Pusha T and No Malice of Clipse are opening up about the absence of Chad Hugo, one-half of the legendary Neptunes production duo, and how they feel about his rumored fallout with Pharrell Williams.
In a recent interview with Popcast, the Virginia rap duo reflected on their longtime relationship with Hugo and the creative dynamics behind their upcoming album, Let God Sort Em Out, which was solely produced by Pharrell.
According to No Malice, Hugo's musical influence is missed. But on a personal level, he said, things are all good.
"Absolutely miss Chad. As far as, you know, being on the album," said No Malice. "But I'll see Chad in the airport, in the street, at Buffalo Wild Wings, you know, in VA. Whatever they got going on, just hope for the best for that [...] Whenever we see each other, it's always still love. Always."
Pusha T, while equally respectful toward Hugo, was more candid about the creative impact of his absence—or lack thereof.
"For me no, you know, no. Everybody knows my favorite album is Hell Hath No Fury. Pharrell did that alone. That's it [...] Chad's my guy. I love Chad. Pharrell's my guy, love Chad, too. We're brothers, we came up together," Pusha said. "But, you know, when you say missing in the music, there is no missing in the music when it comes to the Clipse. And if it's just P, it don't matter—we find what we find."
The rumored fallout between Pharrell and Hugo has been largely quiet and behind the scenes, but recent events suggest a serious breakdown in their working relationship. In March 2024, Hugo's legal team filed a notice of opposition that alleged Pharrell tried to trademark The Neptunes' name without Hugo's consent.
According to Hugo's camp, Pharrell was attempting to claim ownership over a brand they co-created, effectively cutting Hugo out of the rights to their shared legacy. Pharrell's legal team countered that it was simply protecting the brand through a business entity, which the team said was standard procedure.
Clipse's Let God Sort Em Out LP on vinyl is available for preorder from the Complex Shop here.
