbitionisreallyamonumenttoexperimentinginhowtodothat,”Ablohsays.“Pharrell’scharismasteerstheship,butit’salsohisbusinessacumen—heknowshisinfluence.He’sapassionatespeaker,andheconstantlyremindsyouofthebiggerpictureandwhat’spossible.…Ithinkthoseattributesarevery,verynecessaryintheworldtoday.Youneedaspiritleader.”MusicianandphilanthropistPharrellWilliamswithstudentsataVirginiaBeachsummercamp.COURTESYJADAGEORGE/REDLYNNGROUPWilliamshasoneinhismotherCarolyn,aformerelementaryschoolteacherwhoearnedadoctorateineducation.Withherhelp,Williamslearnedasachildthathisperceptionwaswireddifferentlyfromotherpeople’s.Hehassynesthesia,aconditioninwhichonesensestimulatesanother.Inhiscase,hearingsoundscauseshimtoseecolors.That’swhatgivesYellow,hiseducationalnonprofit,itsname,andhisexperiencewithperceptualdifferenceinformsitsmission.ConsultingwithadvisersfromtheHarvardGraduateSchoolofEducationandNASA,theprogramrepresentseducationalfuturisminaction:aholisticcurriculum,mastery-basedlearning,immersiveexperiences,integratedstudentsupport,andanemphasisoncareerandcreativeskillsandself-efficacy.Mostofall,Yellow’sapproachistoengageeverytypeoflearner.“Weneedourteacherstobeabletoreacheverykidthattheyputtheireyeson,”Williamssays.“Weneedkidstowalkawayfeelinginspired.”ThefirstphysicalYellowhabmicro-schoolwilllaunchthisfallinNorfolk,Virginia;anotherlocationwillbeaddedin2022.Beforeexpandingtomajorcitiesacrossthecountryinthenextfiveyears,Yellowplanstoopenlocationsprovidingpre-KthroughworkforceeducationthroughoutVirginia’sHamptonRoadsregion.“Weneedkidstowalkawayfeelinginspired.”Williams’semotionalinvestmentinhishometownisevidentinallhiswork.HehassaidhelovesVirginiafortheprogressithasmadebutisinlovewithitforitsuntappedpotential.Heisacutelyawarethatthestate,likeAmerica,isaworkinprogress.PointComfort,wherethefirstenslavedAfricansalightedontotheseshores,in1619,liesjustacrossthebayfromVirginiaBeach,anoceansidetouristhavenhauntedbyahistoryofracismandpolicebias.In2018thepolicechiefofVirginiaBeachapproachedWilliams,hopinghewouldaddressthecitycounciloversafetyconcernsonCollegeBeachWeekend,anAprileventthatattractsthousandsofstudents,manyofwhomarefromHBCUs.Theycouldseeonlythepotentialforaspikeincrime,despitepolicedatathatshowsthathasnotbeenthecase.Williamssawanopportunitytopromotethecity,itseconomy,andracialunderstanding.HeproposedamusicandculturefestivalonthebeachcalledSomethingintheWater.WilliamsunderstoodthatBlackmusichadthepowertoattractalargewhiteaudiencetothecity.“Webetonthefactthatthereweremorepeoplethatloveourculture,”Williamssays.“Enoughtocomebewithusandtodispelthestereotypesandwhateveritisthattheyweresayingaboutus.”Hebet,inotherwords,onloveoverhateandpushedhischipsontothetable.WilliamsispicturedhereinhishometownofVirginiaBeach,VA,wheremuchofhisphilanthropicworkisfocused.BrianAch//GettyImagesWilliamsbookedalineupofA-listmusicalactscappedoffbyaperformanceduringwhichhesharedthestagewithJay-Z,Diddy,andMissyElliott.Thesonicfireworkswerepunctuatedbyseriousprogramming:conversationsabouteducation,technology,andkindness.Severalthousandattendedachurchserviceheldonthebeach.DeepakChopraspoke,andtheartistKawscreatedagiantinstallationonthesand.WhatitendedupbeingwastherealizationofWilliams’sdream:atotalaudienceof200,000comingtogetherforaweekendwhere“therewasnoviolence,onlylove,”Williamssays.“Andthathadnothingtodowithme.IthadtodowiththefactthatthecityhadthewillingnesstostandbehindtheAfrican-AmericancultureandtheseHBCUstudentswhowerejusttryingtotakeabreak.”"DoIknowwhereI’mgoing?Idonot.IknowI'mmeanttoserve."ItwasaprimeexampleofwhatAndréscallsWilliams’sabilitytoplant“positiveTrojanhorses,”wheremeaningfulpayoffsemergefromsparklypackages.“Pharrellknowshe’sabletopenetratethecommunitytocreategood,bringpeopletogether,andmakethemfeelliketheybelong,”Andréssays.DuetoCovid-19,Williamswasforcedtocancelthefestivalin2020andthisyear.Heplanstobringitbackin2022withanewelement,thememorializationofacommunitymemberwhomadethefestivalpossible,hiscousinDonovanLynch.“Therewilldefinitelybeanodetohim,”Williamssays,“becauseheservedSomethingintheWater.Heisalwaysgoingtobetiedtothefestivalinsomeway,shape,orform.”Hisgrimacebreaksintoabittersweetsmile,imaginingthepossibilities,musicalandotherwise.RelatedStoriesTarajiP.HensonWantstoKnowWhat'sonYourMindMarloThomasCarriestheFamilyTorchGlobalCitizen'sHughEvansIsEradicatingPovertyThisiswhatPharrellWilliamsdoes:meetBlackpainwithBlackjoy,tocelebratehiscommunity’sperseveranceandachievement.“IneverreallyknowwhereI’mheadeduntilIlookbackovermyshoulderandgo,‘Oh,wow,okay.Thatseemstobealine,soImustbegoingthatway,’”Williamssays.Hepointsbackward,thentracesanarcforward.“Evenstill,Iwasn’tgiftedwiththatforesight.DoIknowwhereI’mgoing?Idonot.”Henodssolemnly,pullsonhiscap,andbowshisheadslightly.“IknowI’mmeanttoserve.”ThisstoryappearsintheSummer2021issueofTown&Country.SUBSCRIBENOWAlexBhattacharjiAlexBhattacharjiisawriterandeditorwhoworkednearlytwodecadesinmen'smagazines.Hisworkhasappearedinnumerouspublications,includingTheNewYorkTimes,Esquire,andWSJmagazine.Hespendshisfreetimehiking,kayakingandcoachingrugby.WatchNext CoverStories2021DakotaJohnson:It’sHerPartySarahSnookFindstheSuccessinSuccessionTheMarvelousMr.JohnWatersHowDoYouSolveaProblemLikeMaria?Advertisement-ContinueReadingBelowTarajiP.HensonWantstoKnowWhat'sonYourMindMarloThomasCarriestheFamilyTorchGlobalCitizen'sHughEvansIsEradicatingPovertyTheInvincibleWomanMoney&PowerWhyCollegeRankingsWillNeverGoAwayTheElonMuskTwitterTrialIvanaTrumpDiesat73ElonMusktoPurchaseTwitterfor$44BillionAdvertisement-ContinueReadingBelow