Will Smith Gets Street Named After Him In Hometown
Will Smith Gets Street Named After Him In Hometown Of West Philadelphia
Will Smith has embarked on his image reclamation tour, and so far, it seems to be going well. The 56-year-old actor returned to his rap roots with a new release, Based on a True Story, which has some gospel flavor and features collaborations with Teyana Taylor, Joyner Lucas, and Jac Ross.
He said that before the release, he sought the advice of two of rap’s top artists – Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar.
“Before I started, I made two phone calls. I talked to Jay and I talked to Kendrick. I was like, ‘Hey, I want to get back in music,” Smith told Sway on the Sway’s Universe radio show. “What’s the advice?’ Jay said, ‘Don’t fake your story.’ He was like, ‘You gotta say what’s true for you.”
Smith continued, “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 your story.’ That’s where I got the Based On a True Story from; Jay.”
Lamar offered the same thoughts, telling Smith to be honest.
“Make the record you want to make,” he said the “Not Like Us” rap star told him.
While Smith plans to head to Europe to promote the album later this year, he was in Philadelphia recently to accept what he called “the honor of a lifetime,” when a street in his hometown was named in his honor. The street, 2000 N. 59th Street, is near Overbrook High School, Smith’s alma mater. Hall of Fame basketball player Wilt Chamberlain, astronaut Guion Bluford, artist Bailey Hendricks and actor Colman Domingo went to Overbrook as well.
Surrounded by his longtime friend Charlie Alston, politicians including Mayor Cherelle Parker, the city’s first female mayor, and his mother Caroline Bright Smith, Smith talked about his experiences in high school, referencing his favorite teachers and the community who supported him.
On Instagram, he posted, “Philly, I am yours. This is the honor of a lifetime.”
While his community has his back, Smith was asked about his 10-year ban from the Academy Awards after the slap heard round the world in an interview late last week. When asked if he would consider appealing the ban, he told the Associated Press, “I’m looking to be the best person I can possibly be, and I’ll take what I get with that.”
You can download Based on a True Story now.
Watch the Philadelphia street renaming ceremony below:
