Pharrell shocked fans last September when he announced plans to sell exclusive items from his closet, including several Jacob & Co. chains, Audemars Piguet watches, and crystal-covered Stan Smith sneakers, via his new boutique action service, Joopiter. Given the Neptunes and N.E.R.D. co-founder’s outsized influence on the intersection of hip-hop and style cultures in the early to mid-2000s, several of these pieces have taken on iconic stature. The only thing crazier than the idea of Skateboard P not owning some of his own artifacts anymore was the idea of someone else coming up on them. And now the lucky auction winner of a lion’s share of these items seems to be none other than Drake, whose music video for the Her Loss track “Jumbotron Shit Poppin” sees him adorned in several famous Pharrell pieces.
This shouldn’t come as a shock to anyone who’s been paying attention—just a few days ago, Drake was spotted rocking P’s skateboard chain in Miami, leading many to assume he’d participated in the auction. But the “Jumbotron” video shows he clearly put in some big money bids: because the Joopiter site indicates that just one of the pieces he’s wearing—this iconic 2005 N.E.R.D. chain— sold for $2.1 million Beyond that instantly recognizable necklace, Drake is also spotted in Pharrell’s brain chain ($150,000), nine carat Oakley sunglasses ($62,000), and his dual skateboard pendant ($103,000). Drake spends much of Her Loss, his recent album with 21 Savage, flexing about a rumored $500 million advance from Universal. It’s clearly been burning a hole in his pocket. (But then again, he has a history of collecting Star Trak memorabilia.)
In addition to showing his new jewelry, Drake also fills “Jumbotron” with starry cameos, including Lil Baby, buzzing U.K. rapper Central Cee, and Mike Tyson. Directed by Tristan C-M, the video is light on plot, but heavy on ostentation, beginning with the disclaimer, “This is 72 hours for us.” (Cross-referencing his ever-active Instagram suggests that the video documents some recent time the OVO crew spent in Miami.) We’re shown Drake rapping in front of a red Ferrari, shopping for even more jewelry, attending a Lenny Kravitz concert, and reveling in the espresso martini renaissance. (Keen-eared listeners will remember he mentions the beverage on another Her Loss track, “Middle of the Ocean.”)
Somewhat improbably, Drake and Pharrell have barely worked together. Their lone official collaboration came in 2022, on Brent Faiyaz’s Neptunes-produced“Wasting Time.” In 2018, Drake tacked a remix verse to N.E.R.D’s comeback track “Lemon”—but that seemed more like a product of Apple Music obligations at the time than anything else. Their creative relationship was likely affected by Drake’s affiliation with Cash Money Records, as there have been longstanding rumors about a beef between label head Birdman and Pharrell over an unpaid invoice. (Pharrell is also, of course, quite close with Pusha T, Drake’s longtime foil, though he did say on the Drink Champs podcast that their feud “still breaks my heart to this day, because I would’ve loved to have heard those guys on a song together or heard a joint project together.”)
In a December 2022 live stream, Drake said that he plans to tour in 2023, which would mark his first string of organized dates since hitting the road with Migos in 2018. His first release of the new year was a collaboration with dancehall legend and OVO Sound signee Popcaan, “We Caa Done.” We’ll see if Drake will bring these coveted Pharrell pieces on the road with him, or keep them locked in the safe.