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Will Smith is tackling the chatter about the time he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars on his brand-new album.
On Friday, March 28, the Philadelphia native released his first album in 20 years Based On A True Story via Rave In A Wasteland, LLC. He beings the album with "Int. Barbershop - Day" with DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone. In the nearly 2-minute freestyled skit, people in a barbershop discuss all the rumors they've heard about Smith since the infamous incident in 2022. One person claims "Will Smith is cancelled" while another says, "I ain’t never going to forgive him for that s**t he did.”
“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," someone else says. "Him and Jada both crazy girl, what you talkin’ bout?/ You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”
The lines are reference to what happened during and after the 2022 Academy Awards. After Rock made a disparaging joke about Smith's wife Jada, the King Richard star walked on stage during the live telecast and slapped the award show's host across the face. When he got back to his seat, Smith yelled "Keep my wife's name out of your mouth!" He later returned to the stage to accept the award for Best Actor. Smith was banned from the Oscars for 10 years. He issued an apology and resigned from the Academy, but he did not have to give his Oscar back.
Smith alludes to the aftermath of the incident in another song "You Lookin' For Me?" In it, he raps “Took a lot, I’m back on top/Y’all gon’ have to get acclimated/Won’t stop, my s**t still hot/Even though I won’t get nominated.” According to Variety, Smith's ban doesn't forbid him from receiving a nomination, but it's possible he won't be selected any time soon.
Will Smith's album arrived two decades after his previous LP Lost & Found. The project comes with 14 tracks including "Beautiful Scars" with Big Sean & OBanga, "Work of Art" featuring Jaden and Russ, plus other collaborations with Teyana Taylor, Fridayy and others. Ahead of the album's release, Smith was also honored with his own street in his hometown of Philadelphia. Stream Based On A True Story on iHeartRadio now and check out scenes from his street naming below.