Pharrell Williams’ eldest son, Rocket Ayer Williams, recently shared previews of original beats on Instagram Stories, offering a first substantial look at his work as a producer. The 17-year-old, who turns 18 on November 15, posted several instrumentals on October 29, with one of the clips tagging North West, the daughter of Ye and Kim Kardashian.
The Stories marked a notable step for Rocket, who has largely remained outside the spotlight despite his father’s high-profile career. Born on November 15, 2008, to Williams and Helen Lasichanh, he was named in reference to tracks by Stevie Wonder (“Rocket Love”), Elton John (“Rocket Man”), and Herbie Hancock (“Rockit”), with his middle name drawn from vibraphonist Roy Ayers. Williams has previously described the name as reflecting something designed to rise, and he composed “Rocket’s Theme” for the 2010 Despicable Me soundtrack with his son in mind. The couple married in 2013 and later welcomed triplets in 2017.
Rocket’s interest in music was noted early. In a 2014 interview on Good Morning Britain, Williams said his son was already playing piano at age three. Williams, a classically trained drummer who did not begin studying piano until his twenties, highlighted the contrast at the time. While Rocket has appeared occasionally alongside his parents—including at a 2022 New York Yankees game where the two threw out the ceremonial first pitch and at Williams’ 2023 Louis Vuitton menswear debut in Paris—he has not previously shared original music publicly at this scale.
The October 29 posts follow an existing production credit. Rocket is credited as the producer on “Sam & Colby,” a track by Mag!c featuring Lil Novi, the son of Lil Wayne and Nivea. That connection places him in proximity to North West, who has also worked with the same artists. North produced Mag!c and Lil Novi’s “Justswagup,” a release that aligned with her developing interest in production, and the two have additionally collaborated on the single “Mula the Root of All Evil.” The Instagram tag, while unconfirmed as a formal collaboration, links two young figures already operating in overlapping circles.
Coverage of the Stories noted that the beats received positive responses from listeners who caught them before the posts expired. The previews arrive as Rocket approaches adulthood and as interest grows in the next generation of producers connected to established hip-hop families. Williams built much of his reputation on distinctive production that crossed into mainstream success. His son’s decision to share original instrumentals, paired with a prior credit and a pointed tag, suggests an early effort to establish his own presence in that space.
Whether the North West tag leads to a released collaboration remains unclear, as neither has publicly confirmed joint work. For now, the Stories stand as the clearest public indication of Rocket’s production activity to date, timed to the weeks before his 18th birthday.
