JumpinJack AJ

If that's the album title, it's interesting. I gives the impression that there could be some heavier, series stuff mixed with fun, upbeat stuff.

Will just launched a text service. You can sign up here: https://willsmith.ffm.to/signup or text 215-244-9455. There's a WhatsApp option, too. I suppose this is his new attempt to keep in touch with his supporters, following the app he launched back in 2016.

The appearance was a good look. Just a fun, light moment. The MIB-accurate suite is on point. I'm not sure why the first video was removed. Here's one from the audience. He sounds great.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/will-smith-men-in-black-j-balvin-coachella-surprise-appearance-1235874074/ Will Smith Performs “Men in Black” With J. Balvin at Coachella in Surprise Appearance The rapper-actor was dressed in sunglasses and a black suit, like his character in the 1997 film. BY KIMBERLY NORDYKE APRIL 14, 2024 10:11PM Will Smith performs at Coachella on Sunday night. ARTURO HOLMES/GETTY IMAGES FOR COACHELLA Will Smith was a surprise guest at Coachella on Sunday night. The rapper-actor hit the stage alongside J Balvin to perform his hit song “Men in Black,” from his 1997 box office blockbuster film of the same name. Smith appeared in sunglasses and a black suit, the standard uniform of his character in the film, which starred Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as investigators in a secret organization who monitor and police extraterrestrials. Smith and Balvin rapped the song together, while backup dancers dressed as aliens and a giant alien head prop added to the effect. At the end of the performance, Balvin was dragged off by two people in black suits. Then, Smith was seen holding up the device used in the movie to erase the memories of people who witness alien activities, in addition to wiping out the memories of agents ready to retire. The movie, which made $250.7 million at the domestic box office (not adjusted for inflation), spawned three sequels: 2002’s Men in Black II, 2012’s Men in Black 3 and 2019’s Men in Black: International, the latter of which was considered a stand-alone movie set in the same universe but did not feature Smith or Jones. Coachella’s performances were full of surprise guests this weekend, including Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Shakira, Paris Hilton and Kesha, the latter of whom changed the lyrics to her hit song “Tik Tok” to say “**** P. Diddy” during her performance with Reneé Rapp. Watch part of Smith and Balvin’s performance below.

https://hiphopdx.com/news/q-tip-new-music-teaser?fbclid=IwAR0pplwj8RRmJpkApKGpcsQhEK_s6n3mwEn5CG0YkRyPEMmL_Qcw69IC0eU_aem_AajERYxMn995o2KWWXJA4x0V0AH9mY_4Jse7M7PQvwBDUkzSfjOXTBM2L8sq8n_9naWm7KrySwgE0NCl4WJM3CR7 by JOE WALKER Published on: Apr 12, 2024, 5:30 AM PDT Q-Tip fans have been waiting for a new album from the A Tribe Called Quest legend for well over a decade, but they’ve been given renewed hope that the drought will soon be over. While thanking fans for their birthday wishes on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday (April 11), the now 53-year-old Tip dropped a teaser that new music is on the way. “Love you guys and thanks for the wishes,” he wrote. “Music coming stay tuned.” When a fan asked: “when you say Music…..do you mean all 3,” he replied: “3 but some title changes on 1 of em. No algorithm. A new seed has sprouted.” The “all 3” comment refers to the three solo albums Q-Tip announced he was working on in 2020: AlGoRhythms, Riotdiaries and The Last Zulu. “Thank u for all the bday love… but I have something to share w u… 3 albums,” he wrote at the time alongside a video of himself playing the guitar. He then revealed the album titles and added: “Thank u God willing I will get with u soon.” Q-Tip released his last solo album Kamaal the Abstract in 2009. The project was intended to come out in 2002 as the follow-up to his 1999 debut Amplified, but it was shelved by his record label at the time. Since then, Tip has briefly reunited with A Tribe Called Quest to release the group’s final album, We Got It from Here… Thank You 4 Your Service, which dropped in 2016 shortly after Phife Dawg’s death. The critically acclaimed effort featured the likes of André 3000, Kendrick Lamar, Kanye West, Busta Rhymes and Anderson .Paak. Meanwhile, The Last Zulu has been in the works for over a decade, with Q-Tip previously detailing the album during an interview with Vibe Magazine back in 2012. “It’s gonna be me straight up and down … I’m coming with that boom-bap, unrelenting, lyrical, thoughtful, edgy, street, I’m just gon’ put it all in compass,” he said at the time. “So I’m really excited about it. It’s called The Last Zulu. And it’s gonna be a thing, so I’m looking forward to it.”

https://rockthebells.com/articles/rock-the-bells-exclusive-rakim-dj-jazzy-jeff-jazz/ ROCK THE BELLS EXCLUSIVE: RAKIM & DJ JAZZY JEFF TALK JAZZ AHEAD OF THEIR KENNEDY CENTER APPEARANCE By Jay Quan Published Wed, April 10, 2024 at 8:00 AM EDT Jazz music has always been an integral part of Hip-Hop. Many of the culture's foundational breakbeats were created by jazz artists. JAZZ & HIP-HOP: AN EARLY MERGER From "Take Me To The Mardis Gras", and "Nautilus" by Bob James to "Kool Is Back" by Funk Inc. and "Mr. Magic" by Grover Washington Jr., jazz records have always been part of Hip-Hop's "sacred crates", a term popularized by Grandmixer D.ST. In the early days of rap recordings, jazz artists such as Pieces of A Dream ("Mt. Airy Groove"), and Herbie Hancock ("Rock It") have experimented with Hip-Hop to great commercial success. In Hip-Hop's sample heavy era of the mid 1980's through the early 2000's many artists scored hit records, and established their signature sounds with samples from jazz records. Ahead of The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project Produced by Jill Newman Productions at D.C.'s Kennedy Center on Friday April 19, Rock The Bells sat down for an exclusive interview with Rakim and DJ Jazzy Jeff about how jazz informed their formative years. Rakim, who has long compared his game changing cadence and flow to that of a saxophone, comes from a lineage of great musicians, and music played a major role in his upbringing. "My mother sang everything from jazz to opera, and one of her favorite artists of course was Ella Fitzgerald," he explains. "There was also Sarah Vaughn and so many others," he said further. - DJ Jazzy Jeff to Rock The Bells, 2024 GROWING UP WITH JAZZ Rakim, the youngest child in his household credits his siblings with contributing to his love of jazz. "We listened to a lot of jazz, and a lot of r&b/soul," he revealed. "I was the youngest, and my oldest brother and sister went out and bought vinyl, and I had the privilege of enjoying music from all generations. There was Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye from my parents, and then Sly & The Family Stone from my brother, and Stephanie Mills from my sister." DJ Jazzy Jeff shares a similar childhood experience with the God MC. "I was the youngest of six, and being the youngest, I was the last person that was able to pick music," he recalls. "I became a sponge because my dad who passed away when I was ten was an MC for Count Basie, and we had all these 78's [78 RPM vinyl records] in the house. Records by Wes Montgomery, Jimmy Smith, and Arthur Prysock, and my brothers were into the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Chick Corea, and Herbie Hancock, while my sisters were into Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder." Jeff explains that as a result of the musical melting pot that he experienced growing up, he had a stack of music that was played in his house, once Hip-Hop hit the scene. "I have to give credit to my brother for showing me how to take a record out of a jacket when I was eight years old. You put your thumb on the side so you don't get fingerprints on the records. He showed me how to put a record on the turntable, and he gave me the ability to use a hi-fi system when he wasn't home. I was making Herbie Hancock mixtapes at 9 years old. I didn't know what I was doing, but the music that made me feel a certain way, I'd put on tape. RAKIM: THE SAXOPHONIST The musicianship in Rakim's family rubbed off on him, leading to him playing instruments early in his childhood. "My oldest brother played piano, and my brother above me played the saxophone," he explained. "Luckily my brother was lazy and would put his sax down and lay it on the sax case, and when he left I'd pick it up and try to play what he just played, or my favorite song that was out at the time. I got a chance to experience the sax early before kindergarten. I played the recorder until I was able to get my sax in the fourth grade." Being able to play his brothers piano and saxophone really gave Rakim a little more love and understanding of music, he says. "My oldest brother Ronnie was in [Kurtis Blow's touring band] Orange Krush, and he played with Mighty Sparrow, so it was dope to hear those stories. My brother just above me, Stevie Blass played on my records, and was a go to whenever I needed a bassline or something replayed. Actually both of my brothers played on my records, but Stevie was my go to." Rakim remembers his parents basement as a place that he would go to zone out to music. "I was sitting in the basement kinda wrapped up in the music, and my mom and pops had a little section in the basement where they had all their records on the shelf. If they played a record, the album cover would be sittin' there, and we read the covers a lot while the song was playing." Ra says that as he went through the album covers in the basement, he was immediately inspired by a Coltrane tune. "I remember this day sittin' in front of the album covers, not focused on any one in particular," he says. "My mother was playing a John Coltrane record, and I don't remember him playing the same melody twice. When it went off, it felt like the world cut off. It was just so dope how he attacked the record. He basically solo'd or improvised through the whole song. I remember saying 'That's how I wanna flow. I don't wanna repeat a cadence throughout a song. I'm gonna change by cadence every few bars.' It just felt like an adventure that he took us on, that's why when it went off it felt like everything stopped. I felt like if I could emulate that, I figured my songs would have an energy, like he took me on a journey." "I fell in love with the sax, and I felt that if I wanted energy on a track, nothing did it like the horns," Rakim says. "It's a sound that stands out, the bass is the backbone, but them horns set the scene and let you know that something is about to happen, or if this is a laid back scenery. I always love incorporating the horns to bring that energy." A TOUCH OF JAZZ "When Hip-Hop came along, it was a natural evolution for me to fuse what I grew up with to what we were doing,' Jazzy Jeff says. "It wasn't a stretch for me to use 'Mr. Magic', 'Fallin' Like Dominoes, and Bobbi Humphrey because these were records that we had in the house, and just from your siblings and parents you started a record collection. My love of jazz started because I was a victim of being the youngest and listening to whatever was in the house." As far as his later years as a producer and DJ, Jeff says that his "love of music brain" didn't mix with his "producer brain". "I'm a massive fan of Pat Metheny, The Yellow Jackets and stuff like that, but never in a million years thought about using any of it until later on in life. I was using what my brothers played. For my enjoyment I knew the CTI label because of Bob James, and when I started getting into production I learned that all of these labels had a sound. Most of the songs were recorded at the same studio, and I wondered 'how do they make it sound squished', before I knew about compression and limiting." When speaking of Jeff's classic "A Touch of Jazz" from Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's debut album Rock The House, Jeff says that the records that he used on it - Donald Byrd's "Change", Bobbi Humphrey's "Harlem River Drive", and "Mr. Magic" by Grover Washington Jr. were all records introduced to him by his brother. "Those were the records that my brother played, that I'd put on a mixtape," he explained. "One day I decided to make a beat and cut those records in, but I was really self conscious about playing it for anyone. Me and Rakim often talk about this. Early on me and Will did a show with Eric B. & Rakim in a place like North Carolina or somewhere, and after the show we were hanging out in my room and there were a bunch a people and a boombox. I walked into the bathroom, and one song was going off and my rough version of 'A Touch of Jazz' was coming on. I ran out of the bathroom to cut it off, and Eric B. asked 'What the **** is that?' I said 'Something I'm working on.' He was like 'That **** is incredible', and that's what made me do it. That song wasn't supposed to ever see the light of day." THE PHILLY CONNECTION As early as 1982 major jazz figures were experimenting with Hip-Hop. "Mt. Airy Groove" by Pieces Of A Dream was produced by the late great Grover Washington Jr., and contained an instrumental as well as a rap version. Eight years later Grover Washington Jr. would collaborate with Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for "Jazzy's Groove". "Pieces Of A Dream were my age, and some of the members actually did my prom," Jeff reveals. "Pieces Of A Dream are from Philly, so I knew them from Philly. Grover Washington Jr. is from Philly as well. Once me and Will started, we got love [from older musicians]. Kenny Gamble [of Gamble & Huff and Philly International Records] is like one of my big brothers, so we got love from Teddy Pendergrass and Gamble & Huff. It was like we were being accepted as part of the Philly lineage. I remember Kenny Gamble being like 'That Touch Of Jazz is bad man!'" Jeff says that he had no problem securing Washington for the collaboration. "We put together 'Jazzy's Groove', and he said that he'd love to do it. This was pre Tribe Called Quest, when everybody started diggin' for jazz records. The music was so new that we were still searching for legitimacy, and that's what Grover gave us. " When discussing "A Touch Of Jazz", Jeff explains that the original version released by Word Up records was an instrumental, but when they signed to Jive Records Will wanted to rap on it. "We were in the studio, and Will wanted to rap over it, and I was mad," says Jeff. "That was my piece, but once he put the rap on, it was kinda hot. It was good having two versions though, because there were stations in Philly that only played the instrumental, then the Hip-Hop stations played the one with Will's vocal. BOB JAMES Jeff shared that during the Covid pandemic he received a call with an offer to remix some Bob James songs for an upcoming project. "Bob James actually sued us many years ago for sampling 'Winchester Lady' on 'Here We Go Again'," Jeff shares. "Hip-Hop was new and we were using ****, and people didn't know. During the pandemic, I was forced to shut down and spend a lotta time in the studio and I've never been more creative. During that time I got a call to remix some Bob James classics. I was excited initially then I thought, Bob James isn't dead. Instead of remixing something, I'd like to do something new with him. So we got on the phone and the first thing he said was 'Is this the DJ Jazzy Jeff that we had an issue with?' We laughed about it, and I explained to him why we sample in Hip-Hop. I explained to him that I was able to produce Jill Scott and Musiq Soulchild because I went down the rabbit hole and discovered who played on his records, and he loved it!" Check out The Rakim & DJ Jazzy Jeff & Ravi Coltrane Project Produced by Jill Newman Productions D.C.'s Kennedy Center on Friday April 19. Tickets available here.

https://www.vibe.com/news/movies-tv/de-la-soul-fresh-prince-of-bel-air-1234857817/?fbclid=IwAR1C0NpztmRK2IzaGkGVgGi7faHPpIAzumEmyICZ3oT3mKOznTfUpuNu13c_aem_Aa0aYgiraUXIh-qylSJgW5eMRe-SNNhhCsU-31eUt8alB2aLsPvN5FSWVCk4H4Urajc9104XVaRxi4Tt-la9o5ph De La Soul Reveals They Almost Starred In ‘Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air’ The group revealed the information on their new Apple Music 1 show, 'Art Official Intelligence Radio.' BY MARC GRIFFIN MARCH 5, 2024 3:22PM Members of De La Soul arrive at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA on February 21, 2001. Photo credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images Winter/Getty Images De La Soul revealed they were initially approached with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air show before Will Smith. The rap group discussed the fun fact on their new Apple Music show Art Official Intelligence Radio. Queen Latifah joined the iconic group for the conversation as they took a trip down memory lane. Posdnuos explained why the group didn’t go forward with the television series, stating they were “scared.” “A lot of people don’t know, yo, the Fresh Prince thing was offered to us,” Posdnuos said, recalling the early stages of the hit show. “They want us to do this? Russell [Simmons] was like, ‘Yo, y’all need to try out. Go out there.’ We was like, ‘Nah. We do rap and stuff.’ Honestly, we were scared. Seriously, we were scared. And sh*t, I could have been Will Smith. I could have got married to Jada. Damn.” Queen Latifah reassured the emcee, expressing to him that his life still turned out just fine. “You definitely could have. But I think you good where you at right now. I think you good,” she said. Art Official Intelligence Radio with De La Soul debuted on Tuesday (Mar. 5) on Apple Music 1. The show is a limited five-episode series honoring the magical 35th anniversary of their debut album, 3 Feet High and Rising. The show, hosted by Posdnuos and Maseo, will feature new interviews, never-before-heard De La lore, and more. Guests set to appear on the show are a wide range of artists and creatives who have been influenced by or worked with the group. Fans can expect appearances from Tyler, The Creator, Common, Questlove of The Roots, Queen Latifah, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, DJ Prince Paul, Rapsody, and Dave Chappelle. The show will also feature a segment called “DemoListen,” where “De La rarities, demos, and early versions of signature hits will be shared with fans for the first time,” according to the official press release. The show is also dedicated to their childhood friend, band member and brother, the late Trugoy the Dove. “Having this show means us being able to connect into every ear listening to serve up our Art soaked in Official Intelligence,” Posdnuos said about the show. “We’ve been blessed to do this since 88 up to 2024 and god willing beyond!” “Having this show is an extension to a dream already fulfilled,” Maseo added. “So, from here on out everything is truly a blessing beyond our expectations.”

https://www.vibe.com/news/entertainment/montell-jordan-officiates-young-mc-wedding-joke-1234864227/?fbclid=IwAR3RP0sgTVONkDghjTr17pT8ec1SUI7YOlD-4FJulHgcvxYr_i15YZG1gCM_aem_AcSbHoluB4eyAM2257pdp-4REl6S9A4AxMydEyJpAGsYmYBQwSluygy2NlyK4fO88-u7ITeyP2DghtFtmJDGg5Z_ Montell Jordan Officiates Young MC's Wedding, Says “This Is How We Do It” The two musicians have been longtime friends. BY DEMICIA INMAN MARCH 26, 2024 10:26AM Montell Jordan performs during Black Music Honors 2021 at City Winery Nashville on May 5, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee; Young MC arrives at Studio 54 inside the MGM Grand Hotel/Casino on September 5, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jason Kempin/Getty Images; Jacob Andrzejczak/Getty Images for MGM Resorts International As the officiant for Young MC‘s wedding, Montell Jordan referenced his hit track “This Is How We Do It” at the altar. According to TMZ, the two musicians, who have been longtime friends, shared the moment on Sunday (March 24). “People should see your marriage and know that God is real, and that’s why we’re here today,” detailed the R&B singer-turned-pastor to the couple before moving into a non-traditional call for objections in footage shared by the tabloid. “Please feel free to leave now,” joked the Los Angeles native to guests after the bride delivered the cutthroat gesture. “This is how we do it,” he continued as the witnesses laughed. Young MC performs on stage on day two of the Falls Music Festival on December 30, 2011 in Lorne, Australia. Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images According to the outlet, Young MC married his longtime girlfriend Chantal in an intimate ceremony in Scottsdale, AZ., surrounded by friends, family, and fellow artists. Guests included Tone Loc, C+C Music Factory’s Freedom Williams, and members of the band All-4-One. The veteran rapper is best known for his 1989 hit “Bust A Move” which was featured on his debut album Stone Cold Rhymin’. The song took home the trophy for Best Rap Performance at the 32nd annual GRAMMY Awards in 1990. Young MC also co-wrote Tone Loc’s two hit records, “Wild Thing” and “Funky Cold Medina.” “I had extra pressure because, by the time I’m making this, ‘Wild Thing’ is already platinum. People are talking to me, saying, ‘Why didn’t you do that song?’ But I had no intent of doing ‘Wild Thing.’ That was Tone’s — I made it for Tone; I wrote it with Tone’s voice in mind — but having said that, I played a part in a record that was so big, I’m hoping that someone even listens to my song,” reflected Young MC on the origin of “Bust A Move” to SPIN in April 2023. “It’s slower. It’s not rock. It’s more R&B… is it going to cross? It’s got the woman singing in it. It doesn’t have rock guitars in it. ‘Funky Cold Medina’ was breaking around that time as well. So I’m seeing both of those records do what they did with the sounds that they had, and my record sounded so much different, and it was slower. I’m like, ‘Uh-oh. Hopefully something can happen he

It's been a while since since MC Lyte released new music. It was worth the wait. Give this song love on all platforms.

https://rockthebells.com/articles/will-smiths-nephew-k-smith-drops-video-for-love-kills/?fbclid=IwAR1L2p8OsDFCvdCGK7G2U7cH0_2OGTVgZU2A6Uknzs1iDISvmMX8u0s0vqM WILL SMITH'S NEPHEW, K SMITH DROPS VIDEO FOR 'LOVE KILLS' By Jay Quan Published Tue, March 19, 2024 at 11:50 AM EDT K Smith, the nephew of Will Smith has dropped a new video for "Love Kills" featuring Yung Kash Capre. This collaboration explores the harsh and devastating consequences of misplaced loyalty on the streets. Set against the gritty backdrop of Philadelphia, the "Love Kills" video starkly visualizes the song's cautionary message. For K Smith, stepping away from the microphone to explore and excel in executive roles has brought an enriched perspective to his craft. His reemergence in the music world is a narrative of evolution, as he brings newfound depth to his music. Check out "Love Kills" below.

https://comicbook.com/movies/news/bad-boys-4-release-date-moved-up-sony/?fbclid=IwAR3Gst4En24CzGzUE_NKXzTX4PPAOrCrlm9BlmEe7cqejLD5Lqxq225ud-8 Bad Boys 4 Release Date Moved Up The Will Smith and Martin Lawrence movie will now debut on June 7th. By JENNA ANDERSON - February 26, 2024 08:37 pm EST The fourth Bad Boys movie is about to arrive a little bit earlier. On Monday night, Sony Pictures announced that Bad Boys 4 will be moving to June 7th, after previously being scheduled to debut in theaters on June 14th. With this new release date, the currently-untitled movie will now screen in IMAX and premium large formats. This new release date will now place Bad Boys 4 against The Crow and The Watchers, while it was previously slated to debut on the same week as Inside Out 2. Bad Boys 4 will see the return of franchise stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, as well as Bad Boys for Life directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah. It is being described as the "culmination" of a lot of the franchise's story beats, which have been entertaining moviegoers throughout the past three decades. What Is Bad Boys 4 About? Plot details are currently under wraps about the fourth Bad Boys film, outside of the notion that it will follow the ongoing adventures of Mike Lowrey (Smith) and Marcus Burnett (Lawrence). The ensemble cast will also include Vanessa Hudgens as Kelly, Alexander Ludwig as Dorn, Paola Núñez as Captain Rita Secada, John Salley as Fletcher, and Tasha Smith as a recast Theresa Burnett. Eric Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Rhea Seehorn, and Joyner Lucas have also been cast in currently-unknown roles. "We had a great experience on the first one, both through the development process with Tom Rothman [chair of Sony] and his team, and then through the editing process and filming process… We put together, along with their help, a movie that's very satisfying for the audience, and we'd like to do it again, and I think they'd like us to do it again. We're currently working on a draft for the fourth one," franchise producer Jerry Bruckheimer said during a 2020 interview. What Is Bad Boys 4 Titled? At the moment, Bad Boys 4 does not currently have an official title — although El Arbi has teased that Bad Boys Ride or Die could end up being a possibility. "Well, you know, the title that we like – I don't know that they're going to go for it yet – would be like Bad Boys Ride or Die because Bad Boys 4 Life is already taken. We didn't know there was going to be a fourth one, you know?" El Arbi told The Playlist's The Discourse podcast. "But yeah, what's going to happen in this one is, I think that there's going to be way more comedy. The third one had the dramatic tone. With this one, it's really our purpose to get people laughing and having a good time in the theater. Martin [Lawrence] is going to a higher level in this one. This is the culmination of the Marcus Burnett arc."

https://blackamericaweb.com/2024/02/19/will-smith-signs-on-for-role-in-thriller-sugar-bandits/?fbclid=IwAR0Pyeyrqec_DIrMqt5zyJWHugsKemXqzZfZijRXbTZAkg3pW1t1uCz9R5U TELEVISION Will Smith Signs On For Role In Thriller ‘Sugar Bandits’ Smith will play an Iraq veteran in the movie based on the book "Devils in Exile." Written bytonyapendleton Published onFebruary 19, 2024 Source: Eric Charbonneau / Getty Will Smith has found his next post-Oscar role in Sugar Bandits, a movie that’s been in development for over a decade. It’s based on the 2010 book Devils In Exile written by Chuck Hogan, who’s also writing the script as he did for The Town, also based on one of his books. Smith, 55, has several projects in the pipeline after winning an Oscar for the 2021 film King Richard, playing the father of Venus and Serena Williams. Of course, at the 2022 ceremony, he famously slapped presenter Chris Rock over a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. That moment has now been thoroughly dissected by Smith, Pinkett Smith and Rock between interviews, memoirs and Rock’s comedy special Selective Outrage. But even though he’s has been banned from the Oscars until 2031, Smith’s career continues with other high-profile projects. He’s doing the Bad Boys 4 project with Martin Lawrence, reprising their roles as Miami detectives Mike Lowery and Marcus Burnett respectively. He’s also confirmed a sequel to I Am Legend with Michael B. Jordan, as previously announced. Sugar Bandits is about a group of Iraq war veterans who start ripping off drug dealers in Boston while being hunted by both the DEA and the hitmen for another drug crew. Neal Maven is the book’s lead character, so it’s likely Smith is playing him as the announcement said he’d be leading the cast. No word on a director or release date yet. Sugar Bandits is being pitched to buyers at the European Film Market happening this week. Smith’s last film, Emancipation was done at Apple TV+, directed by Antoine Fuqua. The fictionalized story of the slave known as Whipped Peter, who escaped from the South to fight with the Union Army and was photographed with a pattern of whipped marks on his back, didn’t take with audiences and was called out for its historical inaccuracy. However, Smith did win an NAACP Image Award for the role. Will Smith Signs On For Role In Thriller ‘Sugar Bandits’ was originally published on cassiuslife.com

Do you? Rewind to mid-late September 1999, Will Smith's single "Will2K" drops. A radio-ready Hip-Hop joint that samples The Clash's "Rock The Casbah". K-Ci added flava with his vocals. "Wild Wild West" was the unofficial lead into the Williennium era, before we knew the follow-up to Big Willie Style was ready to launch. "Freakin' It" was lined up as the first official single, but when "Will2K" was submitted, it was bumped. The song did well, getting radio play and lots of spins on MTV. The song's shelf life was extremely limited, giving it about two and a half months to blaze out since it had to do with Y2K. The song was performed live, then essentilaly dissolved from pop culture. *This video doesn't match up the audio with the video properly. Why doesn't Columbia or WillSmithVevo have the video properly uploaded? For me, I bump this every New Year's Eve. This time of year is a reminder of how good the song is. With age, and getting further from (so far) what were some of the best times of my life, it always takes me back to that time. It also causes me to keep Willennium on repeat for a few days. I'm just curious if many of you also revisit the song each New Year's.

I really wish people posted in this. I wanna be introduced to new stuff and revisit old stuff. ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT feat. CHUCK D and GRANDMASTER CAZ - Hip-Hop Saves Lives (2023)

https://blackamericaweb.com/playlist/lets-not-forget-will-smith-has-hits-fans-salute-will-smith-after-a-grammy-salute-to-50-years-of-hip-hop-special/item/4/ Let’s Not Forget Will Smith Has Hits: Fans Salute Will Smith After A Grammy Salute To 50 Years of Hip Hop Special Written byEditor at Global Grind Published on December 11, 2023 Source: Frazer Harrison / Getty Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff reunite for a special salute to 50 years of Hip Hop with the Grammys on Sunday (Dec. 10). The two hour “A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop” special debuted on CBS and Paramount+, and fans are still shocked at their stellar performance. Let’s not forget, Will has the hits! Checkout a list of Will Smith’s hits inside. Grammy’s celebrated hip hop trailblazers and icons on Sunday during their special as the 50 Years of Hip Hop celebrations come to a close. The special marks the academy’s second time paying tribute to the genre, the first being a star-studded lineup that took place in February during the Grammy Awards ceremony. Throughout the two-hour special, rappers and DJs from all walks of life come together to celebrate the music that started in the Bronx in the 1970s and spread across the world, charting its impact through a strong lineup of rappers, beatboxers, dancers, DJs and presenters. The special, filmed at Inglewood’s YouTube Theater on Nov, 8, featured several performers spanning the entire 50 years of Hip Hop from across the globe. Artists who joined the celebration included Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, Queen Latifah, Common, Public Enemy, Rakim, Doug E. Fresh, MC Lyte, Rick Ross, Jeezy, Jermaine Dupri, YG, Too Short, E-40, De La Soul, Akon, Black Thought, Nelly, Gunna and Chance the Rapper. The one notable moment fans can’t stop talking about is when Will Smith reunited with longtime friend and collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff for a medley of both solo and collaborative hits. Questlove, best known as the drummer for the Roots, gives a beautiful introduction to the rap duo, who were the first hip-hop act to receive a Grammy award for hip-hop in 1989 with “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Jazzy Jeff was situated behind his turntables on an elevated platform as Smith kicked it off with “Brand New Funk,” a record from their 1988 sophomore album, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. They cycle through Will’s discography from “Getting’ Jiggy With It” and “Miami” to his beloved theme song from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” Of course they kept it classic, concluding with a performance of their highest-charting single, “Summertime,” which earned them their second Grammy in 1992 for best rap performance by a duo or group. Will Smith celebrated the momentous occasion by sharing a few moments from the show and throwback clips to show what brought him to this moment.

I watched this a few times earlier today. It just made it seem like all was right with the world. I feel like artists like DJ Jazzy Jeff + Fresh Prince, Arrested Development, and J.J. Fad never get the respect they're due, but they got it with this event. Speech from Arrested Development always said like he felt the group was on their own little island alone, rarely mentioned and rarely part of a bigger community. He said all those feelings went away when they recorded this event. It sounds like JJ+FP feels the same way. Speech is one of my favorite emcees, so seeing multiple pics with him and Will, and Will singing along to AD's song just filled my heart. I hope this helps get Hip-Hop music back on track. More than that, I hope this keeps JJ+FP working together and touring.

"Never forget whose you are. This season is a time for us to remember. When the road gets rough, His plan is greater than anything we can make up. Find encouragement in the truth. He is always with us. Happy Holidays #AlliHave is on the way… creative direction + photography by Trokon V. Hill design by Sunahtah Jones" Her social media has had some posts with her singining and referring to her 1998 album, so I thought she might be dropping hints that something was coming..

The pictures are flooding in on various artists' social media. It's all love and the Fresh Prince is home. The world has felt a little less broken in the last few hours.

Jeff posted a series of pictures, too.

In the age of social media, the small minded, tacky, gossip-y thrive. They love to see turmoil. That will never change. Tabloids have milked the slap for all they can. Jada's recent interviews are essentially PR clickbait to get people to buy her book. In the event of those recent interviews, it's only made more people support Will. With the new podcast and other projects, he'll navigate it just fine.In the age of social media, the small minded, tacky, gossip-y thrive. They love to see tormoil. That will never change. Tabloids have milked the slap for all they can. Jada's recent interviews are essentially PR clickbait to get people to buy her book. In the event of those recent interviews, it's only made more people support Will. With the new podcast and other projects, he'll navigate it just fine.

https://hiphopdx.com/news/will-smith-treach-date-pepa?fbclid=IwAR2gpa2tSsoVhNaKez_W5LyjUHG8fAoR4iiCmCQtBjMJNLVRo0g7UcwpCqU by RUTH HAWKINS Published on: Oct 28, 2023, 8:15 AM PDT Will Smith has been in the news lately due to his unconventional relationship with his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith. But things may have played out differently with Salt-N-Pepa‘s Sandra Denton. In a new excerpt from Smith’s podcast Class of ’88 that features the star talking with Salt-N-Pepa, Denton — who toured with the Fresh Princeand his partner DJ Jazzy Jeff during the early days of their music career — shared that she went on a single date with Smith, and was intrigued by him, but denied his advances because she felt he was far too “nice.” “Okay, you were very nice,” she began recalling the date began with a drive in L.A. “This was the date you won and beat us out. You was so happy. You was like let’s go celebrate,” she said, referencing Smith’s first-ever Grammy win in 1989 where he and Jeff beat out Salt-N-Pepa and LL COOL J, who were also nominated in the rap category. “Then we were out and you saw a homeless person. You gave the homeless person $100. And it was so nice. Then, we went to the Hollywood sign,” she continued, as Smith recalled Pepa was on a break from her ex, Treach. “I think you and Treach had been broke up for a minute. So, in my mind when I was like trying to spit my game but I ain’t really have nothing. Cuz my concern was I was gonna get killed,” said Smith. It was a sentiment Salt agreed “was a legit concern,” a response that made everyone assembled crack up laughing. Check out the podcast excerpt here. Soon after catching wind of the clip, Treach himself took to socials where he addressed the situation by poking fun at the Chris Rock-Smith slapping incident. “”KEEP MY NAME CONCERNING MY EX-BITCH OUT YO ****ING MOUTH”!! [laughing emoji],” he captioned a post in which he reshared a headline about the story. Denton’s comments echo a 2009 interview with Global Grind where she elaborated on her regret. “I thought Will was really cute, and we would hang out a lot on the road. He liked to take care of me and never let me spend a dime. He was that kind of guy, real generous,” said Pepa, explaining the tour together while competing in Hip Hop contests. “I sometimes kick myself when I think about what could have been. He was so nice to me, but I really wasn’t feeling him. I guess I couldn’t appreciate a nice guy like Will Smith. He wasn’t thug enough. I was attracted to thugs and hoodlums. Will was too nice to me,” she added. News of Smith and Denton’s missed connection comes amid the chaos unleashed on the rapper-actor’s marriage after his wife, Pinkett-Smith, made a series of shocking revelations about their relationship to promote her new memoir Worthy — including that they’ve been secretly separated for 7-years. However, the pair are reportedly working on making their way back to each other.

Yes, this is dope!

https://hiphopdx.com/news/will-smith-hotter-than-2pac-wack-100?fbclid=IwAR3GJjzzraEYa3b3l9PXA7RxzbezdHb4Kb2LPkEpKAuk9JgbZgRfI-VACHc MATT WINKELMEYER/GETTY IMAGES | RON GALELLA COLLECTION/GETTY IMAGES | UNIQUE NICOLE/GETTY IMAGES WILL SMITH WAS A ‘HOTTER’ RAPPER THAN 2PAC IN THE ’90S, ARGUES WACK 100 by KARAN SINGH Published on: Oct 18, 2023, 1:00 PM PDT Will Smith was a way better rapper than 2Pac, according to Wack 100, who made his point with a complete lack of restraint. During an interview with DCTHETRUTH that premiered on Sunday (October 15), the manager and entrepreneur went off while addressing comparisons between Smith and the late legend. In doing so, he made sure to give the Fresh Prince his flowers. “Put some respect on Will Smith name, bro,” he began. “The only thing ‘Pac did better than Will was got killed better in real life. Other than that, he can’t **** with Will on nothing. Music-wise, Will was hotter than ‘Pac. Will was hotter than ‘Pac before ‘Pac was hot — this a fact.” About the rapper-turned-actor also elevating DJ Jazzy Jeff during his ascension, he added: “And guess what? He did something ‘Pac didn’t do. Ya’ll ready for this one? He put his DJ on. What’s ‘Pac DJ name? What’s Will Smith DJ name?” Check out the full interview below: With Jada Pinkett Smith doing a press tour for her upcoming book, Worthy, Will Smith and 2Pac’s names have been coming up a lot given her proximity to both at different times in her life. Most recently, the 52-year-old said that she believes both titans could’ve been close friends had the Death Row MC survived the fatal 1996 Las Vegas shooting. The Matrix actor sat down with Jay Shetty for an episode of his On Purpose podcast earlier this week, during which she predicted their bond had things turned out differently. She also explained that the California legend lent his stamp of approval when she started dating Will, without saying a word. “If ‘Pac had survived Vegas, he and Will would’ve ended up being really good friends,” she said. “They would’ve had a lot to offer each other. Funny enough, Will was the only person when I started dating him, ‘Pac never said anything. “If I dated anybody else, ‘Pac had something to say. He didn’t think anybody was good enough, which I understand. But when I started dating Will, he didn’t say anything. Which meant to me, in his own way, he approved. He didn’t say anything. Not a word, which made me believe he approved.”

Yesterday I saw the article Okayplayer posted about this. I kind of figured the upcoming podcast was going to serve as a catalyst for something related to music. Admittedly, I'm not exactly a Joyner Lucas fan. I just hope this won't be an album that is filled with murky, soulless, modern beats and tired modern rap flows.