Will Smith’s long-awaited album, Based on a True Story, was savaged by critics and fellow entertainers alike, including comedians Tony Rock and Michael Che.
Will Smith, 56, released the album on March 28, but there has been little to no fanfare or excitement for the project or any of the singles that were released. Worse for the Men in Black star, according to Complex magazine, the album has not charted on any of the Billboard charts.
Will Smith’s album cooked by critics
In its review of the album, Pitchfork wrote that Based on a True Story is a “pointless apology tour” and “corny” while the publication hammered the project with a 2.4 out of 10 rating on it. “It is a campaign platform, devoid of perspective or style, uninterested in narrative or even spin, but always on message: Please take me back,” the publication writes of the release.
Rolling Stone was not any kinder, denouncing Smith’s album as “clunky” and said that most of the album is weighed down by “cringey, gospel-tinged, platitudinous rap.”
Recapping Will Smith’s first single ‘Int. Barbershop Day’
The only headline generation thus far on Based on a True Story was the first single, “Int. Barbershop Day,” when Smith recounted the time he laid the smackdown on Chris Rock’s face at the 2022 Academy Awards.
On the track, Smith raps: “I heard he down bad, I heard he won the Oscar, but he had to give it back / And you know they only made him do that s–t because he’s Black.”
Smith did briefly reference the Oscars debacle on the second single “You Lookin’ For Me?” where he spits: “Took a lot, I’m back on top, y’all gon’ havе to get acclimated / Won’t stop, my s–t still hot evеn though I won’t get nominated.”
Fellow comedic actors blast Will Smith’s album
Tony Rock, Chris Rock’s younger brother, barked at TMZ while denouncing the album “trash” — even though he admits he did not listen to a single song on the project.
Rock said, “Everybody keeps telling me to stop talking about it but then he f—king puts it on a song,” Tony said. “So that gives me leeway to talk about it again. Album’s trash. I’m just assuming. I haven’t listened to it. I refuse to listen to it.”
Accusing Smith of exploiting that internationally-humiliating event in order to “to sell a s—y album.” Tony continued to roar during the interview. He also explained why he [believes] the album is “trash” without hearing any of the songs. “This album is probably s—y as f–k because I haven’t heard anything about it other than ‘Oh, he addresses your brother.’ If that’s the only selling point, that’s a s—y album.”
He wasn’t the only one to revile the album Based on a True Story. Fellow comedian Michael Che also torched Smith’s first album in more than two decades.
During the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live’s” Weekend Update segment, Che said “Will Smith has released his first new album in 20 years, and ironically, this album doesn’t slap.”
