Will Smith has once again addressed the infamous Oscars slap that shocked viewers in 2022. In a recent appearance on British DJ Charlie Sloth’s Fire in the Booth, Smith dropped a freestyle verse that alluded to the moment he slapped Chris Rock on live television. While he never names Rock, his lyrics evoke the tension of that evening.
In the second verse, Smith raps:
“If you talking crazy out your face up on the stage and disrespect me on the stage, expect me on the stage.”
He follows with:
“Jokers dish it out, cry foul when it’s time to take it. City full of real ones, wasn’t raised to fake it.”
These lines appear to channel his experience during the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022. At the ceremony, Rock joked about Jada Pinkett Smith’s alopecia—“G.I. Jane 2, can’t wait to see ya”—provoking Smith to storm the stage and slap him, before shouting, “Keep my wife’s name out your f***ing mouth!”
Smith’s action led to his resignation from the Academy and a 10‑year ban from Oscar events. He later issued an apology, calling the moment “unacceptable and inexcusable” and expressing regret for letting emotions drive his actions.
A Freestyle With Intentional Resonance
Smith’s Fire in the Booth session was more than casual rap. He prefaced his bars by warning listeners: “my insights don’t sound right in sound‑bites,” signaling his awareness of how lines might be picked apart. Throughout the freestyle, he references his Oscars, Emmys, Grammys, and nervously acknowledges his “right to be arrogant.”
This appearance follows themes first explored on his March 2025 album, Based on a True Story. On that record, he referred to being “canceled” and defended Jada:
“Him and Jada both crazy, girl, what you talkin’ ’bout? You better keep his wife’s name out of your mouth.”
Another track, “You Lookin’ for Me?”, includes the line:
“Took a lot, I’m back on top … even though I won’t get nominated.”
These lyrics suggest Smith is reclaiming his narrative through his art. “He’s back on top,” he asserts—but acknowledges the impact of past controversies.