Will Smith is back. The West Philly native returned with his first album since 2005’s Lost and Found on Friday (March 28) as Based on a True Story hit streaming services.
Smith doesn’t hold back on the LP as he confronts topics such as his infamous Oscars slap of Chris Rock in 2022, and the constant chatter surrounding his relationship with his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.
“Took a lot, I’m back on top, y’all gon’ have to get acclimatеd/ Won’t stop, my s–t’s still hot even though I won’t get nominatеd/ Personal life with my wife, mind your business, it’s complicated,” he raps on “You Lookin’ For Me?”
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Smith uses the opener “Int. Barbershop — Day” to set the tone for the project, which consists of a conversation between multiple people discussing various narratives that have shaped The Fresh Prince’s career.
“I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back/ And you know they only made him do that s–t because he’s Black,” one person says.
Another chimes in with a reference to the Chris Rock slap: “Him and Jada both crazy, girl, what you talkin’ bout/ You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”
The conversation continues to touch on Will Smith being “canceled” temporarily, and how some may never forgive him for his actions. (The actor-rapper ended up receiving a 10-year ban from the Oscars for slapping Rock, which saw him tell the comedian to “keep my wife’s name out of your f—ing mouth” following a G.I. Jane joke about Pinkett-Smith.)
Smith has since resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and has been apologetic to Rock for slapping him onstage.
Earlier this week, the 56-year-old told the Associated Press that he’s “looking to be the best human I can possibly be, and I’m gonna take what I get with that” regarding his mindset going forward amid the fallout from the Oscars slap.
Smith’s Based on a True Story arrived on Friday. Before diving into the project, Smith revealed he called Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar to solicit their advice on how he should go about getting back into rap.
