Today (Sept. 29), Pharrell Williams announced he will be launching his very own auction service, JOOPITER. To ring in the new venture, he will present his inaugural collection on Oct. 11, which will give people a chance to buy selections from his 11 personal storage vaults. Named “Son of a Pharaoh,” the collection will feature items that range from luxury clothing items to personal memorabilia.
“The idea behind JOOPITER is to embrace the energy that is released when objects change hands, and to respect the value that has been created around these objects,” Williams said in a press release. “JOOPITER is a new platform for myself and for my fellow curators, one where existing and future generations of collectors can feel welcome to take part in this exchange.”
Additionally, in an interview with Financial Times, he delved into why he chose to start his own platform instead of using an existing one. “I’m not going to sell furniture on StockX,” Williams said. “I’m not going to sell, you know, 20-plus-carat diamond rings on [The] RealReal… Spiritually it’s a very rich experience, an enlightening experience, to let stories go.”
In related news, Williams was officially inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame back in June alongside his frequent collaborator Chad Hugo. Williams’ prolific career has garnered countless accolades, including 13 Grammys, two Oscar nominations and four Billboard No. 1 hits.
More recently on the music front, the “Just A Cloud Away” singer can be heard on 2022 collaborations like “LORD FORGIVE ME” by Tobe Nwigwe featuring EarthGang, “Neck and Wrist” by Pusha T featuring JAY-Z, and “Cash In Cash Out” featuring 21 Savage and Tyler, The Creator. His last full-length solo album was 2014’s G I R L, which boasted appearances from Alicia Keys and Justin Timberlake.