Will Smith confirms release date for first album in 20 years, Based on a True Story
The actor is returning to his musical roots with his latest upcoming release.
Will Smith has confirmed he’ll be returning to music with his first release in 20 years.
The upcoming album, Based on a True Story, is set to drop on 28th March, with Smith sharing the retro-style album cover online.
Sharing the news, Smith wrote: "It’s OFFICIAL!! My new album, Based on a True Story, drops on March 28. TWO WEEKS!! Hit that presave. Been working on this project for a minute and I’m itchin’ to get it out to y’all."
In the cover art, Will is seen in blue jeans, a white t-shirt and a prep-style red and white jacket with matching baseball cap, which he’s holding as he poses.
Alongside the art post, Smith confirmed the 14 tracks appearing on the list, and revealed that he will reunite with DJ Jazzy Jeff, with whom he worked closely during his Fresh Prince musical era.
Together, they released time-defying hit songs Summertime, Boom! Shake the Room and Parents Just Don’t Understand.
Will’s 26-year-old son, Jaden, will also appear on the album for the track Work of Art.
Beautiful Scars, which he released earlier this year, will be present on the album too.
Based on a True Story is Smith’s first musical release since the album Lost and Found in 2005, after which he focused on his blossoming acting career, becoming one of the most bankable stars in Hollywood.
During the height of his career, Will became known for providing the title tracks and theme songs to his blockbusters, including Men in Black and Wild Wild West.
Over the course of his career, he released Big Willie Style in 1997, Willennium in 1999, and Born to Reign in 2002, before Lost and Found.
In 2022, Smith faced a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards after slapping presenter Chris Rock live on stage after a joke made at the expense of his wife, Jada Pinkett-Smith.
He won an Oscar for Leading Actor for his performance as Richard Williams, father of Venus and Serena Williams, in tennis biopic King Richard at the same ceremony.
Shortly after the incident, Smith resigned from the Academy, and has since been busy with projects including Bel-Air, a gritty reboot of sitcom Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and TikTok collaborations.
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Authors
Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.
