A Brief History of Pharrell Williams's Feminist Awakening

Pharrell's 2013 collaboration with Robin Thicke, "Blurred Lines," became a megahit — and a mega controversy. The track's lyrics were widely derided as "rapey" and the music video was criticized for using naked women as little more than props for its male stars. At the time, Pharrell pushed back hard against the criticism, saying the song was actually meant to be empowering.

"The Robin Thicke lyrics are: 'You don't need no papers,' meaning, 'You are not a possession,'" Pharrell told Pitchfork in an interview the following year. "He's a man, so he definitely did not make you . . . What I was trying to say was: 'That man is trying to domesticate you, but you don't need no papers — let me liberate you.'"

Despite his defenses, most critics of the song remained pretty unconvinced.