Will Smith to return to music after signing new record deal

26 July, 2024

Will Smith at 'Bad Boys: Ride or Die' premiere. Photo credit: Carsten Koall/picture alliance via Getty Images

Will Smith has signed a new record deal a month after revealing that he has been working on his first album in nearly 20 years.

The multi-award-winning rapper and actor has signed with the new independent label SLANG, led by esteemed music executive Rene McLean, a co-founder of Influence Media Partners. The label also brought on Big Sean, Mary J. Blige, Cardi B, and Roddy Ricch to its roster (per Forbes).

“I’m proud to lead SLANG’s efforts to partner with quality artists and invest in their growth, regardless of genre or where they are in their respective careers,” McLean said in a statement.

“In a quickly changing music industry, SLANG artists will be surrounded by a team of like-minded strategists who will stop at nothing to further their trajectory and help them meet their goals. Our commitment to culture comes first, and we consider our SLANG roster family.”

The news comes a month after his performance at the 2024 BET Awards, where Smith rapped his new song ‘You Can Make It’ with the Sunday Service Choir, gospel icon Kirk Franklin and R&B singer Fridayy.

While on stage, the Wild Wild West star gave a powerful speech. “Nobody gets an easy ride,” he said at the time, seeming to refer to his infamous altercation when he slapped Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars. “We all have a cross to bear, but there’s wisdom in the fire, and every moment is an opportunity. Embrace the journey.”

In May, the rapper-turned-Hollywood actor sat down with Fandango to talk about the fourth instalment of the Bad Boys film franchise, Bad Boys: Ride or Die. Elsewhere in the chat, Smith was asked if he would ever return to music, to which he stated that he is planning to release his first LP in two decades.

“Over the past year and a half, I’ve been in the studio, so I have a project that is the most personal and powerful music project I’ve ever done,” he told the outlet, before giving the interviewer a bracelet that represented “the thematic premise of [his] music.”

He added that: “The idea of the music is [to] dance in your darkest moments. So that one says, ‘Dance in the darkness’.”

At the beginning of his career, Smith was one-half of the rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince and dropped their first-ever album ‘Rock the House’ in 1987. They achieved fame with chart-toppers like ‘Summertime’ and ‘Parents Just Don’t Understand’, the latter earning the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989.

Smith transitioned into a solo star and dominated the charts with tracks such as his 1997 debut single ‘Men In Black’ and ‘Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It’ – both also won him two Best Rap Solo Performance Grammys.

His last album was 2005’s ‘Lost & Found’. Since then, he has been featured on songs by Marc Anthony, Nicky Jam, Joyner Lucas, Bomba Estéreo and even his son, Jaden. Most recently, he teamed up with Sean Paul for the Bad Boys: Ride or Die soundtrack. Earlier this year, he joined J Balvin onstage at Coachella in April for a performance of ‘Men In Black’.

Ahead of the launch of Bose X NME: C24, singer-songwriter Teddy Swims revealed to NME that he recently recorded a song with his “hero” Will Smith. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with it and can’t confirm anything, but just being with him and learning knowledge and wisdom from someone who’s been through it all was crazy,” he said. “He’s the sweetest guy ever,” the Atlanta-born soul-pop singer-songwriter added.

Bad Boys: Ride Or Die hit cinemas back in June. In a two-star review, NME wrote: “Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are on the beat once more with Bad Boys: Ride or Die – a noisy, unfunny fourth instalment that’s only made endurable by some raucous action scenes.”

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