Actor Will Smith, who rose to fame in the ‘80s as a rapper before pursuing an acting career, has made his return to music, performing his newest single live at the BET Awards on Sunday.
Mr. Smith, 55, took the stage at the annual awards show to perform “You Can Make It.” The song, released on June 28, features Haitian-American singer-songwriter Fridayy and the Sunday Service Choir, a gospel group created by rapper Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.
Mr. Smith was also joined by singer-songwriter Chandler Moore and gospel singer Kirk Franklin during his performance, which began with the actor surrounded by a ring of fire.
‘You Can Make It’
Toward the end of Mr. Smith’s performance, Mr. Franklin, 54, shared a spoken-word sermon about how people can persevere through trials and tribulations by putting their faith in God.“Brother Will, if I can testify for a minute about how tough times don’t last long,” he began.
“See God is working all things out in your favor. Can I get a witness in the building?” he continued in part. “God knows I’m a believer running out of faith. And just because I’m stuck on a bad chapter it doesn’t mean in my life I gotta throw away the whole book.”
Mr. Smith closed out the show, rapping: “Nobody gets an easy ride. We all have a cross to bear, but there is wisdom in that fire. And every single moment of your life is a brand-new opportunity. We are not being punished, we are being forged. Dance in your darkest moments.”
Rapper Turned Actor
Mr. Smith began his career rapping in the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince alongside producer Jeffrey Townes. The two artists made history in 1989, winning the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for their hit single, “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” off their 1988 album “He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper.”Mr. Smith later embarked on a solo rap career, releasing a handful of albums, including 1997’s “Big Willie Style,” 1999’s “Willennium,” 2002’s “Born to Reign,” and 2005’s “Lost and Found.”
The Philadelphia native’s stage name inspired the NBC sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” The show was loosely based on Mr. Smith’s life and ran for six seasons, airing from September 1990 to May 1996. During this time, Mr. Smith became a household name, landing roles in “Bad Boys” (1995) and “Independence Day” (1996), as well as “Men in Black” (1997), “Enemy of the State” (1998), and “Wild Wild West” (1999), among many others.
In 2022, Mr. Smith won his first Oscar, garnering the Academy Award for best performance by an actor in a leading role for his part in the 2021 biographical sports drama “King Richard.” He also took home that year’s Golden Globe for best performance by an actor in a motion picture for his role in the film.
Mr. Smith’s latest movie, “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” the fourth installment of the “Bad Boys” action-comedy series, debuted on June 7. The actor showcased his musical talents for the film, collaborating with Jamaican singer and rapper Sean Paul on the song “Light ‘Em Up,” which is featured on the movie’s soundtrack.
