Will Smith has announced his first album in two decades. The 56-year-old actor and rapper revealed that his fifth solo studio album will be titled “Based On A True Story.” To celebrate this announcement, he released a new song featuring rapper Big Sean and OBanga.
Smith also unveiled a track called “Beautiful Scars,” accompanied by a music video inspired by the iconic 1999 film “The Matrix,” a role he famously declined. In the video, Smith is faced with a choice between a red pill and a blue pill—an iconic element of the film’s plot. The blue pill represents a continuation of his career while forgetting about the “Matrix” offer, whereas the red pill symbolizes a return to star as Neo, a role ultimately played by Keanu Reeves.
The lyrics of “Beautiful Scars” reflect on how life’s mistakes can strengthen a person and emphasize the importance of embracing the “beautiful scars” we acquire along the way.
In recent years, Smith has faced significant scrutiny, particularly after the incident at the 2022 Oscars where he slapped Chris Rock. Shortly after this event, he received the Best Actor award for his role in “King Richard” but was subsequently banned from attending the Academy Awards for ten years. Following the incident, Smith issued an apology to Rock and largely stepped back from the public eye.
In 2024, he made a comeback with “Bad Boys: Ride Or Die,” the fourth installment of the action-comedy series alongside Martin Lawrence. He also marked his return to music with a performance at the BET Awards in Los Angeles.
While Smith has become a household name in film over the past few decades, he initially gained fame through music. He began his career in the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince with Jeff Townes in the 1980s, winning the first-ever rap Grammy in 1989 for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The duo released five hip-hop albums, featuring hits like “Summertime” and “Boom! Shake The Room.” Smith also transitioned to television with the comedy “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” where Townes had a recurring role. As a solo artist, Smith achieved number-one hits with songs like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” and “Wild Wild West,” earning four Grammy Awards in the process.
