Hip Hop/ Rap
Drake Secures Another Iconic Pharrell Williams Chain—Thanks to Kid Cudi
Drake has once again added to his ever-growing, star-studded jewellery collection—this time acquiring another iconic piece from Pharrell Williams’ legendary stash. The Toronto rapper revealed via his private Instagram (aka his “Finsta”) that he now owns Pharrell Williams’ original white gold brain pendant chain, a highly-coveted piece designed by celebrity jeweller Jacob Arabo.
The dazzling chain, featuring 44.92 carats of white, blue, black, and natural pink diamonds, also includes Pharrell Williams’ logo emblazoned in brilliant blue diamonds. Originally crafted in 2005, the piece was one of many jaw-dropping creations in Pharrell’s Joopiter auction. While Kid Cudi initially purchased the pendant for $725,000 in 2022, he later re-auctioned it—where Drake snagged it for a comparatively modest $243,750.
This isn’t Drake’s first Pharrell flex. The “First Person Shooter” rapper has previously scooped up several other treasures from the same archive, including a yellow gold version of the brain pendant, the dual skateboard pendant, Pharrell Williams’ iconic 2005 N.E.R.D. chain, and even a nine-carat pair of Oakley sunglasses. Many of these artefacts appeared in Drake’s opulent 2023 music video for “Jumbotron Sh*t Poppin,” where he unapologetically flaunted the lavish collection.
The move didn’t come without controversy, though. Just six months after showcasing the jewellery, Drake fired lyrical shots at Pharrell Williams on his track “Meltdown,” threatening to melt the chains—a diss that raised eyebrows given the rapper’s clear admiration for Pharrell’s fashion and cultural legacy.
Still, Pharrell Williams didn’t seem rattled. In a 2024 interview with GQ, the Louis Vuitton Men’s Creative Director addressed Drake’s purchases and provocations with remarkable composure. “No, because I think beyond all of the on-goings, at the heart of all of it, he’s a fan of music,” Pharrell Williams said. “He’s a fan of the history of what it is, and I happen to be a part of that, and those artefacts are a part of it.”
Pharrell Williams went further, offering perspective on the emotional release tied to letting go of such prized possessions. “When you let things go, a huge part of it is actually letting go,” he said. “Not just of the physical item, but letting go of your connection to what it’s supposed to mean, or the memory. You’re literally letting them go. That was the purpose.”
While some fans question Drake’s motives—collector, provocateur, or both—one thing is clear: Pharrell Williams’ cultural imprint is powerful enough to spark million-dollar bidding wars and music video cameos years after his pieces first made waves. Thanks to Kid Cudi Drake has now picked another piece.
For now, the white gold brain pendant joins the rest of the collection, serving as another glittering symbol of Drake’s dual role in hip-hop—as both historian and headline-maker. Whether he chooses to melt it or frame it, it’s another chapter in his ongoing fascination with the blinged-out past of one of music’s most influential tastemakers.
