Will Smith Opens Up About Oscars Slap and His Return to Music

Will Smith is finally speaking openly about the moment that rocked his public image and career. In an honest and emotional chat with BBC 1Xtra’s Remi Burgz, the Fresh Prince actor shared how the infamous Oscars slap in 2022 led him into deep personal reflection.

That moment, where he struck comedian Chris Rock on stage for a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia, quickly went viral. The fallout was massive. Will was banned from the Academy Awards for 10 years. He stepped down from the Oscars Academy, and for the first time in his career, he says he had to face something he had never experienced—global disapproval.

“Brutal” Wake-Up Call

Will didn’t sugarcoat it. “The addiction to the approval of others that I had to dissolve, it was brutal,” he admitted. He talked about going inward, shutting everything down, and taking what he called “an honest look at myself.” He said it was like a manhole cover got ripped off, revealing parts of himself he hadn’t explored before.

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It was scary at first, but it led to something surprising—music.

A Return to the Studio

Earlier this year, Will dropped Based On A True Story, his first album in 20 years. Before diving into the project, he called Jay Z and Kendrick Lamar for advice. Kendrick told him to speak the truth, especially the parts he’s always been afraid to say. Jay Z was blunt too—don’t even try if you’re not keeping it real.

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Will took their words seriously. The album isn’t flashy or filtered. It’s raw. He described it as a way to express the “madness” going on in his head. Not everyone loved it. Critics called it “corny” and “clunky,” but Will doesn’t seem too bothered. For him, the music is personal. It’s about owning the messy parts, not pretending they don’t exist.

The Real Will

Will says the album is about facing what he calls his “despicable prisoners.” These are the hidden, imperfect parts of himself that he was never allowed to show. “Working in that space of authenticity, honesty and imperfection,” he said, is now his goal as both an artist and a human being.

He’s not chasing perfection anymore. He’s chasing truth.

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