On his new album, Based on a True Story, Will Smith is defiant about his infamous Chris Rock Oscars slap, addressing the incident on multiple songs.
The opening track on the project, “Int. Barbershop – Day,” is a skit with a chorus of voices sharing rumors and differing opinions of the actor and rapper, including “Will Smith is canceled” and “I ain’t never gonna forgive him for that shit he did.”
Later on, one voice says, “I heard he won the Oscar, but he had to give it back.” Another chimes in, “And you know they only made him do that shit because he’s Black.”
Related Video
The song also references Smith’s response at the Oscars to Rock’s joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith: “Him and Jada both crazy girl, what you talking about?/ You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”
On the second track, “You Lookin’ for Me?,” Smith boasts about his comeback by rapping, “Took a lot, I’m back on top, y’all gon’ have to get acclimatеd/ 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.”
As a refresher, Rock made a joke about Pinkett Smith’s hair at the 2022 Oscars before announcing the winner for Best Documentary Feature. This prompted Smith to walk onto the stage and strike Rock with his open hand.
In shock, Rock said, “Wow, Will Smith just smacked the shit out of me.” When Smith returned to his seat, he yelled, “Keep my wife’s name out of your fucking mouth!” Rock retorted, “Wow, dude, it was a G.I. Jane joke,” only for Smith to repeat his previous sentence.
For context, Pinkett Smith had recently announced she had shaved her head after struggling with alopecia.
Later in the evening, Smith addressed the incident during his acceptance speech for Best Actor, which he won for King Richard. “Art imitates life. I look like the crazy father, just like they said about Richard Williams,” he said. “But love will make you do crazy things.”
Rock declined to press charges, but Smith would go on to resign from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and was banned from attending the Oscars and associated events for 10 years. However, he was not forced to return his Oscar.
Smith wouldn’t reemerge into the public eye until four months later, when he apologized to Rock in a YouTube video. For Rock’s part, he didn’t address the Oscars slap until a year later in his Netflix standup special, Selective Outrage,
Rock said he was “not a victim,” blaming the outburst and assault on Pinkett Smith’s affair with August Alsina. “I did not have any ‘entanglements,’” he said. “She hurt him way more than he hurt me, OK?”
Over the past year, Smith has been on the comeback trail, joining J Balvin at Coachella 2024 to perform “Men in Black.” He also co-starred in Bad Boys: Ride or Die alongside Martin Lawrence.
Based on a True Story is Smith’s first solo album in 20 years, marking the follow-up to 2005’s Lost and Found.
Based on a True Story Artwork:
Based on a True Story Tracklist:
01. Int. Barbershop Day (feat. DJ Jazzy Jeff & B. Simone)
02. You Lookin’ for Me?
03. The Reverend (Rave Sermon)
04. Rave in the Wasteland (feat. Jac Ross)
05. Bulletproof
06. Hard Times (Smile) [feat. Teyana Taylor]
07. BEAUTIFUL SCARS (feat. Big Sean and OmArr)
08. TANTRUM (feat. Joyner Lucas)
09. FIRST LOVE (feat. India Martinez and Marcin)
10. Make It Look Easy
11. The Reverend (YCMI Sermon)
12. You Can Make It (feat. Fridayy and Sunday Service Choir)
13. WORK OF ART (feat. Russ and Jaden)
14. The Reverend (WOA Sermon)
Content shared from consequence.net.