DJ Jazzy Jeff has defended his longtime collaborator Will Smith after the actor slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.
Jeff, who released hits such as “Summertime” and “Parents Just Don’t Understand” with Smith when he was better known as rapper The Fresh Prince, called the Men in Black star’s actions a “lapse of judgement”.
Appearing on Closed Sessions Legend Conversation, the DJ said: “Don’t get it twisted that it was something he was proud of.
“I think the thing that I’ve realised is I don’t know too many people that have had the least amount of lapse of judgment than him.”
He added: “I can name 50 times that he should’ve smacked the shit out of somebody and he didn’t.”
Jeff finished by saying: “For him to have a lapse in judgment, he’s human. And I think a lot of the criticism comes from the people who don’t think people like that are human.”
Smith apologised for his actions at the Oscars and said that he was “out of line”. He had earlier said that he “reacted emotionally” to Rock’s joke about his wife’s shaved head.
In recent years, Jada Pinkett Smith has been vocal about her struggles with alopecia, which causes her hair to fall out.
Rock’s brother Kenny said the comedian was not aware that Pinkett Smith had alopecia.
