The hip-hop community has taken pride in abiding by the anti-snitching street code for decades, but that lifestyle isn't for everyone and Pharrell is proudly one of those people.
During an appearance on the Drink Champs podcast on Saturday (Dec. 19), Pharrell openly admitted that if he was put in a compromising or unsafe situation that required snitching, he'd do so in a heartbeat.
"I'm not a tough guy, bro," the Neptunes producer began as he recounted a story of when Lil Wayne took him to a crowded club in New Orleans, which contained probably as many guns as attendees. "I really believe in paying taxes because when you pay taxes, it's like, you should feel no kind of way dialing 9-1-1."
Pharrell then recalled a time when he recently with to the Hit Factory recording studio—now called Criteria Recording Studios—in Miami and people began shooting outside of the establishment.
"Literally, I'm not a tough guy, I'm staying my ass inside and the fucking FBI is on speed dial, bro. I'm not a fucking tough guy," Skateboard P told the show's hosts N.O.R.E. and DJ Efn. "You people say things about snitching… I'm fucking snitching, bro! What are you talking about? Everybody plays their part, this is a movie, you guys, everybody plays their part. I am snitching! Don't do nothing around me, I'm not built for the jail life. I am snitching!"
He continued, "The fuck you mean? You can't get mad at me. I have a purpose, I have to be me, I have to do my job, and I have to play my part in this movie. And my part is, 'I told you not to do that shit, I told you I wasn't built for this, I'm really sorry but this is your deal. Your honor, jury, are you guys listening? I asked him not to do this and if he was gonna do it or she was gonna do it, don't fucking tell me.'"
N.O.R.E. then gave Pharrell a pass, saying that because P is a civilian, he can get away with snitching. To this, Pharrell replied, "Everybody's not fucking tough. You're not gonna go do 25 years in a condition that you know you are not built for because you wanna look tough. I am not fucking tough. You know what I wanna look like? Fucking free and happy, living my life."
While the conversation about snitching in the rap game has arisen often, especially following 6ix9ine becoming a federal informant and testifying while on trial for racketeering and firearms charges in 2018, Pharrell appears to be one of few who have openly admitted to snitching.
Check out the conversation around the 1:06:02-mark below.
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