Will Smith Addresses Oscars Slap In New Album: ‘My Sh*t Still Hot Even Though I Won’t Be Nominated’
Based on a True Story marks Will Smith’s return to music after 20 years, with his last solo album being 2005’s Lost and Found.
Will Smith doesn’t hold back in his latest album Based on a True Story, which dropped on Friday. Right from the first track, Int. Barbershop — Day, Smith addresses his infamous Oscars slap incident involving Chris Rock. The song opens with a striking line: “Will Smith is cancelled," setting the tone for what’s to come.
The track, featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone, mirrors a lively barbershop conversation where different voices gossip about Smith’s downfall. One voice questions, “Who the f*ck Will Smith think he is?" while another quips, “I ain’t never going to forgive him for that sh*t he did."
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Smith’s confrontation with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars became a global scandal. During the event, Rock joked about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, prompting Smith to walk on stage and slap Rock, followed by his now-iconic outburst: “Keep my wife’s name out of your f*cking mouth!" Although Smith later returned to accept the Best Actor Oscar for King Richard, the incident overshadowed his win.
On Int. Barbershop — Day, Smith dives deeper into the controversy, rapping: “I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back/ And you know they only made him do that shit because he’s Black." While Smith did not have to return his Oscar, the Academy banned him from all related events for 10 years. Smith also resigned from the Academy and publicly apologized, expressing deep remorse for his actions.
Another song, You Lookin’ for Me?, also addresses the fallout. Smith spits, “Took a lot, I’m back on top/ Y’all gon’ have to get acclimated/ Won’t stop, my shit still hot/ Even though I won’t get nominated." While Smith remains banned from Academy events, he is still eligible for future Oscar nominations, although the likelihood seems slim.
Based on a True Story marks Smith’s return to music after 20 years, with his last solo album being 2005’s Lost and Found. Since the slap, Smith has kept busy, starring in Emancipation and Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which grossed over Rs 3,300 crore ($400 million) globally.
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