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Will Smith Talks Music Comeback In 2016 With DJ Jazzy Jeff

By Niki Cruz
Published on: 09:12 PST, Jan 29, 2016

Is Will Smith having a major music comeback in 2016? It looks like it. While Smith has tried to resurrect his rap career back in 2005 with the lackluster Lost and Found, it sounds like this time around, he’s bringing a bit of nostalgia back to kick things off.

Before he was a movie star, Smith was known as one part of the hip hop duo The Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff. After parting ways musically, it looks like the two are reuniting for a new music effort. This will be the first time the two have produced new material together since the 1993 LP Code Red. The aforementioned album reached gold at the time, despite their new sound.

Unlike his solo efforts, Smith will return back to his Fresh Prince name for an all new album. It includes new tracks with Jazzy Jeff and a new tour as well.

Smith revealed the news on the U.K. show Fiesta. “We’ve recorded about 25 songs and have four or five I actually like. Jeff and I will be back here [in the U.K.] this summer to do shows, real shows.”

This isn’t the first time we’re hearing about Smith’s return to music. The rapper-turned-actor told Apple Music’s Beats 1 radio station back in October that he has recorded around 30 songs and that there is a tour coming this summer.

Since Will Smith became a multi-million dollar earning actor, many in the rap game haven’t really taken the rapper seriously in the game. While Jay Z has got the throne, along with Kanye West, Smith has been left in the dust, even though he has released some smash solo albums. On his last album he rapped about his woes in the song “I Wish I Made That/Swagger.”

“Black radio, they won’t play though/ Ever since ‘Summertime’ they ain’t liked none of mine/ Even though the fans went out & bought enough/ I guess they think Will ain’t hard enough/ Maybe I should just have a shoot out/ Run up in the bank, bustin’, grabbin’ all the loot out/ Whoop somebody ass, taking my boot out/ Right on TV so ya’ll can see me/ Just ignorant, attacking, actin’ rough/ I mean, then will I be black enough?”

Of returning to rap music Smith sounded excited about the opportunity to show a new generation what he left in the 80s and 90s.

“I’m terrified. I’m really ready, man, I got a whole lotta heart to share and I’m excited about getting it into my music.”

Lately, Will Smith has been in the news due to the Academy Awards snubbing him for a nomination for the film Concussion. Many had predicted he would get a nomination seeing as he received many throughout the course of the awards season. That said, the exclusion of Smith and other black talents left out of the race caused a controversy.

Following the nominations, Jada Pinkett-Smith and many others took a stand that they weren’t going to participate in the ceremony or watch when it aired on February 28. Smith sat down with Good Morning America to discuss the controversy it caused.

At the time, Smith said that “We’re part of this community but at this current time, we’re uncomfortable to stand there and say that this is OK.” Of his wife, he said, “She’s deeply passionate and when she is moved she has to go. I heard her words and I was knocked over. I was happy to be married to that woman.”

[Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images]

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