Will Smith addresses life with Jada Pinkett Smith, the Oscars slap and more on his first album in 20 years
BY Jon Powell / 3.28.2025
Will Smith is fully addressing that 2022 Oscars slap by using the medium that launched his career.
The opening track of his new album — Based on a True Story, released Friday (March 28) — wasted no time diving into the fallout. “Will Smith is canceled,” declared a voice on “Int. Barbershop - Day,” a DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone-assisted exchange of opinions set to rhythm. “Who the f**k Will Smith think he is?” one character asked. Another fired back, “I ain’t never going to forgive him for that s**t he did.”
From there, it gets even more direct. “I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back,” said one voice, while the next continued, “And you know they only made him do that s**t because he’s Black.” It also referenced the now-iconic outburst heard around the world: “Him and Jada both crazy girl, what you talkin’ bout? You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.” Notably, Will slapping Chris Rock live on stage after a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith led to a 10-year ban from Academy events, widespread backlash and a public apology.
Why Will Smith is rapping again — and why now
The 14-track collection marks the Philadelphia talent’s first studio album since 2005’s Lost and Found. Though he never stopped working — starring in films like Emancipation and Bad Boys: Ride or Die — he’s only recently stepped back into the booth. “The past couple of years, I’ve been doing a very deep exploration of who and what I truly am,” he said in a video posted just before the project’s release. “This is about to be the greatest artistic creative period of my entire life.”
That sentiment runs throughout the music. On “You Lookin’ for Me?” he rapped, “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.” It’s both a comeback statement and a nod to his current status in the industry.
The collaborators who helped Will Smith find his voice again
This wasn’t just a solo comeback. Will’s musical reconnection with Jazzy Jeff brought things full circle with the collaborator who helped define his early sound. The project also includes features from Big Sean, Joyner Lucas, Teyana Taylor, Russ and Will’s son, Jaden. Each track reflects a different facet of the rapper-turned-actor’s journey — whether it’s the pain, the pride or the perspective that only time (and controversy) can offer.
During a Wednesday (March 26) appearance on “Sway in the Morning,” he revealed that the album’s title came from a conversation with JAY-Z: “You gotta say what’s true for you. … Be true to your story. Tell your story.” He also recalled the advice he received from Kendrick Lamar: “He said, ‘Man, just say that s**t you always been f**king scared to say.’” Whether audiences are ready or not, Will returned to form in the boldest way possible: By telling the unfiltered truth and putting it on wax.