After a two decades-long hiatus from making music, Will Smith released his newest album, Based on a True Story, which is chock-full of references to that infamous moment he slapped Chris Rock at the 94th Academy Awards in 2022.
The album’s opening track, “Int. Barbershop Day”, features B. Simone (Braelyn Simone Greenfield) alongside childhood friend and former Fresh Prince of Bel-Air collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey Allen Townes), saying that Smith is “cancelled” before the pair start rap-arguing about him.
Smith slapped Rock in a moment that’s been seared into Oscars history. (Source: Getty Images)
“I heard he down bad I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back,” one voice asked in the song.
“And you know they only made him do that shit because he’s black,” said another.
Smith made international headlines three years ago for slapping Rock onstage at the Oscars while he was presenting the award for Best Documentary Feature, due to the latter making a joke about Smith’s wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s appearance.
The joke made by Rock was viewed as being in bad taste due to Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, but Smith’s subsequent actions were also widely criticised.
Following the incident, the Academy did not actually demand Smith return his Oscar — which he won for King Richard — but instead issued a ban against Smith for ten years for future Academy events and Smith resigned from the Academy days after.
Smith won the Oscar for “King Richard” at the 94th Academy Awards. (Source: Getty Images)
Multiple other songs off Smith’s album also reference the slap incident and the aftermath, including second track “You Lookin’ For Me?”.
“Won’t stop, my shit’s still hot even though I won’t get nominatеd,” Smith rapped.
“Personal life with my wife, mind your business, it’s complicated.”
In a July 2024 press interview for Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Smith spoke about the production of Based on a True Story, and he stated that it was his “most personal” work.
“The idea of the music is dancing your darkest moments,” Smith said.
Smith’s most recent album is his first since 2005’s Lost and Found. Smith released his first rap album back in 1997 with Big Willie Style.
The post Will Smith Says How He Really Feels About The Chris Rock Oscars Slap In New Album appeared first on PEDESTRIAN.TV .
