Will Smith has faced backlash for slapping Chris Rock over a G.I. Jane 2 joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett, at the 2022 Oscars, with some of his celebrity peers condemning his behavior and the Academy launching a disciplinary review. But according to Benzino, things could’ve turned out much worse for the Fresh Prince.
During a recent sit-down with VladTV, the former Almighty RSO rapper and The Source publisher compared Will Smith assaulting Chris Rock to the events that led to Tupac Shakur‘s murder, arguing the 53-year-old Hollywood star could’ve suffered the same fate as the late All Eyez On Me rapper.
“People gotta understand, this is how 2Pac got killed,” he said. “It was at an event, they seen somebody that supposedly took a chain, they jumped him. Then later on, ‘Pac got shot up in a car. That shit could’ve happened to Will Smith!
“When I hear people say — especially women — ‘he deserved it’, I’m like, what if Will left, had gone to the party and then Will Smith’s car got shot up like 2Pac’s? Then everybody’s mourning and going crazy. No, it shouldn’t have happened. Will should have held some constraint and some professionalism, and if it was that bad, bring your wife and check him backstage.”
He added, “I know I couldn’t have got the shit slapped out of me by a man and just would’ve stood up there like that, and [Chris Rock] had his hands in his pocket. I don’t think we’ve heard the last of it from Chris Rock.”
2Pac was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting while leaving the MGM Grand in Las Vegas following the Bruce Seldon vs. Mike Tyson fight on September 7, 1996. Hours before, Pac and his crew jumped Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson, a Southside Compton Crip, in the hotel lobby over an alleged chain-snatching.
The 25-year-old rap icon was taken to hospital and placed on life support, but died from his injuries six days later. His murder remains unsolved to this day, although conspiracy theories surrounding the gunman’s identity continue to rage.
Will Smith Opens Up About 'Raging Jealousy' Of 2Pac: 'I Hated That I Wasn’t What He Was'
Before his untimely death, 2Pac coincidentally shared a close relationship with Jada Pinkett, who he met while attending the Baltimore School for the Arts in the 1980s. Will Smith later admitted their tight bond filled him with “raging jealousy.”
“In the beginning of our relationship, my mind was tortured by their connection. He was PAC! And I was me,” Smith wrote in his 2021 memoir Will. “He triggered the perception of myself as a coward. I hated that I wasn’t what he was in the world, and I suffered a raging jealousy: I wanted Jada to look at me like that.”
He continued, “If she chose me over Tupac, there was no way I could be a coward. I have rarely felt more validated… I was in a room with Tupac on multiple occasions, but I never spoke to him. The way Jada loved Pac rendered me incapable of being friends with him. I was too immature.”
As for his infamous Oscars slap, Will Smith has issued a public apology to Chris Rock and voluntarily resigned from the Academy.
“The list of those I have hurt is long and includes Chris, his family, many of my dear friends and loved ones, all those in attendance, and global audiences at home,” Smith said in a statement. “I betrayed the trust of the Academy. I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken.
“I want to put the focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film,” he added, concluding with “change takes time and I am committed to doing the work to ensure that I never again allow violence to overtake reason.”
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Chris Rock, meanwhile, has yet to properly address the incident, although he briefly touched on it during a comedy set in Benzino’s hometown of Boston days after the Oscars.
“I don’t have a bunch of shit about what happened, so if you came to hear that, I have a whole show I wrote before this weekend,” he told the crowd. “I’m still kind of processing what happened. So, at some point I’ll talk about that shit. And it will be serious and funny.”
Benzino is a clown. Chris Rock said some sht first. It wasn’t some “2pac” gang incident. This the major problem with rap. These idiot ballwashers that run the business have no heart no backbone no purpose. They see the “Oscars” and all their chest puffing and breast beating get so timid. there’s no honor in rap music once you get on they own you and you have to deal with simps like Benzino setting you up to get killed because of some nonsense. Listen to what this guy is saying then tell me what sane person would ever enter into business with this person? if this person owes you money he will not pay he will dare you to kill him for the money. Rap is garbage
What kind of nonsense is this? What’s next? ”Benzino compares farting live on stage with severe constipation”?
Get a grip.
Ha ha ha, this idiot man. Just stfu you obsolete CL1NT.
Why you even given this clown a voice?
It‘s nowhere near the same.
He ain’t slap a gangbanger, wasn’t perpetuating a gangster lifestyle, or affiliated so far as we know. Only similarity is callously assaulting another man without considering the consequences.
that’s not even close. he hit another man who tried to humiliate his wife on international TV. to call that a callous assault is ludicrous. Will Smith I’m sure has security if there’s anybody who wants to discuss the oscars incident in more depth. Hip hop clowns like Benzino want to turn everything into jail drama look at this dude looks like a fake never seen any part of a ghetto until he bought his way into rap as a youth. total fraud
But y’all don’t know Chris has goons ready for smoke. I’m sure he told them to not sleep Will. Benzino is absolutely right.
Zino also believes Frank Gathers was the real Chris Rock
Yeah Chris Rock got Rick Ross and drake to kill will on sight! Bang bang!
I don’t fuck with Benzino like that………….but that doesn’t mean he’s wrong on this one. Happens everyday in the streets. It’s not the real dope boys killing each other it’s crashouts shooting each other over women and clout.
there’s consequences to everything. have security on the back end to deal with anybody run up
lil chris won’t do nada or get nobody to do nada about it he’ll stay in his lil comfy lane and make jokes for lil girls. He the lil f@q!t we beat on in school ain’t gon do sh!t man easy
U a puzzazz!!!
Why do people keep giving this clown a platform, the fact that Zino feels he can speak on how someone should of been more professional is laughable. This dude embarrasses himself and his family on the regular and comparing this to Pacs situation..dude is so out of touch with reality it’s a joke
Now y’all Benzino doesn’t have an plan so when he grasp on to something anything goes so tell me what type of reason is that make it make sense ?