Pharrell reveals the decision behind his strictness with his children during an interview with Rick Rubin’s Tetragrammaton podcast. The legendary producer and artist believes his kids should have “guided struggle.” He and his wife, Helen Lasichanh, share four children: Eight-year-old Rocket and the 7-year-old triplets (whose names he’s yet to reveal publicly). In Pharrell’s opinion, it allows his children to gain essential coping skills they’ll need later in life. He refers to himself as a “strict dad,” but only because “the world is harsh.”
“…When parents say things like, ‘Oh, I never want my kids to struggle the way I did,’ you have to understand that the way your struggle produced you being a hard-working [and] critical thinking individual,” the N.E.R.D. frontman said. “…When you don’t allow your kids to have guided struggle, they don’t develop the coping skills, they don’t have the courage, they can’t deal with challenges, and it oftentimes doesn’t end so well.”
“[They Have] To Have Real Coping Skills And See What Real Courage Looks Like,” Pharrell Says
Pharrell also touched on the importance of teaching his children empathy for people less fortunate. “During the holidays, we go and we feed the homeless and serve the homeless. We go to different children’s hospitals where there are a lot of kids that are challenged, like [with] conditions that aren’t curable—or haven’t been cured yet—and that’s because [they have] to have real coping skills and see what real courage looks like.”
Throughout the rest of the interview, the two discussed Pharrell’s life, musical career, and the formation of N.E.R.D.— as well as his collaborations with musical giants like Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, and Beyoncé. The father of four also shared his transition into fashion and working with luxury designers like Louis Vuitton. Later in the chat, Rubin and Pharrell discuss his entryway into film with movies like Hidden Figures and Piece By Piece, a LEGO-inspired animated biographical documentary about his life.
Leave a Reply