17-06-2025
Reaction of dat Oscars slap make me think
Three years afta e slap comedian Chris Rock for on top stage during di 2022 Oscars Awards, Will Smith say to make dat kain mistake for public no dey right.
"Dis last few years for me na dat of real deep reflection," di actor tell 1Xtra Remi Burgz.
"Afta di Oscars I shut down for a minute and really work on myself, I bin take a big, strong, honest look at myself."
Dem ban Will from di awards ceremony for 10 years afta e slap di comedian becos e joke about head wey im wife shave – wey she get sake of alopecia, one hair loss condition.
"For di first time for my career, I deal wit some kain level of disapproval wey I no ever experience bifor," Will tok.
"I bin dey addicted to di approval of odas, and I gatz end am, e dey brutal."
During di 2022 ceremony for Los Angeles, Chris Rock bin mock di way Oga Will wife, Jada Will appearance.
Videos wey show how Will immediately march go di stage and sama am slap for im face, and warn am to comot im wife name from im mouth do dey viewed millions of times online.
Will resign from di Oscars Academy shortly afta, e say im actions dey "shocking, painful, and inexcusable".
Di 56-year-old tell 1Xtra say di fallout don also give am time to reflect.
"E just be like say one manhole dey wey cover some unexplored areas and di manhole cover remove," e tok.
"E bin dey scary for a minute, like wetin dey there"
"But then all of a sudden, all these new thoughts, new energies, new creativity bin come through like fountain and e begin to come out as music."
'Scared to say'
Earlier dis year, Will bin release im first album in 20 years, e base di song on one true story, and e ask 1Xtra for advice bifor e go back to di studio.
"Wen I bin start to write, I call Jay Z and I call Kendrick," e tok.
"Kendrick say you gatz tok those things wey you dey fear to tok about ,and Jay Z tok say no even near am, if you no ready to tok di truth."
Critics no too gbadun di new music. Pitchfork tok say e dey "excruciatingly corny" while Rolling Stone describe am as "cringey... clunky and dated" inside one two-and-a-half star review.
But Will say na "fun way to express di madness wey dey go on for my head".
"Na di exploration of wetin I call di 'despicable prisoners'.
"Dis na di parts of myself wey I bin bury, part of myself wey dem no allow me tok about on top radio, di part of myself dem no even allow me acknowledge dey real.
"To work for space of authenticity, honesty and imperfection, and to allow am grow into a higher perfection pass di imagery of Will Smith na where I dey now as an artist and as a human right now."
Remi full interview wit Will Smith dey available to stream on BBC Sounds.
