- First album in 20 years is called Based On A True Story
- Smith’s last album, Lost and Found, was released in March 2005
- New 14-track album features a reunion with DJ Jazzy Jeff
Actor and rapper, Will Smith, 56, has announced his first album in twenty years.
Smith took to social media on 14 March to drop the news, saying “It’s OFFICIAL!! My new album Based On A True Story drops March 28. TWO WEEKS!! Hit that presave. Been working on this project for a minute and I’m itchin’ to get it out to y’all 🫶🏾”
Smith’s last album, Lost and Found, was released in March 2005, making this a long-awaited return to his roots.
Read more: Is Will Smith going to be in Matrix 5
In January he unveiled his latest single, Beautiful Scars. The track is a collaboration with Big Sean featuring Obanga. The music video is inspired by 1999 blockbuster The Matrix – which he famously turned down the leading role in.
In the lyrics, he reflects how mistakes make a person stronger. He raps, “I manifest through my mentality, the only real is my reality. I rebuild with the broken pieces that are shattered on the floor. I am healed by the deepest teachings that were given by the Moors”
Read more: Will Smith leads emotional Quincy Jones Grammys tribute
In recent years he’s come under a lot of scrutiny after slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars in 2022. The incident resulted in Smith being banned from attending the Oscars and any other Academy-related events for 10 years, starting from April 8, 2022.
Return of Will Smith, the rapper
Speaking to Extra in May 2024, Smith spoke about how long it had taken him to record the album. When asked if we would see new music from him after he was spotted at Coachella, he replied “You know, I’ve been, this last year and a half, I’ve been in the lab. I have a project that is, you know, without question, the most personal and powerful music that I’ve ever made”.
The Men In Black actor made a rare live appearance in July 2024, performing his new song You Can Make It at the BET Awards in Los Angeles. He was joined by singer and songwriter Fridayy and the gospel choir Sunday Service, who encircled him above from a high platform.
Trilogy of albums?
The songs on Based on a True Story are being billed as episodes, playing into Smith’s idea of the album being a TV season. He also appears to be channeling his younger Fresh Prince persona in the album artwork.
Speaking Power 105.1., he said “I’m releasing it in seasons. So I have three seasons. I’m not calling it an album. I’m calling it season one of Based on a True Story. Season one is called Rave In the Wasteland and season two is a Quincy Jones quote. Season two is called The Gift of Madness.”
If that’s not enough, fans will also be pleased to see the rapper reunite with DJ Jazzy Jeff. The legendary DJ links up with his former partner on the album opener, Barbershop Day.
Smith and Jazzy Jeff won a Grammy award in 1989 for their Parents Just Don’t Understand and went on to record five hip-hop albums together. Their collaborations spawned the hit songs Summertime and Boom! Shake The Room.
As a solo artist, Smith released number-one tracks including Getting’ Jiggy Wit It and Wild Wild West, as well other hits including Men In Black, Miami and Will 2K. Fans have only got to wait until 28 March to hear the new album, but until then…
