Will Smith made his comeback at yesterday’s (June 30) BET Awards in Los Angeles, following his highly publicised slapping incident with Chris Rock at the 2022 Academy Awards.
Smith performed his new song ‘You Can Make It’ at the ceremony. On stage, Smith stood in a circle of fire with a setting that resembled an apocalyptic landscape. Behind him, a large sun rose on a screen.
Opening his performance on Sunday, Smith told the audience: “I don’t know who needs to hear this right now, but whatever’s going on in your life, I’m here to tell you, you can make it.”
Lyrics to the song included: “The darker the hell you gotta endure, the brighter the heaven you get to enjoy…The harder the fall, the higher you soar, God opens a window when the devil closes the door.
“Believe me, they tried to bleed Will Smith, in the rearview, I see adversity was the gift.”
You can watch the performance here:
Smith was also joined on stage by musician Fridayy and the gospel choir Sunday Service, who circled above him on a high platform.
Smith’s collaborator on the song, Kirk Franklin, also appeared on stage and rapped during the song. At one point he told the audience no one “is on a bad chapter forever”.
Ahead of his song’s release on Friday, Smith shared a video of him at the piano on social media, saying: “Through some of my darkest moments, music has always been there for me – to lift me and help me grow.
“It’s my humble wish that it can do the same for you and bring you all the joy and light you deserve.”
Smith first teased his upcoming album, ‘Dance In Your Darkest Moments’, last month.
Best know musically for ‘Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It’, ‘Men In Black’ and ‘Wild Wild West’, Will Smith has yet to release an album since 2005. His most recent solo release comes in the form of 2017’s ‘Get Lit’, while his most recent output was the 2020 Joyner Lucas cut ‘Will (Remix)’. Smith most recently joined J Balvin onstage at Coachella in April, where he performed ‘Men In Black’.
Earlier this month, singer-songwriter Teddy Swims revealed to NME that he recently recorded a song with his “hero” Will Smith. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with it and can’t confirm anything, but just being with him and learning knowledge and wisdom from someone who’s been through it all was crazy,” he said. “He’s the sweetest guy ever,” the Atlanta-born soul-pop singer-songwriter added.
In a two-star review of Bad Boys: Ride Or Die for NME, James Mottram wrote: “Martin Lawrence and Will Smith are on the beat once more with Bad Boys: Ride or Die – a noisy, unfunny fourth instalment that’s only made endurable by some raucous action scenes.”