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INSPIRATION| A sociAl book by |

PhARRellWIllIAmS

ÉdITIONS

AndJérémie Aubert, edwArd schults, tobiAs FArid dJAghroud, giovAnni moscAto, michAel rohrs, emilie rosAles, becky mollon, vAriniA JustiniAno, cristinA AlFAro lópez, deJAn trAJkovic, briAn Johnson, kAren sikkA, Agnes mA, JuAn pAlAcios, JordAn roxburgh mAcrAe, mArion tAmé, tori deAux, Annette Fälchle, oliviA sivelli, monsieur-ice et’s, dorothee thiele, kevin gerkensmeier, mArgot revAux, JúliA ortiz, ginés Fernández ArévAlo, kAylA  hAAck, chloée Fée, eve  degen, Jose sAncho, christophe letort, diAnA rAmos soto, yAsin iœstün, AlAzne portAl, dAvid  moser, rowAn Jeggo, dAni diAz, pierre FAucheux, JohAnnA rothämel, AnA victoriA sAntAmAriA gArciA, kArine leblAnc, Aline enilA, AdriAn müller, AundreA hyde, Antoine  FerrAri, belén ibeAs, robert mcintosh, Juline rémond, sArAh lAuprete, JAmil Apostol, Jérôme cruciAni, pAt oune, erik reichert, AdriAn sooder, pAtriciA vool, mAxime l’huillier, Aude loiseAu, FiAnA FontAine, diAnA prud’homme, roberto sAnz, AngelinA tovAr, williAm widnell, noémie lrt, AndreA AguilAr, FrAncois ginon, thelittle drAgoon, Anthony hui, dAvid do vAn minh, chloe FlAment, stephAne rossignol, AmAndA lunde, ludo AchArd, pAuline le roux, Jil schArtz, JenniFer cArlucci, gonzAlo rey, gérAldon des bois, lucie trocherie, genesee mcclAin, gilles hAge, mAthieu pinto, evelinA  monroe, christiAn rennert, gerwin birg, kAreem Futrell, milène bArboteo, Alberto  lozAno sAnchez, dAvid Arenes, ruben losi, kit silencer, tom vAughAn, beni ÅžAhin, mAFeryt letAkol, kristel vl, mAtthieu JAnin, kAiwAthA d, lAurA ArribAs, mAik zehrFeld, AmAury mArtin b, cedric gAin, benJAmin vAnleene.

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AnAëlle rousse, mAximiliAn schickler, gAbriel pilet, AnisA mAtA, christiAn corbAlAn pedrAzA, sAchA AbdillAh, A.J. stArr, michel di bellA, yoAn montAgut, JenniFer ogor, kenneth mccord, williAm eppe, sArA gil, mArtA cAmpos, cArolAne rouAult, sven nowAk, cAtherine buckel, FrAnzi lAnd, Audrey eppe, tAtiAnA sukArJA, pAul berend, ivAn von boetticher, mArien vAndevoorde, sébAstien poirier, emmA  simpson, pAblo ridet, isAbelle steinhäuslin, mwAmbA mpezeni, isAbelle sAget, evA gArciA, pAuline cAzier, thibAud duminil, JehAnne wieder, chloé roselynee, cristinA vAlmAggiA, michAel  Angelo, John tAFF, mAriAnne picArd, meritxell pintó, rebeccA norberg, mAtthew burdis, belén cAmpo, shAm  shArAm, kleine  Feder, thomAs deFiAnAs, lucie AlbirA, will hill, JAne o’connor, bAstiAn kempF, Amélie bresson, pAuline bouvet, AngelA rAmos, pedro pAlomino muñoz, sAntiAgo bAutistA, isAbelle mAthelin, emmAnuel hyronimus, JAcques decAzes, cristinA  lArA, mAx mArtin, cécile mArchese, Julius bryAnt, pAuline pArAlis, soFiA  de pAz, Antony rAmon, delphA  rAmos, ekAterine elbAkidze, morette thompson, Jorge  blAnco lópez, hendrik theis, ingo zorc, itxAso lAFuente, christopher dAniti, noelle pouget, mArie-louise piereschi, cArlos peyrA, AlFie willey, reese Almond, monicA gimenez zuccArelli, sAndrA  bAnz, thAliA z., kAtrinA hAhn, AlexAndre Fumeron, oliver dAv, mArine thébAud, pAtxi FernAndez, ryAn wilson, inmA FAro, tim kissels, Jeremie gentien, yAnnis  dAguenet, mAriA mAgrAs, luke Fitzsimons, tibo  tibo, doriAn derrAdJ, sAmuel  mArio, blythe creAmer, mAcArenA gl, Jocelyn pogorbsky, Amélien delAhAie, nuriA sAnz, Jeriel Johnson, vv FlAme, clémence Ferry, dwAyne hines, ronAld burton, seyit tAs, JuliAn lAtuske, gAëlle Finzi, toñi sierrA cAmpos, AdriAn cAmpbell, sAlomé costA, nAtAlie swAn, susAn morten, nicolAs dAvi, m r, dAniel Jimenez, FrAnziskA reeck, mArgit böhm, cAroline gillArd, guillAume gAmbA, lucA delmenico, miguel giménez, scArlett pAge, ginA bAumArd, cyril bordesoulle, killiAn moreno, bohdAnnA cherstylo, kevin cummins, seAn bAines, AlyssA domingo, gregoire bArAu, Julie thudin, rAchel kA, chAun smith, dmytro kovtoniuk, s zAhid Ali, burAk uzunoglu, AmAndine doret, oliviA r, mAnuel  schlAtter, JezAbel ruiz, victor gArciA, clAudiA mAtthäus, JAcqueline tischer, JeAn-romAin lehr, ex brAyAt, mAnon  trunsArd, helen smAiles, wilFred gill, tom diAmond, rushkA sAmuels, Andrew  zAvAlA, rAzel grAFF, kAtherine oJito, torin JAckson-hAwkes, sArAh Foster, pierre  vidAl, slAwA hilz, Amine bendib, sAmuel guigues, lex leboxky, emmA Finnerty, AmAury beAutru, mAriAn cAnAldA criAdo, JAsmin gAmAl el-din youseF, hArsh nAin, AnnA nymes, cAroline tAng, JAcob wood, nicolAs sAint-pAul, mAxime brimAud, greg tormo, dAniel miguel, elenA subiAs, rhAJon Anderson, tom hockenhull, kirAn pAnesAr, mAxime willers, cristóbAl FiguerAs, mAtt grAy, FrAnk estrAdA, Jex dilin,

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burgueño, pAulA pérez, silviA diAz, mAriA styles horAn, beAtriz moliz, ivAn AlvArez, michAel mcmAhon, ciAn heFFernAn, AdriAn mAhin, thomAs king, cesAr AlexAnder, Andy pope, JAcob eAst, Alex broAdhurst, mAthieu guillAume, brAm vAn der heiJde, vAlentin murciA, dAn niemAnn, clAudiA livArskAyA, thomAs hill, tAhmeed Ahmed, emily wright, phoebe bright, kristiAn mock, eArl duncAn, philipp schöggler, timo g, clAudiA witzel, AnnA dressler, sAschA bAumeler, mArtin riedl, Aziz hAddAd, kAthleen izii, sophie lepert, mArgAux hAsler, corAline mArtinet, cAtherine chevillon, irène hermAnn, mike cAstillo, mAriA irAnzo, m.José lAgunA, elenA lArA c., till Augustin, lucie tondon, nicole nicAy, AlexAnder volk, thomAs  dotterweich, AmAnde le drAppier, loic coelho, FAbio FerreirA, sophie guicherd, guillAume luu, guillAume  deve, tristAn goguillot, kévin boix, soniA sAidi, cAroline wAxse, deron cooper, dAniel perlmutter, bluismyreAlnAme evAns, michel ledur, zArry bizevA, mArtin mArtins, will stephen, Antonio richArdson, hichem ben mArzoug, JAcob bAArlid, doug levy, Andrew wAite, beccA butler, sebAstiAn nAhi, mAtt perez, noeliA dAmiAno nArro, dAniel corrAdA, oliviA tAnAkA, AlFredo tudelA, dAni AlmeidA, vAro bregel, steFAnie hAnzel, yAsmin schäFFer, christinA leibold, Anne kA, JohAnnA mAngote, Arpoz s, Adélie peltier, christopher owens, lewis dykes, dAvis powers, dAn schule, AdAm gAllottA, robert bullough, qsd qsd, Austyn bArbArin, sterling Foster, JordAn hArder, denver tyrrell, corey Jonze, ricArdo lopez, FelmAry vAlcArcel, pedro lópez, Antonio Asti, AlbA berdun, silviA ArgilAgA, guillermo Alegre, dylAn rAmos, mmAr molinA mArtinez, JAvier AguilAr, JAcky JAxx, Joel AlmeydA, gelmu sherpA, etienne koch, pAul gAt, FAir leihen, philipp ickenroth, mArion Felix, Anthony AllAin, Aline dupont, sAndy semelin, AlexAndre ribichesu, AndréA lAu, virginie  gArino, cAmille  bonneFoy, mAnuel gArnier, AlexAndre thibAult, luzdivinA guinbird, mitchell Jones, benJAmin giboudAud, sAmuel oldroyd, Andrew rickenbAch, Ashley williAms, JAcky bArker, nick hibbArd, oindrilA dAs, stewArt AllAn, tArAsilke cAnnonyoung, steve sorrell, robyn bilsborrow, ryAn stilwell, FikAyo iluyomAde, robert kinsellA, liz mcevoy, robbie hews, ti ti phAm, ben terrington, erin sullivAn, gAbbi pAyne, rose teodorescu, isottA lAFFrAnchini, cristinA bussolA, cArmen Jiménez, cArlos gómez, trAstutrApellAAndmu xd no tienen, lAurA lópez, dAniel hidAlgo, yAsemin-emine bAsArAn, AlexAnder nhAm, vivien mAi, hAnsi hinterseher, nico herzog, mAtthew  witczAk, lolA perron, rudy lionel, virginie  r, lucAs dAymier, Alexis dorAnge, steve byboo, ben goodmAn, eric leggAtt, mAtthew bickerstAFF, JuliA beAumont, lee Julien, levAnte vinson, michAel briceno, mArc guillAumin, FeArgAl  mckeever, Amy  wAlpole, chris holder, nyle Alliss, meeshers nguyen, edgAr nAvArro rico, AroA nebot muñoz, cArmen pérez, steFAniA mAtiJAsevic, Angy sAerwen, JuliA escolAr JuAn, ricArdo zúñigA, mArtA cAsAs, lorenA torres, ricArdo noproblem, Julien mArcel, Audrey dA, JohAnnA sAbbAh, lAurent mArcus, lou icArt, tom AguilAr, romAin lAngle, morgAne chArlier, wei mA, dAvidA chAnel, vArun bAdArinAth, Joe brennAn, kAren mAthenA, srtA mg, mAgic dueñAs, héléA cunier, nicolAs denis, Jimmy hAlFon, sAmy mAsetto.

AlistAir brown, hAns odolF, cloé gAntier, sAndrA giron, liliAn tArrillo, blAncA rigi, ryAn love, clAire thomAs, Justin long, stéphAnie  titecA, FlAvien girArd, loris utArd, sibylle leFevre, JAy b, núriA pons, letiziA sAntini, Audrey vollAis, Anne-sophie miont, roem bAur, m scott mAgno, vicky bentley, miriAn mArtinez, yAnisA  velez, helenA boAdA, mArtA delgAdo, FAbien elhArrAr, qoutAylA  hilAli, lisA Foucher, elody crou, orlA brennAn, phyllis wAllAce, normA konAdu, stephen kish, AlFred Ashu, elisA mAchAdo, lucile ArAud, AgAthe  euvrArd, JessicA  toulot, beAtriz  exremo, semrA  ilJAzi, rAtheeshAn gunArAtnAm, Anne hAunime, iñAki mAtxAin, slAvi lyubenov monchev, Ani leonte, Judit Jimenez, kAtherine oJito, tristAn  Ford, shAne sAntiAgo, Alex guder, FloriAn surhoFF, bérengère vch, noA giorente, cArmen beAl, pedro diAz, steven Armstrong, chiderA obiyor, blAir burke, emily JAckson, michAel späth, sAndrine hA, AnAelle b., Julien cAntin, cAroline picAnon, JordAn bourget, clement cubAt, ivAn hitoJo, luciA  cimAdevillA, bel mAy bernot, stephAniA sAntAmAriA, elo romero, AnA muller, nuriA m, dominique vogler, mArkus schmidt, emeline trAuchessec, cArole bAudin, vAlentine piboyeu, mAxime sArri, emmAnuelle d, wAndA  zAleski, kAt sAoyen, richie londA, leo versel, diAnA regAl, michAel keAting, dAvid mulFinger, AbigAïl subirón, yolAndA ArAn molinA, giulio enrico tombA, neivA morAl moyA, mArco kAul, Jim schumAnn, gerhArd reider, mAcArenA cortez, théo mAnti stephAne mesplede, mArie bAilleul, thomAs lt, pAmelA bArrett, JeAn Forte, mélAnie lechAAt, lewis whyte, mArk peArce, AzucenA gAllego, Angy cAstro bArbudo, dAniel cAnterA, nAtAliA romero gonzález, rAFA mArtin, rAul AlvA obAndo, pAtriciA grAciA, mAxi hohmAnn, lenA  reimAnn, lArinA heubAch, tété mensAh, etienne moyen, megAn devAyres, FAbien Agnus, JeAn  hAguenAuer, brAd moore, AlexAnder wennberg, AdAm leArmonth, FrAnceskA heiskAnen, sophie Finck, mAyur rAnpurA, richArd mills, melissA postello, keenAn hArvey, kAreem ricketts, gAte lAmbert, kiAn pAtel, pAblo romero, clAudiA cAmpos, Alberto FrAncés gómez, AlexiA gAvriil, emilio  holguin, robyn  wAde, dAvid leserri, nAtAliA JermAnn, AlvitA Amoy, miriJAm AnkrAh, vAlentin AymArd, romAin lAunAis, pAris mAngeAnt, mArJorie grégoire, dAvid bonté, JonAthAn boAn, FlAvien gAlhArdo, etienne moutot, yop lA, sArAh nicol, kristen chAmbers, JoshuA wood, JessicA russell, John cullen, vincent lAvril, linn wiberg, theA de gAllier, scott tAylor, niAll colgAn, dylAn hAuge, hAmish mcAndrew, krissi bAiley, Au morAndArte, derek bremner, elenA chAqués godoy, AndreA mirAlles curiel, pAblo prieto, cArlos Jimenez, rominA del portillo AlbAn, luis rodriguez, egle pAkArnyte, Julius lAutenschläger, mArie JoseFine bukop, gAbi schroFF, pedro Filipe mArtins, clotAire crepeAu, eleA greugny, ArnAud girArd, kAliAnA rAndriAnArivo, Adrien bestel, sophie kAntJAs, Justine chetboun, père

WELCOME TO THE SOCIAL BOOK

it might seems crazy what you’re about to read, but this book isn’t like any other.

INSPIRATION is the first book written by an artist, pharrell williams, and rewritten online by a worldwide community.

by getting this book where you will discover revelations on pharrell’s sources of inspiration. this way you contribute to help pharrell’s association, which supports disadvantaged children to hopefully rewrite many of their lives.

we hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as people enjoyed rewriting it.

sponsored by and more informations on the project on tippex-socialbook.com

INSPIRATIONPhARRell WIllIAmS

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Once upon a time…

JuST KIddINg, THIS ISN’T THAT KINd Of STORy.

IT’S NOT A fAIRy TALE EvEN THOugH SOME dAyS My LIfE SuRE fEELS LIKE IT.

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PART ONEMusic

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i guess you can say this is sort of like an adventure. it’s hard to look at my musical journey any other way. i still can’t believe i get to make music with some of the most brilliant artists on the planet. i will never ever in a million years get used to that. i feel blessed each and every time someone says they want to make music with me.

Grateful.

i’m from a small town—virginia beach, virginia. i had no idea all my dreams would actually become a reality.

I’M NOT SuRE WHy, BuT THE uNIvERSE CREATEd SOME AMAzINg OPPORTuNITIES fOR ME THAT I MANAgEd NOT TO MESS uP.

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CHAPTER 1THE ABILIT y TO MAKE MuSIC IS A gIfT.

the ability to share it? well, that’s a gift, too. sharing it with the world is no guarantee.

you know how many amazing producers are out there just waiting to be discovered? singers, mcs and musicians too. All i have to do is look on the internet for a simple reminder of all the great talent out there. i am no more special than any of the others who do what i do.

EvERy MAN MAdE OBJECT CAME By WAy Of SOMEONE’S IMAgINATION—ALL PHySICAL MANIfESTATIONS Of EPIPHANIES. EvERyTHINg ELSE IS ORgANIC ANd SIMPLy THE RESuLT Of THE uNIvERSE’S MATHEMATICS.

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fEEdINg yOuR CuRIOSIT y IS KEy.

A simple conversation could be a creative catalyst if you let it. you just have to be open to the idea that a deeper meaning may exist. the conversation may mean one thing within seconds, but when you look back on it hours later, you may see things in a new light.

i didn’t know what the word creative meant when i was young. i never thought what i was doing was unique. A fish doesn’t know it’s wet. i knew a lot of kids in school who did the same things i did. they could rhyme as good as me, if not better, others were superb musicians. i was happy to just play along, keep up and participate.

If yOu HEAR SOMETHINg POSITIvE ABOuT yOuRSELf AgAIN ANd AgAIN, yOu START TO EMBRACE IT.

when you’re aware of your creativity, that’s when you can begin to use it to its fullest potential.

before then you’re just stumbling across it. this is the plight of all humans because everyone has a talent. it’s what we’re all trying to figure out so we can live life exactly how we’re supposed to.

this is the reason why we should encourage children to explore their interests from a super young age. if we take a look at what they’re thinking, all those curiosities they possess, it will only help them grow academically and artistically.

we need to help children figure out who they are and not leave their development to the odds. don’t we want the odds to be in their favor?

WHEN yOu PuT CHILdREN IN CREATIvE ENvIRONMENT THAT CHALLENgES THEIR MINdS, IT’S THE quICKEST WAy TO SELf-dISCOvERy. the more options for mental stimulation the better. if two teachers didn’t encourage me to realize how interested i was in music, i don’t know where i’d be today. i always loved learning, but the methods weren’t always ideal.

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i got punished a lot for daydreaming in class, but now i realize i needed an outlet to think creatively.

NOT ALL KIdS LEARN THE SAME WAy, BuT WE OfTEN PENALIzE CHILdREN fOR NOT fOLLOWINg THE RuLES INSTEAd Of TRyINg TO fIguRE OuT WHAT RuLES SuIT THEM BEST.i’m so grateful my teachers figured out my love for music could help me exceed in school.

CHAPTER 2MAKINg MuSIC IS A SuBCONSCIOuS THINg.

IT’S CRAzy TO TAKE yOuRSELf TO zERO ANd THEN WAIT fOR INSPIRATION. LONELy. JuST SORT Of SuSPENdEd IN BLACK SPACE. ALL Of A SuddEN A WAvE COMES OvER yOu ANd yOu gET IT. yOu dO yOuR BEST TO CHASE IT dOWN.

can get used to seeing the complete picture. you put down what you see in your head, but only when you step back you’re able to fully see. this is how the world will experience it. the way it sounds is what everyone else hears. the negative image is what we feel, but we can’t fully express it. you can’t prove or illustrate to me how you feel; i just have to trust that i get what you’re saying. but, you and i can both pinpoint what we’re listening to. when you’re putting down the sound, you’re putting down the feeling. that’s all you’re doing, you’re going off of feeling. if you take a step back and listen, that’s when you realize the full picture of what’s there.

while you’re chasing, you can’t act like you know where it’s going or else you’ll change it. if you’re like, “oh yeah, this is so cool,” then it’s done, over. you won’t be able to get it back. you have to shut up and wait until the whole thing happens.

i create music not knowing if it’s going to be a banger or not. that’s how you know it comes from somewhere else. you can only judge it once you take a step back and listen to what’s really there. when you’re putting it down, in your mind, you’re seeing the negative image. you have to step back so your mind

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the crazy thing is i’ve been doing that my whole life but never put it into words. i’ve never seen myself work. i don’t know what it looks like when the lightning strikes.

i’m sure if you tape a producer and his habits you’ll find formulas he doesn’t even recognize he has. there are memorized rhythms to all of our activities every day. sometimes even down to our steps. it’s kind of like things you do in your sleep. they’re involuntary because you don’t know what you’re doing. you may roll over many times, but you don’t acknowledge it because you’re not aware you’re doing it. it’s so hard to talk about myself and explain how i do things. it’s the person who sits on the sidelines and watches the games who really knows everything. you can’t play offense and defense at the same time.

yOu gOT TO CHOOSE A POSITION. yOu CAN’T BE BOTH, THE HuNTER ANd THE BEAR. If I’M ON THE OffENSE, I CAN’T TELL yOu HOW I’M dOINg ON THE dEfENSE.

i can’t tell you what i look like when i’m creating or performing. it’s like when someone says, “how did i do? it’s because they can’t see for themselves, they only know from our perspective.

CHAPTER 3ENvIRONMENTAL STIMuLATION IS THE BEST INSPIRATION.

sometimes i wake up thinking about making a specific song, but most of the time the music is determined by my environment. if there are interesting characters walking around, they all play a part. i didn’t realize one sentence, a paragraph, or a whole conversation could spark inspiration. the way a girl moves her body, her position, all those things weigh in, but i never looked at it like that before. if a bunch of females walk into the studio and start clapping and dancing all sexy, then i’m going to make a certain kind of record.

WHAT A gIRL IS WEARINg ANd HOW SHE CARRIES HERSELf, I’LL TAKE ALL Of THAT IN. ALL THOSE THINgS ARE dIffERENT LAyERS ANd COLORS TO ME. If THE gIRL IS WAvINg HER HANd A CERTAIN WAy, THAT’S LIKE ONE COLOR.

it’s fun if she walks into the studio talking passionately about something. it could be, “i just lost 20 pounds, today’s my son’s birthday, i like wearing red lipstick all day” and i’ll write about that.

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it’s like something in the air turns into a story. something is happening. it’s not like everyone’s just sitting around at the studio saying we have to work on this song. the something that’s happening is what inspires me. some people are very methodical about making music—do a verse, ok let’s come up with a melody, let’s do the hook. i don’t like to work that way. i need to feel it and visuals help tremendously. whenever i feel stuck making music, the first thing i do is go outside and walk around. my favorite recording studios are the ones that allow me to do that easily. smelling the air, seeing random things, all that is important to me.

CHAPTER 4I’M SO HONOREd I gET TO MAKE MuSIC AS My CAREER.

ANy THINg yOu CONCENTRATE ON CAN BE A fOCAL POINT fOR yOuR MINd TO vISuALIzE WHAT yOu NEEd TO dO.whether it’s in the shower or driving your car, everybody’s mind wanders off. when you’re in that place and you ask yourself pertinent questions, the best answers come. it’s awesome when you realize you have that ability.

nobody or anything on this planet can take that away from you. it’s an infinite source of inspiration to feel liberated. it’s always about the energy and spirit when it comes to creating music. i’m just trying to keep a consistent fingerprint through the whole thing—present it my way so people recognize me when they see it. you ever notice how people name their animals?

they name their dog cuddly for a reason. it’s their way. your way is who you really are. that’s the distinct difference between you and everyone else in this universe.

music has been the skeleton key that’s opened the door for every opportunity i’ve had. i’m 20 years in and only recently began to understand how i create my best work. when you’re on autopilot, sometimes you don’t realize what matters most. creative people are often considered crazy, and maybe we are, but i believe crazy can be a good thing.

CRAzy fORCES yOu TO LOOK AT THE WORLd IN A NEW WAy, SEE WHAT’S MISSINg ANd CREATE IT.

i’m not interested in building what already exists. that’s just boring. in order to successfully think in a crazy way you need people around you who handle the basics so you can dream big. that’s all i want to do. i don’t want to only live in reality. in some ways many would say this is a weakness, but it’s a strength for me. this is especially true over the last year or so. it’s been more of an asset than ever because i’ve surrounded myself with people who completely understand me. they encourage me to be as crazy as i want.

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it took me a long time to become comfortable in my own skin. i was confident in the beginning with n.e.r.d., but then sort of lost my way because i became disengaged. everything started to look and sound the same. once i figured out what could get me back on track, everything clicked. it’s also when my real musical journey began. i wasn’t thinking about making an album. i had just gone back in the studio collaborating with other artists because i was excited about music again.

it was January 2013 when i heard columbia records wanted to meet with me. i had no idea what they wanted to discuss. the label is full of legendary music executives who really care about music. they treat it like art, not just business. All i was thinking is whatever they want me to do, i’m down. i was completely shocked when they asked me to make an album.

THE WHOLE CONvERSATION fROM OuR MEETINg IS MOSTLy A BLuR, BuT I dO REMEMBER THEM SAyINg “gET LuCKy” WAS gOINg TO BE THE ROBOTS’ fIRST SINgLE. MINd yOu, AT THAT POINT, I dIdN’T EvEN REMEMBER WHAT THE SONg SOuNdEd LIKE. LITERALLy NOT ONE NOTE. I WAS REALLy JET LAggEd gOINg INTO THAT RECORdINg SESSION WITH THE ROBOTS ANd TO BE HONEST, I SWEAR THEy zAPPEd My MEMORy OR SOMETHINg.

i was so flattered columbia wanted to sign me. it’s a record label that’s super eccentric, a place that encourages individuality. it felt good to hear they wanted me to join their roster.

THEy’RE HOME TO THE WEIRdOES, ARTISTS WHO dON’T fIT INTO ANy CATEgORy.

THE OTHERS.

i’ve never really fit in in my whole life. even when the neptunes were first making noise in the late ‘90s, we often couldn’t convince artists we worked with to let us appear in the video. And i don’t blame them — we were weird! i think they were especially

nervous i’d show up in some wild clothes and they were right. my style was a curse for years (case in point: trucker hats, skinny jeans, unconventional footwear, etc.); it took a long time for people to accept me.

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when this label opportunity presented itself, it felt different. i wasn’t thinking about making an album so the fact that i was asked immediately dictated my approach. the first thing that came to my mind was, “oh, i know exactly what i want to talk about.” sometimes you need to go away and find subject matter.

Find an album direction, inspiration, but i didn’t need to do that for this one. i was so appreciative for the opportunity. i just purely cleared my mind. what is there to talk about? so much…

PART TWOgirls

gIRL IS WHERE WE COME fROM, gIRL IS OuR SuRvIvAL, gIRL IS OuR dISSEMINATOR, gIRL IS OuR ORIgIN, gIRL IS OuR LIgHT, gIRL IS OuR POWER ANd gIRL IS THE WORLd’S PLEASuRE.

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CHAPTER 5ExISTENCE IS PRIvILEgE. WOMEN ARE My BIggEST INSPIRATION.

THE INTELLIgENCE THEy gATHER ANd COLLECT OvER THE yEARS, THE WAy THEy uTILIzE WHAT THEy’vE LEARNEd ANd THEIR WAy Of dOINg IS THEIR fINgERPRINT, THEIR IdENTITy. IT’S THE WAy THEy dO THINgS THAT MAKE THEM INdIvIduALLy SPECIAL. THEy’RE My OBSESSION.

i’ve always had crushes on older women and for girls that were my age or younger, it was about their fire. but those older women? man, those women…it’s like there was some sort of magnetism or something. those older women were simply nice to me, but my mind would always wish it were sexual. there were a couple of times where one was flirtatious, nothing happened, but whoa. i think that’s there’s where my fixation just really crystallized.

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I NEvER LIKEd THE REguLAR gIRL WALKINg dOWN THE STREET. THE gIRL WITH THE PERfECT fACE ANd PERKy BOOBS WEARINg THE STILETTOS. I JuST LIKE WHAT’S dIffERENT.

sometimes i feel my fascination with females is almost like a chemical thing.maybe it’s whatever experiences i went through, but certain visuals just strike a chord for me.

i would be more inspired by the girl with some cartoon leggings than the one wearing the short, tight dress. whether it’s my female friends or girls who catch my attention in the world, there’s something about them that moves me. it’s like the nerdy

girl in class, yeah everyone makes fun of her, but it’s because she’s the smartest and does all the unorthodox stuff. that’s what’s interesting, what’s inspiring to me. Anything generic makes me run away.

certain females can make me weak with their beauty, intelligence and strength. even memories of them can do this for me. that’s why all the songs on my album were inspired by their complexity and trigger various emotions. the music is for everybody, but my inspiration was women.

ISN’T LIKE HALf OR MAyBE EvEN 75% Of THE MuSIC THAT’S EvER BEEN CREATEd ABOuT gIRLS?

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CHAPTER 6HuMAN BEINgS NEEd TO JAM.

i think more than anything else, i’m just cutting out all the fat and really pinpointing the specific inspiration.the cool thing about this music is anyone can relate to it.

I WANT EvERyONE TO dANCE ANd JuST fEEL gOOd. I MISS SEEINg PEOPLE LET LOOSE AT PARTIES INSTEAd Of dOCuMENTINg EvERy MOMENT WITH THEIR CELL PHONE CAMERA.

i tried to make the music warm and red. heart color—just pure, no filter. i kept my eyes closed when making the album. i didn’t want anyone to show me anything. i’ve seen that process kill people. i just went with what felt good. i think everybody should do that right now. there’s a shift going on in music right now.

THE BEST SONgS ARE THE ONES THAT CONNECT WITH HuMANITy IN SOME WAy. If yOu CLOSE yOuR EyES, yOu’LL IMMEdIATELy KNOW If IT SOuNdS RIgHT.

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CHAPTER 7AS MuCH AS WOMEN ARE My INSPIRATION, I’M NO ExPERT.

i would never claim to have all the answers about them, but i know females don’t want to be classified. they’re individuals and if you’re going to love one, she’s got to feel like she’s the only one of her kind. labels don’t define her.

IT’S EMPOWERINg TO WATCH A WOMAN LIBERATE HERSELf fROM CHAINS. WHy BE HELd By ANyTHINg yOu dON’T REALLy AgREE WITH?

At the end of the day you run your life, you’re the dictator of what goes down unless you give the power to someone else. the good news is we’re living in a day where women know this more than ever. it’s so clear for the women with great intentions. there’s a level of sophistication in the way they say what they have to say.

THEy SPEAK vOLuMES WHILE WHISPERINg.

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I dON’T BELIEvE IN gOOd OR BAd gIRLS. yOu NEEd BOTH ELEMENTS.it all depends on how you want to look at that glass. whether you say it’s half full or half empty, or whether a girl is good or bad, it’s your perspective. if you want her to be bad, then she’s bad, but that girl has some good too. if you want her to be good, then she’s good, but at some point, you also got to know there’s some bad in her too.you need both to establish who you are.

nothing is 100% and who would want that? All good with no bad? you need both.the internet is connecting people on another level. i think that’s why there are so many uprisings all over the world. people are seeing how others are living and it’s affecting them. it was a huge milestone when the ape looked into the water and saw his reflection. that was big. up until then they were just busy being. when they saw what they looked like, they started thinking about things differently. that’s what we’re dealing with right now.

WE’RE AT A TIME WHERE WOMEN ARE LIKE, “I CAN’T BELIEvE I LET THIS NEgATIvIT y ROCK LIKE THIS fOR SO LONg, NO, ABSOLuTELy NOT, NO MORE.” THEy’RE gETTINg THEIR JuST duE ANd REfuSINg TO TAKE ANy THINg LESS.

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yOu CAN’T HOLd dOWN THE MOTHER Of HuMANIT y.

countries that oppress women? those places are facing inevitable change. i don’t mean that in a negative way, but their time will be up. you can’t continue to hold women back. it’s not always men who want to knock them down, but a mentality. there are women with broken minds who possess these negative views as well. with each generation, anything oppressive will eventually get broken down. right now women know more than ever they have the power to feel free. it’s awesome to see the ones who understand that and have the ability to set others free too.think about a world where there are no oppressed women. that’s a very different, different place.

If ALL THE WOMEN IN THE WORLd dECIdEd THEy WEREN’T gOINg TO WORK TOMORROW OR TO HAvE CHILdREN, THEy WOuLd SHuT dOWN OuR ECONOMy ANd ECOSySTEM.

how can anyone deny their power? when women are uplifted it’s a statement to humanity. picture a female president in the united states. imagine that all the late night talk-show hosts are women. envision female athletes making just as much money as men.

there are more women running corporations. the most celebrated painter in the art world is a female. women go to mars first. visualize that world. it’s beautiful. i know we’ll live to see it, it’s right around the corner, not decades away.

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I JuST THINK WOMEN dO EvERy THINg BETTER. MAyBE BECAuSE THEy’RE BORN LEAdERS, BuT THINgS JuST gO MORE SMOOTHLy WHEN THEy’RE INvOLvEd. I JuST fEEL MORE AT EASE WHEN THEy’RE AROuNd ME.

i know i’m not the only one who sees this female shift happening. my album is just a whisper, like a foreshadowing of the change i see on the horizon. i know my love for women has helped define who i am. in many ways, this album is my

thanks to the female species. it’s kind of like a love letter to women, not only from me, but also from any man (or woman) who loves them as much as i do. i hope females feel good, proud of who they are and confident in their own skin when they listen to these songs.

CHAPTER 8HAPPy.

A liberated woman is a woman who marches to the beat of her own drum, happy, satisfied with who and what she is. she has figured out a way to service humanity. these women are our moms, sisters, aunts, daughters, wives and friends.we owe it to the universe to make sure these women are happy. it’s everyone’s responsibility to make sure we do everything in our power to make sure every female has the ability to make her own choices without fear. it’s everyone’s

right to feel that kind of freedom. we all deserve happiness and i want to live in a world where all people can experience it. i’ve seen what joy can do on a small scale and it’s infectious.

BEINg HAPPy INSPIRES uS TO MAKE THE BEST CHOICES.

the more people making great choices, the more we benefit as a community. that’s the world i want to live in. happy women can lead this charge.

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is it any surprise i love seeing females in the audience at my shows? it’s a rush to see them having a good time when i’m performing. there’s energy there. no colors, just a connection,

a vibe. it’s like we’re all physically connected to the music at that moment. this idea inspired the interlude on my album called “Freq.”

IT’S SHORT fOR fREquENCy ANd My INTENTION WAS TO CREATE SOMETHINg THE AudIENCE COuLd PARTICIPATE IN. IT’S ALMOST LIKE A BREATHINg ExERCISE, A MEdITATION TO REALLy ASCENd TO A HIgHER fREquENCy MuSICALLy. I KNOW IT’S AMBITIOuS, BuT I WANTEd TO TRy.i hope the song can push everyone to some wavelength up above. i envisioned the females when i created “Freq” since that’s who motivates me, but every listener is welcome to take their own ride.

while you’re up there catch some inspiration, see a vision, work out a problem, get some guidance, feel the love. connect, ascend and dominate. some people become entranced by music if they listen long enough.

PEOPLE uNdERESTIMATE THAT THINg THAT MAKES THEM RuN TO THE dANCE fLOOR WHEN A REALLy gREAT SONg COMES ON.

ever notice there’s always somebody who gets up and goes crazy? that girl who really wants to dance, like, “man, this is my jam.” the drums are beating; the bongos are heavy, what makes you so sure something didn’t hypnotize her to the dance floor? like something inside her just reacted to it. All

i’m saying is there was an impetus for that reaction; it was because of something. the music! if a woman likes what you’re saying and is really into the music, then why couldn’t she hear something through escapism? if she lets her mind wander off, perhaps she’ll find some new insight.

I’M NOT SAyINg THE MuSIC IS gOINg TO gIvE yOu ANy ANSWERS, BuT MAyBE IT WILL SPARK SOMETHINg.

it’s hopefully music you’d want to listen to over and over again. i tried to make some of the beats on the album feel hypnotic. the idea that someone could let go while listening to my music is just so cool to me.

PART THREELife

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i’ve played my part behind the scenes for so long, it’s a bit strange to be out front by myself. i wanted to be an artist in my teens, but when it didn’t work right away i gave up. i allowed the rejection to scar my ambition and crush my dreams. i cringe when i think about the time i jumped on a record company executive’s desk during an audition. he took a phone call while i was rhyming so i felt i needed to do something to get his attention. i can’t help but laugh at what

that must have looked like. needless to say, he wasn’t impressed. there were other label meetings, but they all led to nowhere. since producing music was going well at the time, i put all my concentration on that instead. i know everything happens for a reason, and it just wasn’t time. i needed all my experiences, all my grown man perspective, to become the artist i am today. i know exactly who i am and what i’m trying to accomplish.

MuSIC IS ART ANd If yOu dON’T HAvE SOMETHINg TO SAy, WHAT’S THE POINT?

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CHAPTER 9I BELIEvE THE uNIvERSE gIvES yOu ALL THE SIgNS yOu NEEd.

if you pay attention, you will easily find your rightful path. how many times has something happened in your life that just seemed destined? something told you to turn down that street and you just happened to run into your best friend. you randomly decided to go to some party and you meet your future boss. or something in a movie inspired you to do something that ended up being the best decision ever.

I dON’T THINK ANyTHINg IN LIfE IS A MISTAKE. EvEN THE dRAMA, PAIN ANd STRuggLE ARE ALL PART Of THE PROCESS. ALL ARTISTS fINd INSPIRATION IN THE dARK. If yOu’RE SCAREd Of THE dARK, THEN yOu’RE NOT AN ARTIST. IT’S NOT THE ONLy PLACE, NO, BuT AT NIgHT WHEN THE LIgHTS ARE OuT, BEfORE yOu gO TO SLEEP, IT’S JuST A WONdERfuL PLACE TO THINK. now that may be due to the fact you’re about to go to sleep, but that’s like saying an artist is not inspired by walking outside on a beautiful night. the nighttime is beautiful, the stars are there and it’s obvious inspiration overload.

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If yOu LOOK AT EvERy THINg LIKE AN OPPORTuNIT y TO LEARN SOMETHINg NEW, yOu’LL ALWAyS BE ONE STEP AHEAd.

we can sit around all day and wonder why we’re put on this earth. or, we can stop wondering and actively start living. isn’t that the best way to find answers? i don’t like sitting idle or anything that’s safe. if it feels risky and completely opposite of what’s going on, i gravitate towards it. i feel a pull, something in my gut that tells me to go there. i don’t feel fear, just excitement. it’s why i love collaborating so much. working with people who know more than you is such a powerful place to genuinely learn about yourself.

PuT yOuRSELf IN NEW SITuATIONS WHERE yOu’RE NOT THE ExPERT.i never feel self-conscious working with masters in their field. i’m forever a student and will always surround myself with people who know more than me. i think it’s obvious i wouldn’t be who i am if all those people didn’t share valuable lessons with me.

i’ve tried my best to inspire others to learn from my journey. i created my company i am other as a way to connect people who share my vision for the world. i know i’m a bit of a weirdo, but aren’t we all? we’re all unique in our own way, but we’re encouraged to come together for

our similarities instead of our differences. sit me next to the person at the dinner party who’s lived a completely different life from mine. i don’t care if they study insects for a living or dress as a clown for children’s parties. i know i can learn something from them that i can apply to my life and work.

SOME MAy ONLy fEEL COMfORTABLE WITH PEOPLE WHO fEEL fAMILIAR. I JuST THINK THAT’S A TRAgIC WAy TO LIvE.

it’s much more fun to have conversations with people who live in a world that’s opposite from yours. i especially love people who are rule breakers,

who avoid anything safe. i’ve tried to bring those kinds of people to the i am other family. whether it’s music, film, television, fashion or art projects, our goal is always to create something new.the world needs people who strive to create things that bring a smile to humanity. if it fits the i am other manifesto, then i’m all in.

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whenever i say thank you, i always put my hands together. it’s to let you know where it all comes from. it’s as if to say this is an antenna, beaming into that strand of creativity we all get to tap into from time to time. everybody can tap in. that’s how you get the same idea as somebody on the other side of the earth. you’re both tapping in at the same time. if you’re paying attention, you’ll see certain rhythms to how the world works. if you notice what’s going on, you sort of know where things will go. people do that all the time with football, basketball or whatever sports they’re watching. they can tell when their favorite team is not going to have a good game. they analyze the rhythm of how they’re playing and how it will impact their performance.

LIfE IS THE SAME WAy. WHEN yOu LOOK fOR SOMETHINg IN THE fuTuRE, yOu HAvE TO gO THERE MENTALLy.

when you’re tapping into that ethereal level, things seemingly come from oblivion but they’re not. this is a source we all have access to. when i put my hands together to say thank you, i’m also thanking the universe and god because i know i’m just a vessel.

CHAPTER 10THE PROCESS TO CREATE IS SIMPLE WHEN yOuR HEART IS COMPLETELy OPEN.

fEAR IS CREATIvITy’S KRyPTONITE.

scare tactics don’t work for me, and i refuse to believe they truly work for anyone else. i don’t want to think about possible negative consequences when i’m creating. i want my creativity fueled by what feels good, not by what i think could have success. the rules for winning change all the time, there’s no one set formula. i don’t want to sit around with a calculator furiously banging on the keys. that’s never worked for me. i guess in

some ways you can say i’m sort of a hippie. i just don’t like rules or being placed in a box. Freedom means a lot to me. stories about people feeling trapped depress me, it just feels so unnecessary. even if your reality if stifling, your dreams are not. if you’re working towards them with tunnel vision, i believe you can shift your perspective to a more open place. visualization can inspire in ways that seem impossible.

NATuRE CAN OfTEN SPARK IMAgINATION IN WAyS yOu dIdN’T ExPECT.

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i know it seems hard to believe, but i took my first real vacation in 2013. it was the first time i really turned off (ok, sometimes i checked my phone), and it was such an illuminating experience for me. i had nothing to do, but relax and completely let go. i didn’t realize how important stillness is for your health.

SOMETHINg HAPPENS WHEN yOu STARE AT A PITCH-BLACK NIgHT fLOOdEd WITH THE BRIgHTEST STARS, LISTEN TO THE WAvES CRASH ANd BREATHE THE AIR.

everything around me seemed like magic. i felt connected with the earth in a new way, and it surprised the hell out of me. when

you’re alone with your thoughts, it’s mind-blowing to see what kind of things pop into your head. i felt like a computer downloading important files, ones that i desperately needed, but didn’t know were there. i know i’ll never take nature’s technology for granted again. whether it’s on an island or in a local park, everyone needs to make time to allow nature to push the restart button.

i feel really good about the future. i’m especially proud of my new music and can’t wait to share it with the world. i’m totally not the best singer, more of a crooner, but i really try my hardest at expressing myself. i’ve learned to accept when people say they appreciate my voice. i’ve begun to believe they hear something. i never

intended to be a singer. i originally sang on the demos of songs out of necessity. somebody had to sing the lyrics. i never imagined artists would want to leave my voice on the song. when those songs went on to become hits, i still didn’t think i necessarily had a future in singing. i’m honored the people have shown that someone like me could be an artist too.

I KNOW I’M ON THE LEfT SIdE Of THE ROAd ANd I’vE ACCEPTEd THAT IN My AgE. I’M A quIRKy guy.

I’vE ALWAyS KNOWN IT, BuT NEvER REALLy WORN IT.

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THE TIME IS NOW.

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Sponsored by andMore informations on the project on tippex-socialbook.com isbn 9791093816067

WELCOME TO THE SOCIAL BOOK

it might seem crazy what you’re about to read, but this book isn’t like any other.

INSPIRATION is the first book written by an artist, pharrell williams, and rewritten online by a worldwide community.

by getting this book where you will discover revelations on pharrell’s sources of inspiration. this way you contribute to help pharrell’s association, which supports disadvantaged children to hopefully rewrite many of their lives.

we hope you’ll enjoy reading it as much as people enjoyed rewriting it.