Over three years after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on the Oscars for making a joke about his spouse, Jada Pinkett Smith, their televised encounter stays a subject of dialogue. It really simply got here up but once more, and it was Smith who introduced it again into the general public consciousness. The rapper-turned-actor referenced the incident on his newest album, Based mostly on a True Story. Rock’s brother, Tony, is conscious of this, and he didn’t maintain again when speaking about Smith’s album in addition to the less-than-positive reception it’s acquired to this point.
Tony Rock has been extremely protecting of his older brother for the reason that scenario on the 94th Academy Awards. Not solely has he spoken out in opposition to the person previously generally known as the Contemporary Prince, however he’s additionally promoted Chris’ comedy work within the interim as nicely. In the case of this new album from the Oscar winner, Tony ripped into the music, which he admitted to not having heard himself. Whereas talking with TMZ, the comedian additionally addressed what he appears to view because the irony in being informed to not focus on the slap:
Will Smith has an album out, and it’s a chunk of shit and he addresses the Oscars. It’s an excellent time to be a comic book proper now. … Everyone retains telling me to cease speaking about it, however then he fucking places it on the tune. So that provides me leeway to speak about it once more. The album’s trash. I’m simply assuming that, I haven’t listened to it. I refuse to take heed to it. That motherfucker attempting to promote a shitty album. I’m stunned he wasn’t speaking about being a drug vendor on this one or went to jail and obtained shot 9 instances.
The slap comes up in two tracks on the King Richard star’s album, in response to Selection. One of many songs, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” includes a smattering of voices making feedback and sharing opinions about Smith’s actions. The tune even kicks off with somebody making the declaration that “Will Smith is canceled.” Extra mentions of the slap are featured in “You Lookin’ for Me?,” because it contains the verses, “Took so much, I’m again on high/ Y’all gon’ need to get acclimated/ Gained’t cease, my shit nonetheless scorching/ Although I received’t get nominated.”
Based mostly on a True Story marks the multihyphenate’s first album launch in practically 20 years and, to this point, critics have reacted to it negatively in comparison with the star’s previous work. Throughout his interview, Tony Rock went on to elucidate that a lot of what he’d heard in regards to the new music needed to do with the references to the rapper’s change along with his brother. Whereas Rock believes that to be a poor promoting level for a document, he additionally did give the “Gettin’ Jiggy wit It” some credit score in a single respect:
I’m nonetheless a hip-hop head, that doesn’t change. His greatest work was ‘Model New Funk.’ … I’ll give him that. I’m not fully an asshole. … I’m simply defending my brother, my brother’s keeper, that’s all. … This album [is] most likely shitty as fuck, as a result of I haven’t heard something about it aside from “he addresses your brother.” If that’s the one promoting level, that’s a shitty album.
Will Smith formally apologized to Chris Rock by way of an Instagram put up shared shortly after the 2022 Oscars, and he offered a good longer apology in a video shared to social media that summer time. In it, Smith acknowledged the harm that had been finished and admitted that his relationship with Tony can be “irreparable.” (Tony and Smith labored collectively on the UPN sitcom All of Us.) Chris bluntly addressed the clip throughout a stand-up comedy present, the place he referred to it as a “hostage video.” In his stand-up particular, Selective Outrage, Chris additional critiqued Smith in addition to his spouse.
For the reason that slap occurred, there have been different reviews in regard as to if or not some type of Rock/Smith reconciliation can occur. Tony Rock was requested that very query, and he offered a solution that sounded fairly definitive:
It is a saying that I don’t like, however this is applicable, it’s what it’s. They ain’t buddies, they ain’t gonna be buddies. I don’t assume both of them misplaced a big sum of money behind this bullshit. My brother could have really made a bit more cash. … Ain’t no person hurting. All of us are strolling into the financial institution on Monday with smiles on our faces.
Something is feasible, after all, as one thing might theoretically convey Will Smith and Chris Rock again collectively. Nevertheless, on condition that Tony Rock refuses to even take heed to Smith’s music, on the very least, plainly there’s no love misplaced right here.