Will Smith Breaks Silence on Oscar Ban & Drops New Album: “I’m Gonna Take What I Get”
It’s been three years since Will Smith shocked the world by slapping Chris Rock on live TV at the 2022 Oscars—and the fallout is still unfolding.
Smith, who received a 10-year ban from attending the Academy Awards, recently sat down with the Associated Press to reflect on where he stands today, and whether he plans to appeal the decision.
His response? Simple, self-aware, and maybe a little zen:
“I am looking to be the best human I can possibly be, and I’m gonna take what I get with that.”
In other words, no appeal planned—just a commitment to personal growth and accountability.
Turning Pain Into Music
Smith also used the interview to shine a spotlight on something new: his upcoming album, “Based on a True Story”, dropping this Friday.
He describes the project as his most personal work to date, born from a period of deep self-reflection.
“I’ve taken the last couple of years to really do a deep dive on the parts of me that may or may not have been in that level of certainty, and asking those deep, scary internal questions.”
Every track, he says, is about a part of himself he discovered, confronted, or chose to share during that process.
“It’s the most full musical offering that I’ve ever created.”
This marks a major return for Smith to music, decades after his Grammy-winning days as one half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.
Final Thoughts
Love him or loathe him, Will Smith’s comeback is in full swing. He’s not trying to rewrite the past, but instead, channel it into something raw, real, and honest.
And if “Based on a True Story” is any indication, this next chapter might just be his most human one yet.
