*Spoiler alert for the new movie “Piece by Piece”*
Build Pharrell Williams’ life together in his new movie “Piece by Piece,” released in theaters everywhere Oct. 11. The movie features famous singers including Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z and Snoop Dogg (who, spoiler alert, all worked with Williams throughout the storyline).
Williams was born in Virginia Beach in 1973. He hated school, and in the seventh grade his grades dropped so significantly that his mom, Carolyn Williams, had to hold him back a grade. Although he had the credits to continue, his mother just wouldn’t budge. Throughout the time of failure and embarrassment, his grandmother recommended he join the band. This led Williams to make a new friend and musical partner, Chad Hugo.
At the age of 19, Hugo and Williams became the Neptunes, a production company that produced many famous songs. Williams helped Snoop Dogg bring to life the hit song “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” which shot Dogg’s career through the roof and would give Dogg his first ever chart-topping hit. The Neptunes also produced more hits, including Britney Spears “I’m a Slave 4 U,” Jay-Z’s “I Just Wanna Love U [Give It 2 Me],” Usher’s “U Don’t Have to Call,” Beyonce’s “Work it Out” and Justin Timberlake “Rock Your Body.”
Growing up, Williams’ grandmother was always his biggest supporter by pushing his love for music and buying him his first ever drum, his first instrument. Williams was greatly inspired by music but he also was heavily inspired by his church. As his career started to launch, Willaims visited his pastor and his pastor told him that on the other side of the mountain your life is there and it’s waiting for you. “He said to trust God,” Williams said, “And I did.”
Williams would then get news that his grandmother was sick and not feeling well, which leads to her passing. This devastated Williams and led to a music block lasting three years. Soon after, he would get his creative spark back and produce some of his biggest hits: “Happy,” for the movie “Despicable Me 2” and “Get Lucky” with Daft Punk.
The end of the movie contains a mix of music and celebration as Williams invites the citizens in his hometown and his musician friends to his party and performs his newest song “Piece by Piece.”
Besides telling his life story, Williams ultimately wanted his movie to inspire others and send the message that everyone should believe in themself and in God’s design.
I enjoyed this movie tremendously, as not only was it fun and a good time, it really inspired me to keep working hard to follow my dreams. The music along with learning aboutWilliams was very interesting and opened the doors into a new perspective I haven’t seen before. I definitely recommend this movie.
“Piece by Piece,” made by producer Morgan Neville, arose from Pharrell Williams question, “What if we told my life with Legos?” to which Neville responds, “That’ll never happen.” But, Williams knew that illustrating his life with Legos was how he truly wanted to tell his story. (Photo/Adiya Mukhitdinov)
Pharrell Williams’ song, “Get Lucky,” plays during the movie when he got his spark back after his grandmother’s unfortunate death and music block. (Photo/Adiya Mukhitdinov)
