“Objects do have the ability to trigger states of emotions like elation, and that’s cool … [but] these are all just things, right? They’re just things,” he says in reference to the first auction collection, which offered exclusive items ranging from his high school varsity jacket to his much-coveted Stan Smith shoes, Audemars Piguet watches and Jacob & Co pendants. “I mean, I still love the superficial,” he jokes. “But I’m just saying it’s too much. It’s too much to have just sitting there and me not doing nothing with it. It’s probably more valuable to someone else.”

Pharrell didn’t go into detail regarding the buyers who have ended up with their picks from the treasure trove, but Drake is certainly a fan of the collection. Just days before this interview, the Canadian rapper released the music video for Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin, in which he wears a number of accessories from the auction, the most notable being the 2005 N.E.R.D. chain that sold for US$2.1million.

The fact that someone would spend such a large amount of money on an iconic piece from his personal collection doesn’t seem to be as significant as one might think.

“It’s just an object,” he repeats. “[An auction] is transactional—but it’s not just about physical transaction; it’s also about spirit and energy. Things hold energy, they hold memories. The longer you hold on to it, the more you have to manage all that energy. That piece held so many memories for me and I’m so happy someone else has it and can create a whole new story for themselves.”

What he says echoes the mission statement on Joopiter’s website, which states that the idea behind the company is to “embrace the energy that is released when objects change hands, and to respect the value that’s been created around these objects”. Pharrell is keen to emphasise that the idea isn’t about decluttering but simplifying. “I wouldn’t call it clutter, because they are really important things; they’re just not as personal to me as the idea of making things.”

This focus on creation is at the heart of A Journey Through Gems this month, which will be Joopiter’s first activation outside the US. The digital auction will be open for bidding on Joopiter.com from March 17 to 28, with VIP previews and events during the week of Art Basel Hong Kong.

This is a homecoming of sorts for the jewellery designer and Pharrell, who were last present together at Art Basel in 2019 for the exhibition The Jewelry of Lorraine Schwartz, “Art in All Its Forms”. Fans of the jeweller’s work won’t be disappointed: there will be a curation of her more recognisable designs as well as new pieces unveiled exclusively for this auction, in addition to the pieces she created with Pharrell.

“There’s never enough design; there’s always a need for more, so as long as [we continue to receive] inspiration from muses, we’re always going to make things,” says Pharrell. “I am inspired by conversations, I’m inspired by energy. I’m inspired by loads of things—it’s different from when I was a kid and there were certain people I might have looked up to; now I just look up to the entire collective. There’s a gift, there’s a message, there’s a lesson coming from every different direction. You’ve just got to be open.”

The artist, who turns 50 next month, has taken a break from the keyboard to sit down for this interview, and even though I’m undoubtedly disrupting his creative flow, his focus on the conversation is absolute. This professionalism was also evident at the photo shoot more than 14 hours ago, when he managed to pose his way through three hours of outfit changes on less than four hours of sleep. While basic decency and respect may be a low bar, it’s nonetheless appreciated in an industry where stories of entitled behaviour are not uncommon.

“I’ve always worked on self-awareness and wanting to be better … there’s no end game with self-awareness; it’s a continuous process, a continuous evolution,” he says. “A lot of people devolve from [it] and they lose it; those are the people who can’t hear themselves talking, or see what they’re doing or what it looks like. I’m just grateful that’s not me.”

He has a lot to say about gratitude itself, explaining that, unlike happiness, gratitude is far more achievable 24/7. “Happiness is a beautiful thing, but if you get too used to something, you don’t appreciate it no more … gratitude is something you never get tired of doing,” he says. “Every moment that you’re breathing, God has allowed you that moment.”

One gets the sense that he is mindful of his privilege, of the advantages in life that often come as a byproduct of fame. His life has not been without its tragedies, a recent one being the fatal shooting of his cousin Donovan Lynch by the Virginia Beach police in March 2021, but when asked about his struggles, he takes a long pause before answering.

“I don’t think like that. That’s not my outlook on my challenges; I don’t see struggles. Struggling is like if you can’t feed yourself or if you can’t feed your family. [It’s when you’re suffering from] something terminal that doesn’t have a cure, it’s a situation where the waters are rising and there’s a limited amount of air. That’s struggle,” he says. “I can’t complain.”

Whether it is self-awareness or the guilt of privilege that motivates him, he is constantly mindful of incorporating a charitable component to his projects. With the Son of a Pharaoh auction, for example, part of the proceeds from the multi-million-dollar sale went towards Black Ambition, the non-profit initiative that he founded in support of Black and Latinx entrepreneurs. He also launched the creative agency Mighty Dream with marketing and communications company Edelman in September last year. The agency, which is promoted as a “creative advocacy agency”, is aimed at supporting communities of colour through social action campaigns, and it launched its first public forum in November in Norfolk, a city in Pharrell’s native state of Virginia.

“It’s my way of giving back,” he explains. “Creation is important, but it’s also about reaching out and giving back—setting things up and opening doors; that’s just as important.”

A further ten minutes and three video recordings later, Pharrell is released from my interrogative attentions and back in the land of music, debating whether or not to add a bridge to the 2min 48s song with the fierce, focused joy of an artist doing exactly what he came into the business to do. Even after barely any sleep, a morning shoot and a fully packed day of engagements, it’s clear that he has tapped into a reserve of energy, fuelled by his love for his art. 

As I wave goodbye to his eldest son, who already exhibits his father’s dignity and respect, I’m reminded of what the artist had said earlier: “True joy is within humans and within oneself. You’ve just got to get to that place.”

Read the March issue here

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