Pharrell Williams’ influence as a rapper is often overshadowed by his success as a producer and pop innovator, but that doesn’t mean his pen has been quiet. From his early days as one-half of The Neptunes to his solo ventures and surprise guest appearances, Pharrell delivered standout verses that are clever, eccentric, and often rooted in street-smart swagger. His bars might come laced with high-fashion nods, philosophical detours, or nerdy double entendres, but they always reflect the mind of an artist who thrives on duality.
Throughout his career, Pharrell popped up on some of Hip Hop’s most unexpected records: Sneaking in slick flexes next to trap legends, going toe-to-toe with lyrical heavyweights, or adopting aliases to disguise his contributions. Even when he’s not the star of the show, he finds ways to warp the atmosphere, bend the beat, and drop gems that stick.
This list rounds up some of his hardest rap verses to date — not just as a hook king or producer, but as a formidable emcee in his own right. From deep cuts to cult favorites, these moments prove Pharrell’s lyrical output deserves just as much celebration as his beats.
1. Fortified – Pharrell
Pulled from In My Mind: The Prequel, Pharrell’s “Fortified” was a raw display of lyrical acrobatics, delivered over a Hi-Tek boom-bap classic. It’s one of the rare tracks where Pharrell tapped directly into street-coded surrealism: “The 911 got the right chrome selected, now it’s looking just like a bullfrog, pregnant.” Pharrell rapped like he was out to prove something in that moment.
2. Gettin’ Some (Remix) – Shawnna feat. Pharrell, Pimp C, Ludacris, and Lil Wayne
Amid a lineup of heavy-hitters, Pharrell’s verse on this remix cut through with animated filth and icy swagger. Pharrell ramped up the tempo with punchy alliteration, surreal metaphors, and unapologetic nastiness, balancing humor with hostility: “Never, ever let ‘em see you sweat, that’s the rule, man, hit it till we through, man, send her back to you, man.”
3. KEEP DA O’S – Tyler, The Creator feat. Pharrell
Using a warped voice effect, Pharrell delivered a short but potent verse packed with eccentric imagery and left-field swagger. “UFO, bow, land, skrr, landed on the a** end” set the tone, and lines like “My finger got a yellow Pac-Man” kept it playful and unpredictable. His voice sliced through the distorted soundscape like a glitch in the matrix, matching Tyler’s chaotic production with nerdy confidence and style-coded mystique.
4. Move That Dope – Future feat. Pharrell, Pusha T, and Casino
Pharrell’s verse on “Move That Dope” was a shapeshifting flex — eccentric, stylish, and threatening all at once. In the radio edit, he swapped his original second half for new bars packed with surreal business-game boasts (“IPO but don’t swipe your s**t”) and rawer double entendres. Both versions showcased Skateboard P in rare form, floating between Gandalf hats and guerrilla war metaphors while boasting like a tech mogul and fashion villain.
5. You Can Do It Too – Pharrell feat. Jamie Cullum
Pharrell’s final verse on this standout In My Mind track dove into loss, morality, and spiritual awakening. He reflected on street violence, the death of his grandmother, and the cosmic shift it triggered: “Her body went down and her soul went up, she sent angels around me, so evil could not touch.” It’s a rare moment where Pharrell moved beyond bravado and into vulnerable reflection — proof that his hardest verses can also be his most human.
6. Pretty Flacko (Remix) – ASAP Rocky feat. Pharrell, Waka Flocka, Gucci Mane
Pharrell came unhinged on ASAP Rocky's remix, rapping with snarling confidence and erratic brilliance. “Your girl hold my d**k like a Wii controller” set the bar, and it only escalated from there. He swerved between drug references, luxury brands, and cold punchlines like, “My wrist sizzle hot like it's stuck in the chair.” This is Skateboard P with fangs over SpaceGhostPurrp’s murky beat.
7. Mr. Me Too – Clipse feat. Pharrell
Pharrell kicked things off with a verse full of smirking flexes, name-drops, and anti-biter energy. “Bulletproof under T-shirts because they hate us, do like Snoop say, step your game up, double-decker boat, n**ga, Meditteran'd up” felt effortless, but it was deeply coded — fashion, wealth, and street protection all rolled into one. This is elite-level flossing dressed up as a casual shrug.
8. As Far As They Know – Buddy feat. Pharrell
Pharrell unleashed a rapid-fire verse that fused braggadocio with abstract wordplay. He juggled designer talk, sex, tech, and metaphysics: “P**sy is my teacher, I’m a nympho for the info.” It’s a dizzying mix of wit and weirdness, full of sharp punchlines and off-kilter confidence. “You jump off a bridge, I’m still holding your parachute” might be the most bizarrely cool insult he’s ever delivered.
9. Us Placers – Child Rebel Soldier (Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, and Pharrell)
Pharrell closed out this dream collaboration with a cerebral verse that flipped street wisdom into apocalyptic metaphor. Lines like “The earth got gas, once it burps, it’s fine” blended dark humor with environmental unease. He shifted from coke-cook chemistry to school shootings and TIME Magazine covers — all in under a minute. Over Thom Yorke’s eerie loop, Pharrell turned philosophical, lyrical, and grim.
10. Drop It Like It’s Hot – Snoop Dogg feat. Pharrell
Pharrell glided into this Snoop and Neptunes classic with slick metaphors and blinged-out menace. “See these ice cubes? See these Ice Creams?” he asked, stacking fashion boasts with coded threats. His calm, clipped flow is hypnotic, but lines like “I know killers in the street” make it clear he’s not just vibing. With its minimalist beat and spray-can snares, this was Pharrell’s smoothest pivot into street luxury.
11. Bodysnatchers – Clipse feat. Pharrell
Hidden behind the alias Magnum, Pharrell unleashed one of his grittiest verses ever — one that fit the concept behind Exclusive Audio Footage. He rapped about black market luxury, street warfare, and religious juxtaposition with lines like, “Jesus died and rose at the age of 33.” The delivery was colder than Neptune's synths, and the alias lets Pharrell tap into a fully raw persona. It’s one of his most underrated performances.
12. Music For The Gangstas – Pharrell feat. Young Dro and T.I.
Over Jeezy and Shawty Redd’s iconic “Trap or Die” instrumental, Pharrell spit one of his most street-hardened verses to date. He tapped into Virginia’s underworld with slick imagery like, “Turn that white tee red like Santa Claus” and flaunted luxury with Ice Cream kicks and Masonic metaphors. Joined by Young Dro and T.I., Pharrell fully immersed himself in trap imagery, sounding equally at home in hustler mode as he does on designer runways.
13. The Ice Cream Man – Pharrell
On DJ Green Lantern’s Alive on Arrival mixtape, Pharrell fully embraced the persona of a street-level hustler over a Raekwon classic, slinging metaphors about baking soda, soda rocks, and ducking the cops. “I got s**t sold, I pimp those broke a** nymphoes” hit about as hard as a Wu-Tang cypher. It was Pharrell far from the runway, neck-deep in the trap, serving cold product with no apologies.
14. Neon Guts – Lil Uzi Vert feat. Pharrell
Pharrell floated through Lil Uzi’s “Neon Guts” with a verse that was equal parts extraterrestrial and conscious rebellion. Bars like “You ain’t got emeralds greener” and “Come with us, make some paper ’cause you should own what you labor” channeled luxury and liberation in one breath. His cadence was slick but urgent, layered with subtle social critique under the glow of his signature synth work.
15. Rise Above – Wiz Khalifa feat. Pharrell, Tuki Carter, and Amber Rose
Pharrell got playfully rugged on “Rise Above,” a posse cut from Wiz Khalifa’s O.N.I.F.C. that addressed envy in the industry. Over a cloudy, bass-heavy beat, Skateboard P flexed with lines like “Hip Hop grunge n**ga, I make her come quicker,” weaving Chanel references and ego death into a slippery verse full of personality. This is a truly underrated verse in Pharrell’s rap catalog.