Why Pharrell Williams Is More Interesting Than You Thought

Updated on 4/18/2015 at 7:10 PM

Pharrell Williams can do it all. The singer has been making his mark on the music industry for more than two decades, finding success with everything from his work in the group N.E.R.D. to his recent judging gig on The Voice. There's a lot more to him than just music, though, including design, philanthropy, and family, which adds up to create one seriously interesting guy. Keep reading for all the reasons we can't get enough of Skateboard P. Source: Getty

He's Into Fashion. Really Into It.

Pharrell's favorite Vivienne Westwood hat has already gone down in red carpet history, and you've probably heard about the clothing lines he cofounded — Billionaire Boys Club and Ice Cream— but did you know he also designed a jewelry and sunglasses collection for Louis Vuitton? He has an "i am OTHER" collaboration with Uniqlo, put his stamp on Gap's 40th anniversary collection, teamed up with Moncler, created a bike, and designed wacky chairs for Domeau & Pérès. He's an investor and ambassador for Bionic Yarn, a company that creates textiles with recycled plastic and has collaborated with Adidas, G-Star Raw, Kiehl's, and others. Oh, and he was named Esquire's best dressed man in the world in 2005 and was a mentor on Rihanna's show, Styled to Rock, in 2013.

He Has a Book

Pharrell got into the publishing game in 2012, when he released Pharrell: Places and Spaces I've Been. The book covered his career in music, fashion, and design and included conversations with some of his famous friends, like Jay Z and Kanye West.

He's Inspirational

He probably doesn't even mean to be, but Pharrell is full of inspirational moments (including his tears of gratitude over the success of "Happy"). A sampling of his many words of wisdom:

On failing: "That's the only thing you gotta do: be unafraid to fail. You'll be so thankful when you win." — Complex, 2013
On learning: "Being unafraid to learn and not feeling like I know it all. Thats been like one of the greatest lessons ever." — Superego interview, 2014
On making the most of tragedy: "I think an icon is someone who uses tragedy and turns it into triumph. Essentially everything is mind over matter, with the right determination and the right skill set, there's no reason why you can't figure it out. And then you find your purpose." — i am Other interview, 2012
On reinventing himself: "I try to do it every day. We all evolve, that's not specific to me. The universe if going to continue to evolve, and the ultimate feat in that experience is the perspective of awareness." — Complex, 2013

He Doesn't Age

Can you believe Pharrell turned 42 on April 5? It could be all of his regular face washing with Cetaphil, but he still looks the same today as he did in 2003.

He's Behind All of Your Favorite Music

No, seriously, Pharrell's been behind every song you love, including Snoop Dogg's "Drop It Like It's Hot," Nelly's "Hot in Herre," Usher's "U Don't Have to Call," and even Gwen Stefani's "Hollaback Girl." At one point in 2003, The Neptunes were responsible for 43 percent of the songs on the radio.

He's Friends With Pretty Much Everyone

Pharrell's worked with everyone from Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake to Gwen Stefani and Miley Cyrus. He counts Jay Z and Kanye West as friends, had Alicia Keys and Swizz Beatz at his birthday party, and had performances by pals Usher and Busta Rhymes at his wedding.

He's Philanthropic

In 2008, Pharrell founded From One Hand to Another to help support his Pharrell Williams Resource Centers' learning programs, which were developed to serve youth in at-risk communities throughout the country. He even sold the Vivienne Westwood hat he wore to the Grammys on eBay and donated the $44,100 from the winning bid to the foundation.

He's a Family Man

Pharrell wed Helen Lasichanh, a model and designer, at Miami's Kampong National Tropical Botanical Gardens in 2013. They have one child together, a son named Rocket. The duo keep their personal lives private, though Pharrell did explain the meaning of his son's name during an interview with Oprah Winfrey, saying "we named him after a man-made machine that was meant to go up, meant to ascend." In August 2013, he told Today's Savannah Guthrie that Rocket is "the best song that I've ever cowritten" and called his family life "awesome."