American actor and rapper, Will Smith, has referenced his infamous 2022 Oscars slap to Chris Rock in his new album, ‘Based on a True Story’ after a 20-year hiatus, and Smith isn’t holding back.
In the opening track, ‘Int. Barbershop – Day’, Smith incorporates voices that mimic the 2022 incident, featuring Jazzy Jeff and B. Simone.
The song starts with the line ‘Will Smith is canceled’, followed by voices discussing the slap and its aftermath. One voice claims Smith had to return his Oscar, which isn’t true, and another echoes Smith’s outburst at Rock, saying ‘You better keep my wife’s name out of your mouth’.
Smith also raps about the incident in ‘You Lookin’ for Me?’, saying he’s ‘back on top’ despite the controversy. The album is part of a trilogy, with two more seasons set to be released later this year.
The Oscars slap incident had a significant impact on both parties. Chris Rock said the incident still hurts in 2023, while Smith apologized multiple times.
The Academy imposed a 10-year ban on Smith, who resigned from the Oscars. Rock declined to host the Golden Globes last year following the incident.
