Will Smith’s upcoming album, titled “Based on a True Story,” is set to release on March 28, marking his first full-length project in two decades. Using Instagram, he expressed his excitement about the release, noting that it’s a project he has been diligently working on. Alongside the announcement, Smith provided the album’s track list, showcasing collaborations with artists such as Teyana Taylor, his son Jaden, and longtime musician Jazzy Jeff. The promotion of the album highlights a collection of singles that Smith has already released, including “Beautiful Scars” featuring Big Sean and OBanga, “Tantrum” with Joyner Lucas, “Work of Art” which includes his son Jaden and Russ, and a gospel-influenced track named “You Can Make It,” performed at the BET awards in June 2024. Despite recent controversies, including the widely discussed incident with comedian Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards, which resulted in a 10-year ban from the Oscars and halted development on a Netflix movie, Smith seems to have rebounded both professionally and creatively. He starred in the commercially successful “Bad Boys Ride or Die,” which earned over $400 million, much higher than its budget. The film, the fourth installment in the Bad Boys series, addressed Smith’s Oscars incident. Additionally, the artist reflects on his personal and professional errors in his song “Beautiful Scars,” accepting his humanity and skewing his imperfections positively using the idea of “kintsugi,” a Japanese art form involving fixing broken pottery. Smith considers the album an opportunity to elevate the level of his music to match his acting prowess and hopes to set a new standard for his music career. Despite any perceived disparities between his hip-hop/pop efforts and his acting, Smith’s music has been a considerable commercial success, including chart-topping singles and albums from his time with DJ Jazzy Jeff and as a solo artist, showing that his musical appeal endures.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/mar/17/will-smith-announces-first-album-in-20-years-based-on-a-true-story