Pharrell Williams may be doing well on the fashion front, but when it comes to politics– his viewpoint isn’t landing too good with Black folks. In fact, it looks like its gotten him in some hot water. Let’s talk about it!
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Things kicked off over the weekend during his 5th Annual Black Ambition Demo Day in Miami. During a panel discussion, the “Happy” singer shed light on how he feels about the current political landscape, plainly stating how he “hates politics” because of its inherent divisiveness.
“Like, despise them. It’s a magic trick. It’s not real. I don’t believe in either side. Because I think when you pick a side, you are inadvertently supporting division,” he explained. “Yes, it’s not a popular point of view, but I just gotta say, when I think about it, the wells are drying up.”
As if that wasn’t head-scratching enough, Williams then went on to share his thoughts on supporting businesses and hiring people solely based off their skin color. He took the time to survey the crowd to see how many Black people were in the room and then questioned if they thought they were the best and if they would want a job because they were Black or because they were the best person for it.
“Do you want someone to support your startup because you’re Black or because you’re the best?” he asked. “So I think now for me, it’s about us having the best ambition, and that’s the reason why you should support these businesses. Yes, they happen to be Black and brown, but it should be based on the thesis that they’re the best, not because of a shade of skin color.”
He later added, “If diversity, equity and inclusion ever comes back in style, cool. But in the mean time, I’m gonna focus on being the best because I can bank on that. Because that’s what’s gonna get you to the position.”
Folks online couldn’t help but think Williams’ comments totally prove just how out of touch he is with the lived experience of everyday, regular Black folks. His opinion completely negates the fact that for centuries, Black people were denied opportunities solely based off the fact that we were Black– our merit and skills be damned. The whole reason DEI initiatives were even a thing were to ensure that we got considered to the same degree for opportunities, access to schools, housing, etc. as everyone else.
Additionally, as a Black person in America, you can’t “bank on” being the best in the room and that being enough to get you into the rooms and spaces you know you deserve to be in. If that was the case, we’d be a lot farther along as a people but go off, I guess.
Naturally, once the “Frontin’” singer’s words began going viral, countless Black people couldn’t wait to drag him through the mud for his remarks.
“Pharrell has been an idiot when it comes to politics for awhile. a Black man raised in the South espousing apolitical rhetoric isn’t someone to be taken seriously politically. It’s dangerous willful ignorance, he knows that, he just wants to be a contrarian as a dei hire himself,” said one user on X/Twitter.
“For @Pharrell to monetize his Blackness and benefit from Black money and then tell the Black folks he’s left behind not to pursue political outcomes that will keep them safe (from the harms they helped him buy his way out of) is callous af,” wrote another.
One user expressed: “I respect blatant republicans more than niggas like Pharrell. cause nigga why is yo backbone a gummy worm? You don’t stand for NOTHING?!”
Another user added in part, “‘Not picking a side’ means being complicit for policies that impact the most marginalized people. Sidebar: DEI isn’t about getting a job because you are a minority but leveling the playing field. BTW, WW have benefited the most.”
Over on Threads, the lashings were more of the same.
“@pharrell Williams asked Black people: ‘Do you want the job because you’re Black or because you’re the best?”Brother, we’ve BEEN the best — RACISM kept the doors locked.We didn’t get shut out because we were unqualified. We got shut out because America was built on anti-Black exclusion.Talking like skin color doesn’t matter while politicians are targeting Blackness in law, policy, and funding is not wisdom— it’s betrayal,” said one user.
Added another: “Pharrell was talking about people needing to be picked for a job or earn money based on being the best rather than just existing because to him, a job is a hobby and not a means of basic survival. He lives in excess and is too far removed from working class people. This is precisely why he should have sat there and ate his food because now, he jumped to the top of a lot of folks’ list of the rich to be eaten.”
Straight From 
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