Through Candid Edwards
December 5, 2025
He made this clear when he accepted the Shoe of the Year award at the 2025 Footwear News Achievement Awards.
Grammy-winning artist and entrepreneur Pharrell Williams publicly addressed his widespread comments about “hating politics.”
Williams said his frustration was explicitly directed at the immediate drying up of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) funding due to changes in policy and a shift in the political climate.
He made this clear while accepting the Shoe of the Year award at the 2025 Footwear News Achievement Awards in New York City on Wednesday, December 3.
He acknowledged that his initial comments could easily be summed up in a negative soundbite, but he refuted any suggestion that he plans to abandon his efforts for systemic change.
“That’s where the soundbite is where I say I hate politics [came from],” he said in a video of the event. “That was in response to DEI support and donations drying up due to new policies.
“So yeah, I got frustrated. And the soundbiters put me at fault. But this sound bites… I’ll never stop fighting. I’ll never stop raising money to level the playing field. Ever.”
Additionally, the Louis Vuitton creative director spoke about his humble beginnings in Virginia. “You don’t know what I know and you didn’t see what I saw. No, you haven’t been where I’m going. I’m coming out of the mud.”
In his speech, Williams continued with personal stories of his family experiencing multiple evictions, utility shutoffs and having to pump water as a child. He gave his ancestors who arrived in Virginia as enslaved prisoners what they deserved. He noted the perseverance it took to stay on his feet without even having shoes.
“I am the proletariat,” he continued. “I’m actually a lumpenproletariat. Sounds good, I had to stay on my feet.”
The fashion icon emphasized that his deep connection to the working class and the struggles of Black people means he is committed to sustainable advocacy regardless of the political environment.
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