Will Smith Reveals Advice Given by Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar Ahead of New Album: ‘Don’t Fake Your Story’

• Will Smith has revealed that he called Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar for advice before working on his new album, Based on a True Story
• He recalled Jay-Z telling him, “Don’t fake your story”
• Jay-Z’s advice inspired the title of the album, Smith said

Will Smith made two important phone calls before recording new music. 

The actor and rapper, 56, shared during a recent interview on Sway in the Morning that he called Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar for advice before returning to the music industry with his new album, Based on a True Story.

“Before I started, I made two phone calls,” Smith said. “I talked to Jay and I talked to Kendrick. I was like, ‘Hey, I want to get back in music. What’s the advice?’ ”

He recalled Jay-Z telling him, “Don’t fake your story.”

Smith continued of the “Empire State of Mind” hitmaker’s advice: “He was like, ‘You gotta say what’s true for you.’ He’s like, ‘You’ll be looking at the younger rappers and you want that to be true for you, but you don’t live like that.’ He was like, ‘Be true to your story. Tell you story.’ ”

He went on to share that Jay-Z’s words inspired the name for the album.

As for Kendrick, Smith said he told him to “say that s— you’ve always been f—— scared to say.”

“Basically the same thing. It was like, ‘Be honest.’ It was scary,” the Men in Black star added. “That’s the thing with genre. Make the record you want to make. Don’t try to make the record that you think people will like you for. Make the one that’s authentic.”

Ahead of the release of the album, Smith shared on Instagram that making new music was a long time coming.

“It’s OFFICIAL!! My new album Based on a True Story drops March 28. TWO WEEKS!! Hit that presave. Been working on this project for a minute and I’m itchin’ to get it out to y’all,” he captioned the post.

The project marks Smith’s first full-length album since the release of 2005’s Lost and Found. The 14-track collection features a variety of collaborators, including DJ Jazzy Jeff — with whom Smith first made his mark in music — Teyana Taylor and Jac Ross.

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Smith first announced the album when he unveiled his latest single, “Beautiful Scars,” in January. The track is a collaboration with Big Sean featuring Obanga.

The first two songs on the album reference his infamous 2022 Oscars slap of comedian Chris Rock, which resulted in him being banned from the awards show for 10 years. 

During the incident, Smith slapped Rock, who was presenting onstage during the live ceremony in response to a joke that Rock, 60, had made about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The actor then returned to his seat and shouted to Rock, “Keep my wife’s name out of your f—— mouth!”

The first song, “Int. Barbershop — Day,” includes talk of Smith being “canceled” and the line, “I heard he won the Oscar but he had to give it back/ And you know they only made him do that s— because he’s Black.”

The second song — “You Lookin’ for Me?” — features Smith rapping, “Took a lot, I’m back on top/ Y’all gon’ have to get acclimated/ Won’t stop, my s— still hot/ Even though I won’t get nominated.”

Based on a True Story is out now.