Will Smiths return to the music world will be much more than a cameo, as the actor revealed on Zane Lowes Beats 1 radio show that the Fresh Prince will stage a full-blownmusical comeback in 2016. Smith dropped his first verse in over a decade when he appeared on Bomba Estereos Fiesta remix, and the actor announced that he has more than 30 newly recorded songs six or seven that I really, really like, that Im trying to get the ideas to come out right, Smith said in the works. Im shaking the rust off, knocking the dust off, he told Lowe.
Smith later hinted that hes pretty certain the hell embark on his first world tour in the summer of 2016, and if the trek does happen, his cohort DJ Jazzy Jeff will be accompanying him on the road. Im terrified, Smith admitted.
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Next year wont only see the resumption of Smiths music career: The actor also revealed that Bad Boys 3, the new installment in his buddy cop franchise with Martin Lawrence, should arrive within the next 12 to 16 months. Thats on top of his Christmas-bound football drama Concussion and his supporting role as Deadshot in the supervillain saga Suicide Squad.
Smith recognized how much hip-hop has changed since he and Jazzy Jeff released Hes the DJ, Im the Rapper in 1988 Im from the era of 16 bars, hook, 16 bars, hook, bridge, hook, out, Smith said but the 47-year-old says hes back in the studio on a daily basis honing his craft. Im definitely interested in pushing the envelope of spittinhow far can you go? Ima keep giving it a shot up until Im 70 or 80 years old, Smith said. Im just trying to still find that voice; I have so many things that I wanna say. Im struggling with saying em in a way that fit the flavor of music that I tend to like.
Smith also talked about the anxiety he felt when laying down the Bomba Estereo verse, knowing that people would hear him rapping again for the first time in a decade. When youve had a certain amount of success, it seems like it should breed confidence. But it actually doesnt, Smith admitted. Its the craziest thing; its like when you win a lot and you lose the ability to lose, youre not allowed to lose anymore. You actually lose the ability to create; the reckless abandon. And its something Im getting back from watching my kids they really dont care. That kind of reckless abandon and that lack of fear and not trying to protect anything and not trying to live up to a legacy or anything like that gives you freedom. Fear is the killer of creativity, man.
Smith admitted that hes preparing for possible disappointment in his return to music or failing forward, as he called it and that the sci-fi bomb After Earth, co-starring his son Jaden Smith, was the first time he really experienced failure. To move past the M. Night Shyamalan dud, Smith hit the treadmill and tried skydiving in order to regain his confidence. If youre not willing to fall on your face, you cant create at a high level, he said.
As for the insane Suicide Squad, which co-stars Jared Leto as the Joker, Smith revealed that, despite working side-by-side next to the actor for six months, the two had never exchanged small talk or pleasantries throughout the entire film shoot. Weve never exchanged a word outside of Action and Cut,' Smith said. I literally have not met him yet He was all-in on the Joker Im looking forward to meeting him.