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I saw him in Hamburg. I dont know when the doors opened, but i went in one hour before the show started (i had a golden circle ticket). There was an opening act (Denyo & DJ Mad from a german rap group called Absolute Beginner) which went for an hour. Will said in several interviews that he's gonna go on tour with Jeff, so it was really disappointing when i realized that Jeff wasnt there. His performance was entertaining though. He opened the show with his verse from Joyner's Will remix, proceeded with Jiggy, Miami, Boom Shake The Room, Brand New Funk, Switch, Fresh Prince, Men in Black, Wild Wild West and then his new stuff like Rave In The Wasteland, Work of Art, You Can Make It, Pretty Girls, which was obviously the weakest part in my opinion. He ended the show with Summertime and his Willywood verse from The Chosen One. The overall concept was really nice as he paid tribute to James Avery and did the Carlton dance and other funny stuff in between songs. The biggest downside was the heavy rain (typical of Hamburg) and the non functional drainage system. The water flooded the whole front area and was up to my ankle. So jumping was impossible and my sneakers are ruined... It wasnt JJFP, but i think i'll consider it as one item off my bucket list.

All I can say is wow. Last night was the best concert I’ve ever been to. It was even better than Blackpool. Will has so much energy, it just sort of radiates off him. I saw Jeff a few months ago and I can say the same about both of them. They have the same energy as they had 40 years ago. You can tell they are both lifelong entertainers. The show had everything. Nostalgia with the FPOBA theme tune, the Apache dance and the tribute to uncle Phil. His older hits are obviously big tunes for everyone. His newer stuff went down well. He did a good job setting up “You can make it” so everyone got into it. “Work of art” was great but he had to stop half way as someone was about to collapse ( very hot and cramped up front) so we missed a chunk. He put “ get lit” in. Although none of us like the song, he gets the crowd into it. I was very excited to see WWW as he didn’t do it in Blackpool. The production was incredible with the backdrop, the dancers and that male singer is incredible. Seeing the Oscar in real life was fab and it was nice to see him proud of it. I think the last few years you could see Will lost some of his sparkle but seeing him on stage he looked so happy and he soaked up the crowd when they shouted his name. I hope from this he does more shows, especially for you guys in America and Australia. He clearly loved every second. It was great spending it with big fans, we did JJFP.com proud by yelling those BNF lyrics louder than anyone. And I got a shout of from Will coz I made a sign saying “I’m not even real, I’m A.I” and laughed and read it out.

Managed to get myself to the show in London. I echo everything Julie said. Best concert I’ve ever been too. The nostalgia, the journey, the accountability, the crowd involvement, the reflection. It was perfect

So that was awesome. But it could have been way better. Hear me out: At first we had the opener Beginner Soundsystem (Beginner without Jan Delay) which where awesome and great fun for about 30 minutes. As it was only a bit over an hour (1:20 with Pause) you can clearly see that this Tour was not intended in the first place. There were only Festivals planned. And the concept is absolutely ok for that. Adding some Headline concerts with basically the same concept with just a few more songs and then sell it as a "Based on a true story" concert... that was ****ed up marketing. It was more a Best of Will Smith concert. And I liked every bit of it. But if they had marketed that as kind of best of Tour he def. would have sold more tickets. Frankfurt was only sold for about 70-80% is my guess. The prices are one thing (I paid 170. If I had waited, that was down to 120 In the end. Front Stage was 250 and then down to 110...) I don't know if it was an issue with the Festhalle but the Sound was veeeeery bad mixed. Way too much bass and constantly overdriven. This is in this case, not as bad as it could have been since Hip Hop is very bass-heavy, luckily. But it could have been a better experience nonetheless. The Setlist was mostly like DefCems. We had Hard Smile at the very end, A Bad Boys Mix and I believe a different opener but I'm not sure what it was. I loved the Avery part, but my seat was so bad I couldn't watch any of the scenes. Bad Stage design, but the worst part was: They didn't show it at the two smaller screens on the side... I also loved the Old School Hip Hop Part with a Breakdance Crew and everything. And I liked that he had a Band. It is much better than tape... Overall. It was, maybe not worth the 170..., but Im glad I finally could see him Live on Stage after all those years. I had fun, it was a nice crowd overall, mostly my age or even older (I am 37). But... I didn't needed the Translator lady. It was a nice gesture, tough for some older folks. If you can see him you should go. Who knows if we ever get that chance again. And here is the Merch. The Red Shirt is available in Black too. The Shirts are 45 and the Cap is 35. There is also a Bag for 25 with the same design as the black shirt.

I dont wanna sound too harsh, but this is what i honestly feel. I don't know what it is, but Will sounds off. It's like he's trying too hard to come off as dominant, superior, hard and at the same time he lacks confidence... which gives me a feeling of not being authentic. I totally understand why people are annoyed, especially the younger generation. He probably comes off as somebody who just started rapping. I have also read some comments and you really can't refute the criticism, when people f.e. point out that he rhymed "tonight" with "tonight" three times on Pretty Girls. His flow is very basic, his rhyme scheme is the same as 20 years ago. It looks like he never touched the pen in the past 20 years. As i mentioned previously, i think he is way behind his peers like LL, Rakim, Nas, which is very sad. His rap persona ego is just too big compared to what he delivers. I'm sorry that i couldn't be more positive and i don't wanna spoil the excitement, but as a long time fan i just had to express my true feelings. I still hope that he will go back to his roots and make some fun storytelling tracks with Jeff.

The song is getting a better reaction than what I thought! I've even had a friend who's not particularly a Will fan message me saying, "Will's new track is a banger!" I don't think that's happened since Switch! It might not be what we were hoping for or expected but maybe this gets more people listening to Will's new music, which can only be a good thing! All I know is, I got to see Will live this week in London, he signed my Willennium vinyl, I'm seeing him again in August and he's consistently releasing new music. So I'm not going to take this for granted. In 10 years, Will will be in his mid 60s and none of this will be happening. I'm just going to enjoy that he's still making music while I can!

The new song is cool and I’m glad Will is having fun with the music again, but I was thinking of something…he constantly talks about wanting to be respected as an artist. He wants his name in the same breath as Dre, Jay, Rakim, LL, Slick Rick, etc…but if he wants that we need some real hip hop. He needs to dig back deep to his roots. We know he’s capable of spitting bars. We need more tracks like Tantrum. These days it’s hard to sell and it’s even harder to get a hit like Jiggy…I feel like that’s kinda what he’s shooting for with a summer anthem like this but at the end of the day he has a chance to really do something to cement his name in hip hop. Not that that isn’t already in stone, but to really show out and prove himself in a rap game that’s currently lacking. You look at Nas, LL, Dre, Snoop…these old heads are still spittin and still getting respect. I really hope these next 2 seasons have some real stuff. Just my two cents. If this is what he wants and he’s just having fun then I support it.

Found out about an unreleased album today from 97. Features 24 tracks on, I believe, 2 cassettes I've contacted the record company who uploaded all the info to see if I can get hold of it

Such a great find! I hope we get to hear all of these songs one day! Here’s a link to one of the tracks.

Myself, Kev, Brakes and Michelle are meeting up in Wolverhampton to see the show tomorrow. Im so excited, I’ve heard nothing but good things from people who were there. We are hoping to get there early to be as close as we can.

I went to both shows in Orange. The venue was crazy, so impressive. I don’t want to post and talk too much about it because I know a lot of you guys are still going to see the show and I don’t want to spoil the experience. Let me tell you one thing: people love him! They don’t care about Jada, the slap and all that bull****. They just want to see him do his thing. The classic songs get the show going, Get Lit gets a huge response. The newer stuff sounds great live. Loved these two shows! Seeing him again in my homeland Belgium next week.

Doors open 18:00/6pm 2hrs before 20:00/8pm. This Shirt in Red and Black, an other Black Shirt with WS Based on a true story on it and a red cap. Thats the Merch for this Tour at least in Germany. Iam ready Mr. Smith...

Not sure what’s going on with new people joining and leaving negative comments but I guess that’s the internet these days. It definitely has mixed reviews, a lot of hate but lots of comments enjoying it too. Nearly half million views on YouTube in 3 days. Ive honestly been playing the song none stop all weekend. I don’t want it to appear that I have bad taste in music here haha, but there’s something about it that’s so enjoyable to me. It’s a shame that I feel like I’m enjoying it by myself. It’s like stoichennium said, he’s not gonna be doing this in 10 years. In fact I never thought I’d see him do this in 2025. Embrace it. He’s not gonna make another BWS at his age. But we’ve got a tour and 3 albums. Your hip hop stuff is coming. That anxiety rhyme will be on the album.

An account with two posts and a personal attack. I've no reason to lie. What's happening to this board? I've been a member over 20 years and suddenly the board is littered with new accounts focused on posting negative comments. I don't like it.

This is my first time seeing this. I've revisited The Boys' music recently. For a split second, in their 1989 music video, around the minute and 30 second mark, you'll see a familiar face.

Source: https://variety.com/2025/music/news/will-smith-big-sean-beautiful-scars-the-matrix-1236267405/

Yeah someone pointed this out to me. Its defo Will on the song and the scratching really sounds like Jeff. Call me an optimist but really think stuff is still on the way. I think he might of gone back into the studio to change some things coz pretty girls didnt go down well. (I still love it btw)

Yep, here's the post: https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/reel/DTdBL3BjMfz/ And it looks like those scratches are from Jeff!

I watched the last Will's short video on facebook from Pole to Pole, and I have noticed, that the song played on the background of the video sounds like his potential new song, there is his voice on this record at the end of the video.

I don't mind Will experiementing. It's just not cool that he waited 20 years to drop and experimental album and won't follow up with the kind of material we know and love him for. "Pretty Girls" was a huge misfire. I'm wondering how many people along the way were down for this. When Will would do something musically over the past decade, he would generally get lots of love....but then he did something the opposite of what got him the love with "Pretty Girls". He needs to follow up with something dope. Walking away on "Pretty Girls" will just be weird and a poor choice.

Will in Wolverhampton https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/p/DOHzBYjCSR_/

This whole comeback has just been very disappointing Tim it would have been just fine if Will just did an album true to his roots instead of trying to vent so much and be relavant just a straight oldschool feel good vibe album with Jeff on production and scratching would have felt so much better than what we got.

Congrats with the book!

Based On A True Story: Rave In The Wasteland - 5 Month Later I was listening to the album in the car the other day and found that my opinion of the album hasn't changed much. I'm curious how others feel about it. This album is the first JJ+FP/Will Smith/DJ Jazzy Jeff album that I didn't play almost non-stop for weeks/months after it came out. While I feel like an artist should freely explore and do what they want, that's the reason it hasn't kept me. "Hard Times (Smile)" and "Make It Look Easy" are still my favorites. I listen to them pretty often. This songs would have found their way to a "traditional" Will Smith album. "Int. Barbershop Day" was necessary to me, but due to the subject matter, I feel the song has a shelf life that has me over it, wishing that dope beat was used for a different subject matter. "You Can Make It" is still a gem. It's a highlight and it gave him a gospel hit. Thank God for that. You Lookin' For Me?, Rave In The Wasteland, and Bulletproof, Work of Art, and Beautiful Scars are all good songs, but I'm rarely in the mood to hear them until they come on. I've never been much of a fan of "Tantrum". I like "First Love" more than most people here, but I feel like both of these songs would have been stronger on other artists' albums, featuring Will. I think he really should have released physical copies. Even with a limited run of a few thousand CD and records (and even cassettes) would have created more interest for certain people and helped it chart. I had been eyeing someone who was selling bootleg versions of it on CD, but they recently stopped offering them, I guess due to the lack of interest. Some people will roll their eyes at this, but I'm just not feeling Will cussing in his rhymes. I'm so glad his tour has been sucessful. Sadly, that's what a lot of legends have to do to keep the momentum going. They'll drop albums and not get the sales they used to, but the tour helps justify it. I kind of wish he'd just release Based On A True Story as a triple album and let the main supporters buy the album and enjoy all he's created. I hope he's in love with being on the road, and I hope it brings him back to center so we can get the classic Hip-Hop that he's a master at.

There’s really no AI in these pictures or videos. I went to three of his shows, all the people you see in those pictures and videos are real. This is just some media bull****. People keep finding new ways to hate on him.

oh wow this is amazing - great effort man!

I went to this show. Setlist was a bit different from his shows in Orange. Had a great time!

Glad you enjoyed it man! I'm seeing him this week in France and next week in Belgium.

Will in Marbella https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/p/DMoByk-M7cl/ I had the priviledge of attending this concert. Had a great time! It was amazing to see him performing songs like 'Brand New Funk' or 'Boom! Shake The Room' live. And also 'Bulletproof' from the new ones. A really great and unforgettable experience for me. Thank you, Will.

Will in Frankfurt https://www.instagram.com/p/DMRAokqsId8/

No idea how anyone can prefer “get lit” or “first love” to this song. pretty Girls doesn’t deserve the hate! (My kids love it lol)

Pretty girls has nearly 2 million views on YouTube. Of his newer stuff beautiful scars has 6.8 million views, work of art has 2.6 and tantrum has 2.1 so it’s doing pretty well as far as that goes. I like that the new remixes are helping it get attention, but they all sound terrible to me. Horrible hardcore, sped up dance. The best part of pretty girls is the beat and how Will flows around it. These remixes don’t have that.

Surprised he’s performing “get lit” to be honest. Im really excited to hear some songs from BOATS and pretty girls, even if no one else gets the vibe I'm gonna be singing my heart out. And I want to see Wild Wild West. He will obviously do all the classics but I’ve seen those before in Blackpool. Can’t wait for some new stuff (still working on learning all the words)

I really agree with Def. Yes he’s having fun and doing his thing which I can respect, but it’s very forced. Listen to the new albums by LL, KRS, and the multiple recent albums by Nas. They adapted but still kept that old school vibe that makes them genuine. Will isn’t really doing that. I don’t know how else to word it. He’s not reading the room at all. one thing I always wanted to see Will do is come back and embrace hip hop. Work with some bigger producers. Spit real raps. Tap into his fresh prince side. But in reality he’s too busy trying to catch lightning in a bottle with a quick hit on some average beats. This isn’t what we wanted. I was listening to big Willie style the other day and it’s crazy how much more of an emcee he sounds like compared to today. Yes he was younger but that’s no excuse. Others can do it. No reason he can’t.

Will Smith being interviewed on the Big Time Podcast in Saudi Arabia. I don't believe this interview has been posted anywhere on this site.

Thanks for sharing! Yeah, I think this is the first time he has done 'Light Em Up' live. And I really enjoyed that old school hip hop section as well.

so far this is the largest chunk I’ve found of the show. Not great footage but it is what it is. Really impressed with what I’ve seen so far. The “old school hip hop” section was unreal. Think this is the first time he’s performed “light em up”. shocked to see “get lit” make a return lol.

Will in Morocco https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/p/DLXh1rxMqgC/

It's strange. A lot of comments for this era have been positive outside of "Pretty Girls". I guess this channel just isn't for him. I will say that host is super annoying.

I want more of this!

It is a summer banger. Specially the sped up version.

Yeah the comments are brutal. I feel like he just can’t win. People just keep hating on him.

Here’s my take: What Die-Hard Will Smith Fans Are Really Hoping For… The biggest issue long-time fans like me have with Will Smith’s recent music isn’t just about the lyrics or delivery, it’s about the vibe. Lately, we’ve seen a nostalgic resurgence of old-school hip hop legends returning to the sound that made them great. LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Snoop, they’ve all dropped new music that pays homage to their roots. The production feels familiar, the flows feel old school, and it’s clear they’re not trying to chase trends, they’re owning their legacy. That’s what many of us hoped Will would do too. Instead, there’s a sense that he’s still trying to stay current. And while there’s nothing wrong with evolving, what’s missing from his newer material is the magic formula that made his music so iconic in the first place: a hooky chorus and Jeff’s beats. If you go back and listen to the four DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince albums, then Big Willie Style, and Willennium, there’s a consistent thread, disco and funk-inspired samples that gave the music bounce, soul, and fun, into a old school hip hop vibe. Think about it: “Men In Black” flipped Forget Me Nots “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” borrowed He’s the Greatest Dancer “Wild Wild West” leaned on I Wish by Stevie Wonder It’s that sampling style, rich, funky, and upbeat, that gave Will Smith’s music its joyful, timeless energy. DJ Jazzy Jeff’s production wasn’t just about laying down a beat, it was about crafting a full-on party in a song. This paired with Will’s playful, clean and charismatic delivery, meant the result was something truly unique in hip hop. That’s why the recent material feels off. Will isn’t lacking things to say, in fact, with everything he’s experienced personally and professionally, he has more stories than ever. But instead of channeling those stories through the style that made him a household name, he’s been trying to fit into the modern mold… and in the process, losing some of that original spark. For me, this trend started way back with Born To Reign, and with exception of Switch, Perhaps a few others, Lost and Found wasn’t that great either. 20 years on, and Wills really lost sense of what got him the first rap Grammy. Take Willennium, tracks like “Freakin’ It,” “Will 2k” and “So Fresh” were big, bold, and full of personality. The hooks stuck in your head for days. The beats were polished but still playful. That sound had identity, it was unmistakably him. What fans want, or at least, what I want, is a return to the chemistry that only Will and Jeff had. The back and forth energy, the jazzy cuts, the disco samples. Even if the subject matter is more mature now, the sound doesn’t have to lose its joy. There’s nothing wrong with growing older in hip hop. In fact, when you do it on your own terms, like so many of Will’s peers have, it only strengthens your legacy. And maybe, just maybe, it’s not too late for Will to give us one more album that feels like it was dug out of the vaults from the Homebase - Big Willie Style era. Because let’s be honest, no one else ever did that blend of fun, funky, clean hip hop quite like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. And if there’s one thing the fans would get jiggy with, it’s that.

I don’t mind Will doing fun songs, I actually think it’s a good idea. But compare Getting Jiggy Wit It to this. There’s just no comparison. How bad Wills raps are is really disappointing. I feel like the stuff when he was going to make his comeback maybe 6 years ago was way better.

Ok I’m gonna lighten it up with a bit of positivity in here. It’s certainly far from my favourite of the new tracks but I don’t hate it like you guys. ok so it’s a bit corny and it does leave Will open to be made fun of. But what’s new there, he’s been made fun of since 1988. The lyrics aren’t great, however, not every song needs to be deep. I like the beat, it’s fun, silly and catchy. The video is a bit like his fresh Prince days. The song reminds me of”my humps” by the black eyed peas. People said it was cheesy but people loved it. On another positive note. Will and Jeff are playing Wembley this Sunday with capital fm, it’s one of the biggest radio stations in the UK. They played the song this morning for millions of listeners. I would have preferred one of his better songs but telling so many people he has an album out might get some more fans aware of BOATS.

You’re not really stating facts, you’re stating your opinion which is fine. I’m not gonna get into an argument about our different opinions, everyone is entitled to their own. Let’s get back on topic.

You do come off hard with the negativity man. It’s always great to see new members join this board but when your first posts are like this it sends out the wrong vibe, you know? I respect your opinion, this song is not for everyone. I think it’s okay. He has done worse songs in my humble opinion. “I Can’t Stop”, “Willow Is A Player” and “First Love” come to mind. I guess he’s just having fun and doing his own thing. It just sucks for us, real hip hop heads, that he isn’t making the songs we would like him to do. I enjoyed his last album when it dropped but I don’t listen to a lot. We need Jeff to be more involved with the music and the tour. He makes the best songs when Jeff is involved!

Y’all need to lighten up. (And I’m not including the random bots that just ascended upon us)

Will in Mexico https://www.instagram.com/willsmith/p/DJyWc08RyvS/

I think Men In Black could go on forever. Of course, that should only happen if the stories make it necessary. A main factor of the appeal of the first movie was that it was completely original. After that, the stories can be original, but you can't re-capture the newness and overall original-ness of it, being introduced into that world. Since they wrapped things up nicely in the third movie and since the fourth one involved other characters and was pretty average, they should just leave the original universe alone. I think it could be a good idea to reboot it in the future, slightly change the tone to make it its own, and have the release of the films be more consistent. A big picture of multiple films should be in mind up front so that they don't vary in quality. I'm interested in seeing what might happen.