Will Smith Wants to Show His ‘Vulnerable’ Side After Being Treated Like the ‘Villain’ Over the Chris Rock Oscar Slap, Actor’s EP Reveals

Will Smith addresses the Chris Rock Oscar slap in his latest EP, revealing he's channeling his emotions through music.

Written by Ipshita Chakraborty , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Mar 29, 2025 | 05:01 PM GMT | 13K

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Will Smith recently addressed the infamous 2022 Oscars slap involving Chris Rock. The controversy led to a media frenzy and resulted in Smith being banned from the Oscars.

The 56-year-old actor has now made his return to the music industry after nearly two decades with his studio album Based on a True Story, in which he addresses the incident.

Smith slapped Chris Rock onstage after the comedian made a joke about his wife, leading to a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards and intense media scrutiny.

Omarr Rambert, the album’s executive producer, noted that this was the first time the public viewed Smith as a villain rather than the charming good guy.

Rambert told The Post, "This was the very, very first time that he wasn’t the good guy, that the internet treated him like the villain. [Now] he just wants to be vulnerable and honest and show other sides of himself."

The controversy stemmed from a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair loss disorder, which led Smith to slap Rock onstage. He then warned, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—ing mouth.” While Smith later apologized, he admitted his reaction was driven by emotion.

In a highly introspective record, the song Int. Barbershop – Day led off on a confrontational note by announcing, "Will Smith is canceled." He also rapped in a verse, "Him and Jada both crazy, girl, what you talkin’ about? / You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth."

Following the Oscars scandal, Smith stepped away from the public eye. Rambert noted that the Smith family grew closer during this time, adding, "A lot of people who aren’t in Will’s position might say, ‘You’re rich and famous.’ [But] he’s still a human being. Having to go on hiatus, feeling like people are against you, is not fun, especially when you were the good guy."

Smith's return to the spotlight isn’t just through music—he is also set to embark on a European tour this summer.