Will Smith is returning to his music roots after 20 years with Based on a True Story, his first album since 2005, releasing March 28. Known for his early rap career with DJ Jazzy Jeff and later as a solo artist, Smith is now using music to tell his side of the story after a rough few years in the spotlight.
This new album comes after a long pause in his music career. His last full-length project, Lost and Found, dropped back in 2005. Since then, Smith has mainly focused on acting, with highs like King Richard (which earned him an Oscar) and lows like the backlash following his onstage altercation with Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. That moment led to a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards and stalled several film projects. But for now, Smith seems ready to reset.
In an Instagram post, he shared his excitement about the album: “Been working on this for a minute, and I’m itchin’ to get it out to y’all.” The project features 14 tracks and includes collaborations with his son Jaden Smith, Teyana Taylor, Joyner Lucas, Russ, Jac Ross, Big Sean, and his longtime friend and partner DJ Jazzy Jeff.
One of the singles, Beautiful Scars, is a personal track where Smith reflects on his mistakes, including the Oscars controversy. “I hate when I lose it, but I face the music,” he raps. In a recent interview, he admitted that part of him still struggles with being seen as flawed. “My ego wanted to be Superman,” he said, but he’s learning to embrace being human. He compares his life post-incident to kintsugi, the Japanese practise of repairing broken pottery with gold. “You can look at it as a mess, or as a chance to rebuild something stronger.”
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Smith says he’s putting more focus on his lyricism this time. While his acting career has earned him critical acclaim, he admits his music didn’t always match that level and now, he’s aiming higher.
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In recent months, Smith has been slowly stepping back into the public eye, appearing at Coachella with J Balvin and recreating scenes from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air on TikTok. Whether this marks a lasting return to music or not, Based on a True Story promises to be Smith’s most personal project yet.
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