Will Smith addresses Oscars slap in new album Based on a True Story
Will Smith has released his first album in 20 years, titled Based on a True Story, where he candidly addresses the 2022 Oscars incident involving Chris Rock. The album also delves into his personal life, career struggles, and marriage, marking a return to his roots in music.
Smith’s latest album highlights how unexpected moments can shape careers and personal journeys, much like the unpredictable nature of entertainment itself.
From Hollywood dramas to interactive experiences, audiences are drawn to the thrill of uncertainty – whether in music, film, or even engaging games like Plinko, where every move leads to a surprising outcome.
Returning to music
Many people forget that Will Smith used to be a musician. His new album, Based on a True Story, might shock younger audiences who only know him from his movies. But people over the age of 40 can probably still remember Smith’s early days.
This album features collaborations with other artists like DJ Lazzy Jeff, Teyana Taylor, and Jac Ross. It is said that while making the album, Will Smith received advice from Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, two industry giants who understand how music needs to be produced and delivered to make an impact.
Jay-Z recommended an approach that emphasises authenticity, which likely led to the album’s title and thematic direction.
The Oscars incident
During the 94th Academy Awards ceremony, Will Smith slapped Chris Rock for a joke that he made about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, who suffers from alopecia. He compared her to a movie character played by Demi Moore in 1997 who also had a shaved head.
Will Smith was deeply offended by this cruel joke and was willing to slap Chris Rock in front of everybody, causing a massive reaction. The actor won an Oscar that night for his role in “King Richard” and apologised for the incident he caused during the acceptance speech.
For his actions, Will Smith was banned from attending the Oscars for ten years.
Addressing the Oscars incident
In the album’s opening track, Will Smith addresses the Oscars incident. The song features an imagined barbershop conversation in which multiple voices discuss Smith’s actions and the subsequent fallout.
The dialogue between the voices includes Smith’s Oscar victory and the ban imposed by the Academy.
Making the album
Will Smith described the process of making the album in a very positive way, saying that it forced him to be deeply introspective and engage in a radical form of honesty. He wanted to express his experiences and emotions openly, without hiding anything.
On Instagram, the artist described the project as the greatest creative period of his entire life, indicating that the process helped him grow as a person.
Public and critical reception
As was expected, Based on a True Story sparked a lot of debate among fans and critics alike. Smith’s lyrical content and delivery were carefully analysed, and different people arrived at different conclusions. Some praised Smith’s honesty and music style while others heavily criticised the album.
In today’s music industry, albums like Will Smith’s are a breath of fresh air because the artistic style is highly engaging. It blends a rather humorous accent with sharp lyrics that remind us of Eminem’s early days.
One thing that needs to be emphasised is the fact that Will Smith has nearly 11 million subscribers on YouTube but his album probably has less than 50.000 average views per song. This clearly indicates that he is no longer the superstar he once was.
In today’s world, there is so much going on that people can no longer offer artists the attention they used to offer them back when the number of famous artists was much smaller.
Smith hasn’t done anything spectacular in the last few years and he’s not exactly well-known as a musician at his moment in time. So it makes sense that his album, despite being well-crafted, has not attracted that much attention.
Perhaps in the next few years, more people will discover it. But for now, it will remain just a passion project that helped its creator settle the arguments in his head.
Conclusion
Will Smith’s first music album in 20 years, Based on a True Story, is a well-crafted and honest expression of what happened in 2022 during the Academy Awards. But so far, very few people have taken the time to listen to it.
The editorial unit
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