Both solo and as half of The Neptunes, Pharrell has ruled 21st-century pop with his off-kilter electronics, stripped-down funk, and Middle Eastern flavors. Not only can he forge banging minimalist beats (see the tongue clicks and harsh synths of Snoop Dogg's “Drop It Like It's Hot”), he excels at throwback soul, too, as evident on the playful, Stevie Wonder-style keys of Frank Ocean's “Sweet Life” and his own exuberant classic, “Happy.”