Will Smith is back in the music game. Today (March 28), the multi-talented star released Based on a True Story, his first full-length album in 20 years. The project marks his official return to hip-hop, blending personal reflection with fresh collaborations and modern production.
Smith has been teasing the album since 2023, gradually unveiling singles like Beautiful Scars featuring Big Sean, Tantrum with Joyner Lucas, the uplifting You Can Make It with Teyana Taylor, and Work of Art, a track that sees Smith teaming up with Russ and his son, Jaden Smith.
The album also reunites him with longtime collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff and is released under indie label Slang Records, with whom Smith signed a distribution deal last year.
In a heartfelt Instagram teaser, Smith explained the deeply personal nature of the project:
“The past couple of years, I’ve been doing a very deep exploration of who and what I truly am. The process of this album is really allowing myself to be more honest with myself than I ever have about who and what I actually am. This is about to be the greatest artistic creative period of my entire life.”
Speaking with Sway in the Morning, Smith shared that the album title was inspired by advice from Jay-Z:
“You gotta say what’s true for you… Be true to your story. Tell your story. And that’s where I got the ‘Based on a True Story’ [title] from.”
The 14-track album fuses old-school hip-hop with contemporary beats and dives into themes of redemption, identity, and self-discovery. Smith doesn’t shy away from addressing his recent controversies, particularly the 2022 Oscars incident with Chris Rock, opting instead to weave his journey of personal reckoning into the music.
His comeback isn’t just limited to the studio—Smith has been hitting the stage, including a performance at Rock in Rio 2024, where he played new tracks alongside classics like Gettin’ Jiggy wit It and Summertime. He also recently announced a world tour, set to kick off in Europe this summer.
Based on a True Story is now streaming on all major platforms.