analogue

If Will wanted to go viral with his music it’s worked. Unfortunately he’s gone viral because everyone is just making fun of his music and saying how terrible the song is.
i feel like he only releases the second album if he rights the ship and releases a good song next. Otherwise the comeback will go out with a whimper on this trash.
 

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'd be repeating pretty much what everyone has already said here but the album is awesome. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the swearing but that's not a deal breaker for me.  Hearing the F bomb on a Will Smith album feels weird to me. 
I'll need more time with the album and I may be jumping the gun here but this might be in his top 3 best albums. 

I'd be repeating pretty much what everyone has already said here but the album is awesome. The only thing I'm not a fan of is the swearing but that's not a deal breaker for me.  Hearing the F bomb on a Will Smith album feels weird to me. 
I'll need more time with the album and I may be jumping the gun here but this might be in his top 3 best albums. 

You Lookin' For Me, Rave In The Wateland and Bulletproof are my top 3. 

I like Bulletproof great track. But Jeff not having anything to do with a new album after 20 years and then not even performing with Will is another kick in the guts for JJFP fans. Makes no sense to me,

As much as I'm loving these recent performances it's just not the same without Jeff. 

''Bulletproof'' is probably my favourite of the new songs so far. 

''Bulletproof'' is probably my favourite of the new songs so far. 

Things have gone quiet about the new album. Will seems to be focused on promoting the newest season of Bel-Air now. 

Okay, Will needs to drop the album soon, doesn't want to lose momentum...

Will just released a new Tiktok vid of him rehearsing for his upcoming tour!! (I assume Jeff will be there too). And he's asking what cities would you like him to vist, so let him know! 
 

I'm excited for the new album, but I think he really needs to go back to the more fun songs like MIB, Jiggy and Miami. The more serious/personal songs wouldn't go over so well IMO. And we've heard enough about his personal life anyway. In fact I'd say we've heard TOO MUCH about his personal life. 
And I really hope he leaves his family out of it. 

Oh cool. I really enjoyed these documentaries. Nice to see Will back at it.
 
Meanwhile people aren’t liking a lot of Chris Rocks comments about the incident. He’s not coming across well.

Chris Rock is just an a-hole. 

Chris Rock is just an a-hole. 

Happy FP said this up and apologized. I hope Chris will reach out to him too. Not getting my hopes up cause Chris isn't the nicest guy in the world

I just read an article saying he has been admitted to a rehab center due to the stress of the whole situation.
https://www.marca.com/en/lifestyle/celebrities/2022/04/06/624db4dbe2704e5ea68b458d.html
 

I don't like to say much as I'm just an outsider looking in, but that doesn't look like a healthy relationship at all. Will looks completely broken and Jada comes off as really abusive in that clip. 

Another reason why this is shocking to a lot of people is because for decades Will's been known as this super friendly nice guy. So for him to do something like this is very out of character for him. 

I dunno. With the way things have been I'm scared Will is  gonna come out with a gangster rap album 

Honestly, as much as i hate the situation, the memes are pretty funny. 
But yeah, the media need to take it easy now, they are interviewing every celebrity about it to try and get another headline. I'm disappointed in some celebrity takes on it. Amy schumer said it was really upsetting to see Will slap Chris Rock, then ive seen another story saying one of her jokes about the Alec Baldwin shooting accident wasn't allowed. Why does she think a joke about someone getting killed can be ok?
Anyway, people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Will made a mistake, we all make mistakes, let it go. 

i'm hoping that he teams up with jeff and does a code red/willenium project in philly for the streets and get back at all; the critics, to me will's like hammer, he's harder than 99% of the fake gangsta rappers, go for eminem's crown will and go diamond with some hard heat

I hope Will understands that we're concerned
 

I think opinion is divided because people can't believe that Will Smith could do something like this. For decades he's been knowing as the fun, nice guy who's friendly with everyone. So I think that's the reason why people are trying to justify (Not that what was done can be justified) why Will did what he did.