Pharrell Gets Miami’s Key And Claims: “I Hate Politics”

Miami honored super producer Pharrell Williams with the key to the city. 

Williams was presented with the key on Friday, during the 5th Annual Black Ambition Demo Day at Sacred Space Miami, hosted by Miami Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. Miami has become a kind of second home for Williams, who co-owns spots like Swan and Strawberry Moon, which adds to Miami’s swanky nightlife and restaurant culture, The Miami New Times reports.

“There’s so much brilliance out there that never gets seen,” Williams said. “That’s why we built Black Ambition, to make sure talent doesn’t stop at potential.”

Black Ambition is a nonprofit founded by Williams in 2020 with a mission to empower Black, Latinx, Hispanic, and other underrepresented innovators through funding, mentorship, and professional opportunities. According to the Miami Herald, it has quickly grown into one of the nation’s most prominent platforms for emerging entrepreneurs.

Friday’s Demo Day included investors and artists for a celebration, which also featured a surprise performance from Chance the Rapper. Twenty-five finalists received more than $1 million in awards. Six of the finalists had the opportunity to showcase their ventures which included addressing food insecurity, skincare products for melanated skin, and the maternal and infant mortality for Black women.  

But what may have upstaged the entire event was comments made by Williams in which he took an apolitical position around the divisiveness in politics, calling it “a magic trick that isn’t real.” 

“As we look at what’s going on in the current political climate — I’m just saying, and I don’t wanna turn anybody off — but I hate politics, like despise them,” Williams said.

“Now that diversity is off the table, now that equity is off the table, now inclusion is off the table…that makes me ask myself, so how do we survive?”, he asked.

Pharrell added that he didn’t want to support any political affiliation or racial group.

 “If diversity, equity, and inclusion never come back in style, cool,” Pharrell went on. “But in the meantime, I’m going to focus on being the best because I can bank on that.”

The night also featured a fireside chat between Williams and Mellody Hobson, President and Co-CEO of Ariel Investments, moderated by Hatcher. Williams spoke candidly about growing up in the projects, navigating ADHD, and how music became his grounding force — and he didn’t hold back when the conversation turned political.

Social media is pretty upset with his stance. See the reactions below.