Love or hate him, Will Smith remains one of the most influential figures in entertainment. From his early days as a Grammy-winning rapper to his iconic role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and later, his reign as one of Hollywood’s biggest box office stars, Smith has left an undeniable mark on pop culture. Despite the fallout from the infamous Chris Rock slap, he’s been on a mission to reclaim his status, recently dropping his first album in two decades, Based on a True Story, on March 28.
As part of his promotional run, Smith hit the Lyrical Lemonade studio for a “Lunch Break Freestyle,” which caught the attention of none other than Kanye West. In an unexpected turn, West momentarily hit pause on his latest social media tirades to praise the Hollywood legend.
West has been on a fiery Twitter streak and has taken shots at figures like J. Cole, Virgil Abloh, Kendrick Lamar, and even his ex-wife Kim Kardashian. Among his more viral takes, he dismissed J. Cole’s music, saying, “No one listens to J. Cole after losing their virginity,” and rehashed old grievances against Abloh, claiming, “Imagine a n**** steal your dream and is given your crown because he ain’t wear a red hat, and then the culture you built mad at you for speaking up on it.”
However, at least momentarily, Will Smith’s freestyle seemed to shift Ye’s tone. Taking to Twitter, Kanye unexpectedly admired Smith’s career and resilience, tweeting, “Will Smith is one of my biggest inspirations. This n**** really became the biggest movie star in the world. Married the baddest actress. Raised brilliant children. And still got that drive.”
Given that the tweet landed on April 1, April Fool’s Day, many fans were skeptical about whether Kanye was being sincere or simply stirring the pot. Some users called him out for seeking validation, especially after Smith recently revealed that Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, not Kanye, were the artists who inspired his new album. “Crazy how he only called Jay-Z and Kendrick for music advice instead of you,” one fan pointed out, while another chimed in, “Bro is seeking validation from ANYONE now that no one fw him.” Others even questioned his take on Jada Pinkett Smith, responding, “He did not marry the baddest actress, bro, you’re tweaking.”
Regardless of public reaction, Kanye’s momentary shift in energy was unexpected, especially given his current pattern of online chaos. His recent sit-down with DJ Akademiks only added fuel to the fire, as he took aim at Playboi Carti, Travis Scott, Jim Jones, and more. Whether this moment of praise for Will Smith is a rare moment of reflection or just another calculated move in Ye’s unpredictable saga remains to be seen.