In case you missed it, Will Smith is making a musical comeback! On March 27, the Hitch star released his new album, Based on a True Story, and it’s already making rounds online.
The album, which marks his first album in 20 years after 2005’s Lost and Found, addresses some of Smith’s most-talked-about moments and controversies over the years, from his 2022 Oscars slap on Chris Rock to his 2016 secret separation from Jada Pinkett Smith, which was only revealed in 2023.
In the first song of the album, titled “Int. Barbershop – Day,” two musicians, DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone, take turns openly gossiping about him.
“Will Smith is canceled,” they start off. “Oh, you can’t cancel no icon / Boy, please / He walk around like he all invincible or somebody / Uh-uh, don’t be messing with Will / He the Fresh Prince.”
Later on, they address the Oscars slap head-on. “I heard he down bad I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back,” they say. “And you know they only made him do that shit because he’s Black.”
To clarify, while Smith did not have to return his Best Actor Oscar for his role in King Richard, he was banned from attending any Academy Award events for 10 years after the incident. After that, he also resigned from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
In another moment in the song, the musicians talk about his relationship with Pinkett Smith.
“Him and Jada both crazy girl, what you talking about?” they say. “You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.” Of course, that last line is a reference to what Smith said after slapping Rock. “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—ing mouth!” he said repeatedly.
In another song, titled “You Lookin’ For Me?,” Smith raps about making a career comeback recently, despite the Oscars and separation drama.
“Took a lot, I’m back on top, y’all gon’ have to get acclimatеd,” he sings. “Won’t stop, my shit’s still hot even though I won’t get nominatеd / Personal life with my wife, mind your business, it’s complicated / All that matters is the fact that I’m still getting compensated.”
From the looks of it, Smith isn’t afraid to address everything that has happened as continues on his career. He’s not hiding anything, but he’s also moving on!
Before you go, click here to see more of the most shocking Oscars moments.
