DailyRapFacts

Tag: Will Smith

  • Will Smith Throws Subtle Shots at Chris Rock in New Freestyle: “Expect Me on the Stage”

    Oscar-winner reignites feud with veiled barbs and bars from flop comeback album

    Will Smith appears to have reignited his feud with Chris Rock through a pointed freestyle delivered on Apple Music’s Fire in the Booth. While the Men in Black star doesn’t name Rock directly, he leaves little doubt about the target of his lines.

    “If you talking crazy out your face up on the stage and disrespect me on the stage, expect me on the stage,” Smith raps in a clear reference to the infamous 2022 Oscars slap. He continues with, “Jokers dish it out, cry foul when it’s time to take it / City full of real ones, wasn’t raised to fake it.”

    Chris Rock has yet to respond to the apparent diss.

    The freestyle adds to a series of recent lyrical moments where Smith has addressed his public controversies. His 2025 comeback album Based on a True Story — which failed to chart on the Billboard 200 — opens with barbershop-style commentary touching on his Oscar fallout, family scrutiny, and public relevance.

    Tracks like “You Lookin’ For Me?” also touch on his personal life, with references to wife Jada Pinkett Smith: “Personal life with my wife – mind your business, it’s complicated.”

    Smith said advice from JAY-Z and Kendrick Lamar inspired the project, especially the album title. “Jay told me, ‘Don’t fake your story,’” Smith recalled. “That’s where I got Based on a True Story from.”

  • Will Smith and Big Sean Debunk Matrix Teaser with New Single

    Will Smith and Big Sean Debunk Matrix Teaser with New Single

    Smith and Sean Don team up for ‘Beautiful Scars’ while having fun with a Matrix-inspired clip

    Will Smith has teamed up with Big Sean to unveil the truth behind his recent cryptic Matrix teaser. While fans speculated that Smith might be starring in a new Matrix movie, the pair revealed that they are, in fact, collaborating on a new single called “Beautiful Scars.”

    A trailer promoting the track, released on Sunday, January 26, reimagines the iconic scene from the 1999 film The Matrix, where Keanu Reeves’ character, Neo, faces a choice between a blue pill and a red pill. In the teaser, Big Sean plays Morpheus, and Will Smith portrays Neo. In a playful twist, Sean’s Morpheus offers Smith’s Neo a choice: the blue pill to keep things the same or the red pill to go back and star in the film that slipped through his fingers—the one where Smith famously turned down the role of Neo.

    The video ends with Smith swallowing both pills, leaving Sean stunned. Fans can expect the music video for “Beautiful Scars” to follow suit with the Matrix-inspired theme when it drops on Thursday, January 30.



  • Will Smith Still Harboring Grudge Against Chris Rock Over 2022 Oscars Slap

    Will Smith Still Harboring Grudge Against Chris Rock Over 2022 Oscars Slap

    Insider reveals Will’s ongoing resentment, while Chris Rock reportedly suffers from PTSD over the incident

    Will Smith is reportedly still not on good terms with Chris Rock following the infamous slap at the 2022 Academy Awards, sparked by a joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith. According to an insider speaking to In Touch Weekly, Will “will never forgive Chris for ruining his life,” despite making strides to rebuild his personal and professional life over the past year.

    The source claimed, “He still hates the guy and his smug attitude,” adding that in Will’s view, Chris isn’t the victim in this situation. “A lot of people would agree with Will and think what’s happening to Chris is karma for refusing to speak to Will or accept his apology.”

    However, Chris is also struggling with the fallout. The insider shared that Chris continues to be haunted by the incident and suffers from PTSD. According to the source, both men have yet to recover from that slap.

    A potential reunion between the two remains unlikely, as the source notes their pride may stand in the way. “They’re too proud” to reconcile.

    In June, Stephen A. Smith weighed in on the situation, urging Will to address the Black community about the moment, adding that many, including himself, still find it hard to watch Smith on screen.








  • Will Smith Shuts Down Rumors of Starring in a New Matrix Movie

    Will Smith Shuts Down Rumors of Starring in a New Matrix Movie

    Will Smith sparked speculation about joining the next Matrix movie, but insiders have confirmed he won’t appear in the sequel.

    Will Smith left fans bewildered earlier this week when he posted a short clip on Instagram that suggested he may have some connection to the upcoming Matrix movie. But, contrary to earlier discussions with fans, insiders have said that the actor will not feature in the next instalment sequel of the famous sci-fi series.

    On Monday, January 6, Smith posted a short video revisiting a well-known Hollywood “what-if” story: the moment when he rejected an offer to play Neo (The Matrix) in 1997 because he decided to act in Wild Wild West. The clip that was released included a text overlay that hinted at the ‘follow the white rabbit’ computer scene from the original Matrix film and asked the world: What if Will Smith had been Neo? It concluded with a mysterious prompt: “Wake up, Will… The Matrix has you…”

    The post left fans assuming that Smith might have finally signed up to be in The Matrix universe. However, insiders informed The Hollywood Reporter that Smith is not going to star in a new Matrix venture that was promised last year, by Warner Bros. and writer-director Drew Goddard.

    Despite the recent news about the new Matrix film being quite vague, the information in Smith’s video is not relevant to this project. Several base fans that the teaser could be related to a commercial for the next Super Bowl rather than to a movie role.

    At least for now, it appears that the universe where Will Smith agreed to don the trench coat and shades of Neo will remain a delicious tease of the ‘what if’ variety.

  • Will Smith admits he was trying to bite Rakim’s style on ‘Summertime’

    Will Smith admits he was trying to bite Rakim’s style on ‘Summertime’

    Will Smith was inspired by Rakim

    Will Smith is best known as a rapper for his smash “Summertime” with DJ Jazzy, back when he was known as Fresh Prince. He recently gave Rakim his credit for influencing the record.

    “I was absolutely trying to sound like you on ‘Summertime,’” Smith told Rakim in a clip. “I had been screaming all night and I couldn’t get my happy-go-lucky high voice and Hula said, ‘Yo just give me that Rakim s###.’”

    Rakim has been getting a lot of praise from hip hop stakeholders. Just recently, Ed Lover praised him for influencing the likes of Jay-Z, Nas, and Biggie.

  • Nas co-wrote songs on Will Smith’s album ‘Big Willie Style’

    Nas co-wrote songs on Will Smith’s album ‘Big Willie Style’

    Nas co-wrote songs on Will Smith‘s 1997 platinum album ‘Big Willie Style’

    On Will Smith’s ‘Big Willie Style’ album liner notes, Nasir Jones, also known as Nas, is credited as a co-writer on six songs, including; “Chasing Forever”, “Yes Yes Yall”, “Men in Black,” “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It”, “Just Cruisin’ (Remix)” and “Miami.”

    Till this date, Nas has never won a Grammy for his own music but Will Smith’s 1998 hit single ‘Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It’ won a Grammy in 1999 for the Best Rap Solo Performance and Nas co-wrote on it.

    Purchase our 100 Hip-Hop Facts (1973-2000) Book

    Read: Will Smith met Michael Jackson for the first and last time in a utility closet

    Read: Nas’ father played the trumpet solo at the end of “Life’s a Bitch” off Illmatic

  • Will Smith met Michael Jackson for the first and last time in a utility closet

    Will Smith met Michael Jackson for the first and last time in a utility closet

    Will Smith met Michael Jackson for the first and last time in a utility closet

    The Fresh Prince—also known as—Will Smith met the late King of pop, Michael Jackson for the first and only time after being stuffed into a closet because of Death Row Records co-founder Suge Knight at the BET Awards (it’s currently unclear which year the event took place).

    Before presenting his award, Will Smith saw Michael Jackson across the room and was on his way to approach him when an outburst happened because Suge Knight arrived. Will was put into a utility closet as people were scrambling to hide from the Death Row co-founder.

    “I’m standing there and I got my head up against the door and I’m listening to people running and I’m hearing screaming and stuff, and I’m like ‘yo, this is crazy, Suge is a lunatic,” Will then Jokes and says “Suge still in jail, right? Make sure Suge’s still in jail if I’m going to tell this story.”

    “Then all of a sudden, it starts to quiet. Then I hear ‘hey’,” Will Smith says in his best high-pitched Michael Jackson impression. “And I’m like ‘oh shit!’ Then I turn around and Michael Jackson is behind me in the closet. I was like ‘Oh! Mike?’” When Will Smith told Michael Jackson what the commotion is about

    The King of Pop says “Suge’s always trippin’, All that success and he can’t figure out how to be happy”

    The two oddly talked about comic books in their brief encounter but Will regrets not asking the questions like “What’s the glove made of? What’s your brother Tito like? Can you Moonwalk forward? Is Annie OK?”

    “That was the only time I ever met Michael Jackson,” Will Smith said. “I guess I got Suge Knight to thank for it.”

    Will smith details meeting Michael Jackson during a story time video on his popular YouTube page. Watch below.

  • DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince were the first rappers to win a Grammy

    DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince were the first rappers to win a Grammy

    On the night of February 22, 1989, During the 31st Grammy Awards, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince‘s won Best Rap Performance for Parents Just Don’t Understand, which appeared on the duo’s second album, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. “Parents Just Don’t Understand” was the first hip-hop song to win a Grammy and DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (Will Smith) were the first rappers to win a Grammy. LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, Kool Moe Dee and J. J. Fad were also nominated in the same category that year. “Parents Just Don’t Understand” peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100.

    After finding out the new rap category would not be aired on television, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince didn’t attend the event to accept their award. Russell Simmons and Lyor Cohen led a boycott of the 1989 Grammys. DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Fresh Prince, LL Cool J, Public Enemy, Salt-N-Pepa, Ice-T, Slick Rick and more boycotted together.

    DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince were the first rappers to win a Grammy
    UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1970: Photo of Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

    Kool Moe Dee and J. J. Fad attended the event. While Kool Moe Dee went on stage to present the award for best male R&B vocal, he made a statement

    “On the behalf of all M.C.s
    My co-workers and fellow nominees
    Jazzy Jeff, J. J. Fad,
    Salt-N-Pepa and the boy who’s bad
    We personify power and a drug-free mind
    And we express ourselves through rhythm and rhyme
    So I think it’s time that the whole world knows
    Rap is here to stay – drummer, let’s go!”

    The Grammys boycott worked, the next year, The Grammys aired the award for Best Rap Performance (Young MC won for “Bust A Move”).

    Read: Naughty by Nature’s “Poverty’s Paradise” was the first album to win Best Rap Album at the Grammys

    DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince Grammys Boycott
    Los Angeles Herald Examiner, February 23, 1989 Adler Hip Hop Archive, Cornell Hip Hop Collection, Cornell University Library

    Purchase our 100 Hip-Hop Facts (1973-2000) Book

    Read: Lauryn Hill’s “The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” was the first hip-hop album to win Album Of The Year at the Grammys

    Read: Arrested Development were the first rappers to win a Grammy in a Non-Rap category

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