2017 was another monumental year for Will Smith. Bad Boys 3: Bad Boys For Life and Bad Boys 4 have been announced, he was cast to reprise Robin Williams’ epic role as Genie in the Disney’s upcoming live-action Aladdin reboot, his son Jaden dropped one of the best debut albums that Hip Hop has heard in quite some time with SYRE, and most pressingly, his Netflix exclusive movie Bright is aiming to redefine the way we digest cinema.
HipHopDX was able to catch up with the Fresh Prince at the press conference for his straight-to-Netflix debut to discuss the film, the current political state of our country, his career as a rapper, and his kids.
As a dual threat in music and film, we haven’t heard a peep from Big Willie on wax since 2005 (outside of his widely panned EDM-meets-riddim collision course “Get Lit” with DJ Jazzy Jeff back in October). However, we could all see that change in the next year.
“I’ve been sniffing around it,” Will tells HipHopDX when asked about the potential to return to music full-time. “I’ve been getting hyped about it. It [has] been a minute. I’ve been full in the actor’s mind so me and Jeff start going out a little bit in the last six-to-eight months [and] we’ve been doing something. I just gotta find that lane; find that way back in. It’s a part of my heart. I love it. I make records all the time. I got a ton of stuff that I make at the house. It’s just not stuff that I’m hyped about to be able to feel comfortable letting it into the world. I’m trying to find that inspiration, that thing that sparks me to get back [to music].”
It’s a rarely celebrated fact but DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince were the first winners of Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance back in 1989. The fact they’re still willing to get busy in the studio speaks volumes for their love for the culture.
In his musical absence, Will and Jada’s children have been waving the Smith family flag. Willow released her latest Roc Nation-backed album The 1st this past Halloween and Jaden’s album SYRE is one of the more refreshing rap albums of 2017. HipHopDX praised the project for its “soaring harmonies and dark, moody production” and Jaden’s penchant for brooding lyrics in the official album review.
With a household full of lyrical ability, Will explains his sonic connection with his kids and how they inspire him: “No, I’m way better than them,” Will jokingly quips when asked if he’s competitive with his kids. “That’s a joke, not competitive. When I see those kids they actually inspire me. I don’t feel like Jada and I were teaching [it] but Jaden, of all the people I’ve ever met in my life, I’ve met very few people who legitimately do not care what people think. I’m looking in his eyes and I’m like, ‘You have to care a little bit.’ It is unadulterated freedom that I’m actually jealous of. He is so absolutely [and] thoroughly comfortable being him in a way that I had 20 years ago. But what happens when you start to get successful [is that] you get worked into a lane [and] your lane starts to feel comfortable and it gets a little scary to come out when you’re not going to ring the bell, necessarily, that people want rung. When I’m watching Jaden and it’s like I just love that freedom. He’s inspiring me in a really unique and special way. As a parent, it makes me really proud.”
Bright Is Coming To Netflix
Set to release on December 22, Will Smith’s role in Bright sees the A-lister address racism from the sci-fi lens of an African-American cop living in a Los Angeles filled with mythical characters living amongst humans. “Part of what was exciting to me about this role is that the Elves represent the haves and the Orcs represent the have-nots – and the humans are actually in the middle,” Smith exclaims. “So, I’m an African-American police officer but I’m racist against Orcs. For that flip, was really fun to play around with. It was a unique mindset that, as an African-American man, I’m not in that position often. To be able to look at it and sort of channel inner Nick Nolte from 48 Hours [is interesting]. Science Fiction is fun [because] you get to look at those things and you can go really far without it actually registering as preaching.”
Photo: Matt Kennedy/Netflix
Will also goes into his take on the current state of affairs in America: “I actually have a little bit of a brighter perspective of where [the world is] right now. This is the purge. This is the cleanse. This is what happens. This is the natural reaction to the amount of light that came into the world when Barack Obama was the President. This is what happens. From the lowest perspective, we had to expect that it was going to go the other way but it’s going the other way as a purge and as a cleanse, this is the darkness before the dawn. When that thing swings back to the other direction, humanity is going to evolve. This is an evolutionary shift in humanity right now. From the agricultural era into the industrial era into the digital age, I feel very, very strongly that we are shifting into what the next age of humanity is going to be and it’s just that the shit has to get stirred up. We’re seeing it all. The truth is right in front of us. Nobody is allowed to ignore what’s true anymore. You don’t even get to debate, ‘alternative facts’ you can say, but people are actually getting to look at it for themselves. Hiding is over. It’s going to be really interesting to see how humanity reacts to it. It’s going to be a fucking mess but it’s the mess in the cleanup. It’s the mess and the purge before that new, real light shows up.”
You can see Will’s latest movie Bright from the comfort of your home on December 22nd courtesy of Netflix. For more music, news, and exclusive interviews like this, be sure to keep it locked on HipHopDX.
SMH! with that purge talk. Take us back to the wild wild west Will lol!
SMH! with that shit talk. Take us to your moms crib with yo Broke Ass LovLess lol!
I purchased Will Smith’s Lost and Found album…. Twice.
Don’t sleep. Dude can rap when he wants to.
+1 for going at Em on “Nice Guy”
‘You wack like Will Smith, your rhyme style is pansy…’ you know the middle class dumbasses have taken over when they prefer this clown over a great like Em. Go back to rock please!
I’m not about to sit on some internet site and compare struggle credentials with a stranger. I’ll just say and you’ll just accept when I say that I’ve struggled, more hard times than you’ll have in two lifetimes. That being said, you’re ignoring the historical context from which Will Smith dissed Em and twisting my words. One, I never said Will Smith is a better MC, so you’re flat out wrong there, buddy. Two, you ignore that since Eminem debuted, he made a name picking on pop stars and entertainers who didn’t fight back. Em threw several jabs at Will Smith thinking it was all fun and games during his early career. Smith, largely written off in the rap world, responded with the “Mr. Nice Guy” song, which was actually on point. A lot of y’all who skipped all Will Smith rap related news missed out on Lost and Found, as he upgraded his flow and lyrics significantly. Get off Eminem’s sick and pick a fight with someone who doesn’t know rap history. Then you’ll do better. But for now, you lose, dickhead.
Dick*… Even android’s autospell can’t fade me. But yo, Agw, I can tell from your lousy demeanor that instead of doing the knowledge, you’re not even gonna listen to the track I just put you onto, let alone the album. “Should I wake him up or let him stay blind?” – Killah Priest
Peace, pissant. Yes… I’m talking greasy.
EL with the body!
I do it for the love, you know?! Yo, holla at me! On a side note, I get too many people saying I look like WS to leave him hanging in the hhdx comment section. He’s not in my top 3, but I can honestly say I copped Lost and Found twice, I love it, my Mom loves it, and I was just sorta proud that big homey breasted on that album like that. Looking back years later, I’ll say: every song had a topic. Smith incorporated storytelling even into his party joints, I.e., “if you can’t dance.” Not saying dude is the nicest, but Lost and Found is definitely a slept on gem, in spite of going gold.
What fucking throne? Lol
I got Big Willie Style in 4th grade from getting straight A’s. I didn’t know what a big willie was until 8th grade.
D.O.C. murdered it without one cuss word as well
Lend Me an Ear. The one cuss word on that album. Classic album tho.
Great or not he’s sexy
Em went at Will cos back in the ay before Em blew up him and Will crossed paths a few times and they were kicking it,then Will publicly said that Em could be the greatest ever or the biggest flop ever or words to that effect and Em took it and used it o fire shots!! It was just old skool playful rap beef with no true malice!!
“his son Jaden dropped one of the best debut albums that Hip Hop has heard in quite some time” — sarcasm at its best?!
Why would that be sarcasm? Syre is an amazing album and stands as a clinic to all of his similar aged counterparts in rap right now.
Will Smith is a Legend. Legendary Music has its place too. Jöí Fabü has got some of the best, new-age music I’ve heard. Just wanted to pass that along that you all should check him out. I found him on Apple Music, but he’s also on Spotify too. Good vibes all around. Here’s to some great new music from an amazing Indie Artist that I hope will one day make it to the mainstream and perform all over the world. Each release is better than the one before. Spread the love.
Big Willie! His “Lost and Found” album was actually pretty good with catchy songs like Snitch, Party Starter, Lost and Found, Tell Me Why, Loretta, Scary Story.
will said Fk in the interview? lol no way! where is that link at? lol
Indeed he did. It was a press conference for his movie Bright
Will Smith is about to have a better rap album than Eminem.
Reunion album needs production from:
Jeff Townes, Rick Rubin, DJ Premier, Teddy Riley, DJ Toomp, DJ Mustard, Mike WIll-Made-It..
We’ll pass.