Will Smith appears to address the infamous 2022 Chris Rock Oscars slap in a new freestyle, rapping, “Disrespect me on the stage, expect me on the stage,” per people.com.
Three years after the shocking incident at the Academy Awards, actor and rapper Will Smith seems to be breaking his silence in a new musical release. On June 22, Smith, 56, appeared on British DJ Charlie Sloth’s “Fire in the Booth,” where his lyrics strongly alluded to the moment he struck comedian Chris Rock.
In the freestyle’s second verse, Smith delivers lines that resonate with the 2022 event: “If you talking crazy out your face up on the stage and disrespect me on the stage, expect me on the stage.” He continued, “Jokers dish it out, cry foul when it’s time to take it/ City full of real ones, wasn’t raised to fake it.”
While Rock, 60, isn’t explicitly named, the lyrics immediately bring to mind the 94th Oscars ceremony. Smith walked onto the stage and slapped Rock after the comedian made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith’s hair, a reference to her alopecia. Smith later issued a public apology and faced a 10-year ban from Academy events. This isn’t the first time Smith has seemingly referenced the incident in his music, with his March 2025 album “Based on a True Story” also containing subtle nods to the controversy.
