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.
The singer jokingly texted Clairo saying, "Let's f**k her up," sparking an online frenzy
Why Charli XCX jokingly declared war on Peppa Pig after one viral comment
Highlights
What started as a playful celebrity game has turned into one of the internet's most unexpected viral moments, with Charli XCX jokingly threatening to "f**k up" Peppa Pig after the beloved cartoon character appeared to dismiss singer Clairo.
The exchange quickly spread across social media, drawing reactions from fans and fellow musicians, while turning an unlikely clash between a pop star and a fictional children's character into a trending talking point.
Peppa Pig's viral remark sparked the joke
The playful exchange began during Peppa Pig's appearance in Pitchfork's Over/Under game, where the animated character rated a selection of music artists.
While expressing admiration for acts including PinkPantheress and The Beatles, Peppa responded to Clairo by saying, "I don't know her," a line widely recognised as a reference to Mariah Carey's famous response when asked about Jennifer Lopez.
The remark, accompanied by a knowing glance at the camera, quickly gained traction online.
Charli XCX rushed to Clairo's defence
After seeing the clip, Charli XCX privately messaged Clairo, writing, "Let's f**k her up," alongside a screenshot of the viral post.
Clairo later shared the exchange on social media, prompting thousands of reactions from fans, many of whom responded with pig and bacon-themed jokes.
PinkPantheress, whom Peppa had praised in the original video, also joined the conversation, posting a message supporting Clairo.
As the exchange continued, Clairo responded to the growing attention with humour, replying to posts before eventually telling followers, "ok that's enoughhhhh lolllllllllll."
Some fans joked that the viral moment was the perfect opportunity for the singer to announce new music, though Clairo replied that she did not have anything ready to share.
Her most recent album, Charm, was released in 2024, with its accompanying tour concluding in 2025.
Charli XCX keeps her focus on new music
While the online joke continued to gather momentum, Charli XCX did not publicly add to the exchange.
Instead, the singer has been focusing on promoting her upcoming album, Music, Fashion, Film, which is scheduled for release on July 24.
Although fans speculated that one of the track titles could be a playful nod to the viral exchange, there has been no indication that the album references the light-hearted social media moment.