In his new album Based on a True Story, released March 28, 2025, Will Smith openly confronts the infamous 2022 Oscars slap of Chris Rock, using his music to reflect on the fallout from the incident.
Smith’s album features direct references to the scandal, with the opening line of the first track, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” playing a voice saying, “Will Smith is canceled,” followed by another voice noting, “I ain’t never going to forgive him for that s— he did.”
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Smith raps about the incident and its aftermath throughout the album. In one track, “You Lookin’ for Me?”, he addresses his return to success despite the public outcry, rapping, “Won’t stop, my s— still hot/ Even though I won’t get nominated.”
The slap, which occurred during the live Oscars broadcast, was a response to Chris Rock’s joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.
The moment became a defining part of Smith’s recent career, leading to a ban from the Academy Awards and a resignation from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
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Smith’s new album is his first full-length in 20 years, following his 2005 release Lost and Found. In addition to addressing the Oscars incident, Smith explores deeper personal themes in his music, calling this period “the greatest artistic creative period of my entire life.”
Based on a True Story is now available, offering fans a candid glimpse into Smith’s journey through personal and professional challenges.
