Despicable Me 2 If he won he would become only the third rapper in history to receive an Oscar Rapper Eminem won in 2003 for 8 Mile’s Lose Yourself followed by hip-hop group Three 6 Mafia who won in 2006 for It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp from Hustle Flow The lights dimmed and actress Kerry Washington in a silky grey Jason Wu dress sauntered to the front of the stage Good luck not dancing in your seats when he gets going she said to the audience with a knowing grin Then she called the phenomenally cool star on to the stage to perform his infectiously joyous song 1 A ROOM WITHOUT A ROOF The crowd went wild as the ceremony’s orchestra kicked off the first five beats of the song Happy It might seem crazy what I’m about to say sang Williams as he sashayed onto the stage and wound his way through the maze of backlit Oscar statuettes 2 He wore a black track jacket and jeans shiny red sneakers and his now-signature Vivienne Westwood mountain hat 8 CONTEMPORARY LIVES PHARRELL WILLIAMS
HAPPY DANCERS Actor Jamie Foxx’s eldest daughter Corinne got her groove on alongside Williams during his performance at the Academy Awards show But she wasn’t the only one Nineteen students from the Academy of Music at Hamilton High School in Los Angeles California were among the dozens of talented teenagers who appeared on stage Prospective hopefuls had to go through a rigorous audition process two weeks prior to the awards ceremony Those who were selected had to learn and perfect their moves in daily rehearsals with Fatima Johnson an esteemed choreographer who has worked with singers such as Michael Jackson and Aaliyah It was a very long process but very worth it said Hamilton junior Preston Parker during an interview with a reporter from Pasadena California radio station KPCC It was crazy incredible It was a true blessing 3 As Williams dropped into the chorus dozens of middle and high school students jumped up from their positions all over the stage Dressed in brightly colored Capri pants button-down shirts and miniskirts the kids danced and sang their hearts out as a giant yellow happy face was projected on a floor-to-ceiling screen behind them Williams made his way into the audience where he grooved and danced with Best Actress PHARRELL GETS HAPPY 9
Williams’s wife Helen accompanied him on the Oscars Wi red carpet red nominees Lupita Nyong’o and Meryl Streep Then he yelled for the audience to stand as he continued performing with the crowd of dancers onstage Actors Jamie Foxx and Kate Hudson briefly joined in the spectacle 10 CONTEMPORARY LIVES PHARRELL WILLIAMS
As the song finished with a burst of flashing lights the audience erupted They whooped clapped and cheered And of course they couldn’t stop smiling One thing became clear during Williams’s performance everyone in the room instantly became well happy I’mm nnot a pparartt ofofof aanynythththiiningg elelelitititee II’ve bebeenne I’mm nnot a pparartt ofofof aanynythththiiningg elelelititi ee II’ve beeenne ddooiing itit fffoor a long time and somee mmmigightt ddooiing itit ffoor a long time and somee mmmight cconffuususe enduraraancncnceee fofoforrr elelelitititisisism m m That’s noon t cconffuususe enduraraancncnceee fofoforrr elelelitititisisism m m That’s noon t whhaatat this isisis If anything I haven’t ccononontrolleeddd whhatat this isisis If anything I haven’t ccononontrolleeddd anndd maaaddde this career on my ownn Thee anndd maaadde this career on my ownn Thee p opl hhave give i When they op ppeeoplee hhave givenn itit ttoo meme WhW en they ssts op ppeeoplee hhave givenn itit ttoo meme WhW en they ssts op s pp ting you h j ssuupporrrting you thhatat’s’s iit t jjusust sso you knnoow ssuupporrrting you thhatat’s’s iit t jjusust sso you knnoow you k w You can keep making music and that’s a YYoou caann keep makakiningg mumusisicc and thatt s a YYoou caann keep makakiningg mumusisicc and thatt s a wowoondn erfufuful thing And I suppose that’s s s part wowoondn erfufuful thing And I suppose that’ss part of wwwhah t’s kekekeptp us here but you kknononow thee of wwwhat’s kekek ptp us here but you kknononow thee people have done this pep opplelel have dodonenene ttthihihisss pep opplelel have dodoneene ttthihihisss 4444 44 t i PHPHP ARA RELLL WWILLILLILILIAMAMAMSSS PHHP ARA RELLL WWILLILLILILIAMAMAMSSS STILL A WINNER Williams’s Happy didn’t win that night The Oscar went to husband-and-wife songwriters Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez for Let It Go from the 2013 animated film Frozen PHARRELL GETS HAPPY 11
