Grammy winner Pharrell Williams recently sat down with Hardknock TV to share his thoughts on the progression of today’s music. After speaking on “Blurred Lines,” a collaboration with crooner Robin Thicke, the Virginia producer revealed that it is the people who decide how big a record is destined to become.
He then went on to praise Compton rapper Kendrick Lamar and teen songstress Lorde, two artists he referred to as his “favorite artists at the moment,” for being able to pursue their music careers without the assistance of a major label or radio.
“The people make the decisions here,” Pharrell said. “In fact, everything that goes on on this planet is made by the decision of the human being. Thank God like a lot of new musicians are realizing, you know, that’s when you can sort of effectuate change. That’s why we’re seeing so much great music come out. Cause these kids are like ‘You know what? I’m not waiting on a record label. I’m not waiting on a radio station. I’m gonna put my music up and out to the world. And if it’s meaningful to people then it will catch fire.’ And in a lot of cases we’ve seen it. You’ve seen it everywhere from the likes of the Kendrick Lamars to Lorde. Two of my favorite artists at the moment. They just didn’t care. Put a song up on Soundcloud, shot a video. It’s like ‘Okay, I may sign with you guys or not.’ And I love that. Because she’s 16-years-old. So, she to me is like a shining example of where we’re headed.”
As one of 2013’s biggest records, Pharrell was asked what his mentality was going into making “Blurred Lines.” He says he merely approached the record with the hopes of making a fun and festive track.
“I didn’t go into it with anything. I actually went into it with no expectation,” he said. “And if anything I just went looking for fun. And looking for something that felt festive. And felt like it would lift people. So, I just went looking for that. You can’t get into a scenario looking for something that’s big or it’s going to sound that way. I’m just happy that the universe rewarded us…And again you can’t take authorship for the success of anything. You really can’t. The success is determined by the people.”
Although Kendrick Lamar did not walk away with a Grammy during the annual awards ceremony, Lorde did take home Best Pop Solo Performance and Song Of The Year for her record “Royals” while Pharrell received a handful of awards including Record Of The Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for his work on Daft Punk’s “Get Lucky.”
If kendrick has people signed under him that are as popular as he is, and He has a manager that advertises stuff for him. And Tells him what to do. Then thats a label. No matter how you want to look at it dumbass’s
Yup, that guy definitely knows more than Pharrell about the music industry.
no one is signed under kendrick
TDE is the label, he does not own it as far as I know but he is the flagship artist.
I think you missed the point though. Kendrick made the labels come to him
I remember when kdot was 16.. jay-z wanted to sign him and he was still making his own music.
very well said
agree with pharrell
not a big fan but this is the reason why I have always respected kdot
TDE signed with jimmy a long time before they officially announced it.
probably off the strength of Section 80, Setbacks, Black Friday, etc…
Kendrick is a nerd
so are you. difference is hes a nerd with money and power. you’re just an anonymous geek online hating
i rather listen to this so called nerd then a fake gangster baby
give me a nerd from the streets of compton over a former C.O. who studied criminal justice in college and thinks hes a dope boy any day of the week!
Kendrick probably done more hood shit in Compton by the time he was 18 than your geek ass done all your lifetime. sit down nigga
4 real! kendrick is realer than most of these fake ass studio gangsters
real niggas who lived that life dont glamorize and brag about it. thats how you know who really from grew up in that and whos fronting to sell records..
up to I looked at the receipt which was of $9860 , I accept that my best friend was like really taking home money parttime at there computar. . there neighbor had bean doing this for under 1 year and a short time ago cleared the loans on there place and bourt a top of the range Land Rover Defender . learn the facts here now… http://www.Fb39.Com
And Tells him what to do. Then thats a label. No matter how you want to look at it dumbass’s
Love both K Dot and Pharrell’s music but Pharrell is complementing the wrong guy. If K Dot is signed to Dr Dre, that’s a label. He’s also signed to TDE and Interscope. Macklemore’s the one not waiting for a label.
you missed his point
Pop music maker.
yeah, big props to kendrick for not compromising his work
Pharrell is right.
I want another kdot song prod by pharrell tbh
Kendrick is one of the only guy who doesn’t compromise his work, I respect that
yep, this is the reason why I respect kednrick so much
kdot, bringing hip hop back !
I remember when I first heard kdot… he was rapping in the streets, damn I knew he was gonna be that big !
this kid will be remembered.
jsut to say,
Kendrick > rick ross > drake
Can’t this nigga take off this goddamn hat?!?!
its not even the same hat
Too much praise goin’ around in rap nowadays. Maybe they should all get together and have an orgy.
you can thank the south for that
Your statement goes to show what is wrong with urban music as a whole…Rap fucked alot of shit up for niggas because we already in Willie Lynch mode and taught to hate each other but then you extend that to professional careers and make an ignorant ass statement about “too much praise in rap nowadays”–huh? Sounds dumb as hell and the reason why New York had to fall off…Nobody knows how to work together….Battle is a battle in hip hop but it shouldn’t extend to the streets or be taken personal!!
sometimes it needs to,
to many fake niggas thinking they can talk reckless about real cats from the street
2004 pharrell > 2014 pharrell
uptil I saw the paycheck 4 $9693 , I did not believe …that…my best friend was like they say truly receiving money parttime from there new laptop. . there neighbour has done this for less than and resently took care of the mortgage on their place and purchased a brand new audi . this website… http://www.Fb39.com
so zimmerman takes interviews and behaves like a celebrity now… makes me sad
And I praise this nigga for not being afraid of keeping this ridiculous hat