Pharrell makes surprise stop at LEGO and sneaker giveaway in old neighborhood

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Neighbors of the Atlantis Apartments got a surprise Saturday morning when Virginia Beach native Pharrell Williams stopped by to visit the community where he grew up.

The appearance comes on the same weekend as the music superstar’s LEGO biopic, “Piece by Piece,” released in theaters.

“There was no way to make a movie about my life without showing Atlantis Apartments,” Pharrell told the crowd of renters in the neighborhood off Birdneck Road. “I just want to say ‘thank you’ to this neighborhood.”

Tenants had previously gathered for a “Brick by Brick” community celebration in recognition of the release of “Piece by Piece.” Williams partnered with Community Properties Manager Fairstead, LEGO and Adidas to distribute LEGO sets and Pharrell-inspired sneakers to families living in Atlantis.

Pharrell spoke for about five minutes. He thanked God for his success and told the crowd he wanted to make sure Fairstead would take care of them, which completed a $15 million renovation of all 208 units in 2022.

But the biggest applause came after an announcement at the end of his speech.

“We were ‘The Neptunes’ because I was raised in Atlantis,” he said. “I thought, man, ‘Why do we live in a neighborhood called Atlantis and we don’t have a pool?’ So today, I’m pushing and we’re going to create a pool here.”

Williams also stopped to take photos and hug residents before and after speaking.

“Piece by Piece” is not the only reference that your old neighborhood will have on the big screen. Williams is producing a musical inspired by his life called “Atlantis,” which will be released in 2025.