Pharrell Williams has opened up about what it’s like to work with Jay-Z and called him an “odd guy” to work alongside.
Williams was the latest guest on Mark Ronson’s podcast for The Fader, and he shared some fascinating insights about being in the studio with ‘Hova’. Intriguingly, one thing he mentioned is that Jay would repeat his bars back at him in falsetto as a way of getting his creative juices running.
“He’s not good because he’s just made good records, no, he’s really like a character,” Pharrell noted. “He’s an odd guy. If you ever spoke to him, have a conversation with him, it’s not a regular conversation. Or when he writes and he’s just sitting there mumbling to himself, in falsetto, by the way.”
Later in the conversation, Williams used their ‘I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)’ as an example. He said, “When he writes a rhyme, he doesn’t go, ‘When the Remy’s in the…’ He doesn’t do that.
“He goes, ‘Yo, yo, when the Remy’s in the system, ain’t no tellin’ will I fuck em’, will I diss em’, that’s what they yellin’ I’m a pimp by blood.’ And he taps you on the shoulder and takes it back again. He writes in falsetto.
“That’s odd and different and weird and amazing and makes him a character.”
Listen to the full podcast below.