Not that I know from experience, but I think this point is still valid. If you're going to revitalize your own rap career you better have an album better than your last, especially if the record is old enough to drive, vote and (almost) old enough to drink.
Will Smith has sprinkled several song releases over the past decade, with no sign of a full album, until earlier this year. I was elated for sure, but simultaneously skeptical. "Lost and Found" was his most consistent and creative solo record, in my humble opinion. Yes, "Big Willie Style" had some timeless bangers, but I don't think it was better than Will's "swan song."
So, when it released, I waited a while so I could process that his best album was no longer his last anymore; there was a young gun ready to shoot his shot. I heard his first song several times, but strayed from judgment until I heard the full record, which still had months before I listened to it.
Before I go any further, I believe it is time to speak of the elephant in the room, and I am not talking about that horrible lapse in judgment seen across the world at the Oscars several years ago. I still cannot believe Will slapped Chris Rock, it just didn't seem like something he would do of his own free will, pardon the pun. That moment portrayed Will as a puppet of retribution, because of someone else's inability to take a joke. Speaking of joke, now for the muted elephant..."Pretty Girls." A song that doesn't belong on the record but damaged Will's rap career revival anyway.
I read one of the comments on the video that "the song wasn't released, it escaped." and I agree. If this was song was some sort of Hollywood humiliation ritual to bring Will back to the upper echelon of fame, it failed miserably, because this song was high on humiliation and low on return. I like pretty girls as much as the next guy, but this song is another story.
There have been comments that the girls featured in the video were not even that pretty, but I believe that is too harsh, they were definitely more attractive than any of the lyrics. It was really upsetting because this will prevent a huge portion of people from giving this record a chance, and it deserves it. No, Chris did not deserve that slap either.
I wanted to listen to this album with an open mind and remind myself that there was a ton of time between this record and his last, and I did try, but did I pass?
It is safe to say that Will can take a joke, and there is evidence in "Int. Barbershop-Day" where Will does play with others' preconceived perception of him, especially after "the slap." While I deem this more creative than his "first" song on the record, there is a point that all of the other jokas, that appeared on the intro, can agree on when it comes to "You Looking For Me?" Will Smith has been on many people's minds for a very long time, me included.
This would be his third solo record with a proper intro, but the first song off his last record was a banger right up the superhero of swing's alley. Why do I bring that up? Because like his first record, this album has multiple interludes, except these are called "sermons." There is definitely a higher concentration of acknowledgment of God in this record, and not because "The Reverend" makes an appearance.
The "rave sermon" sounds like it can be the start of an effective one, but one more focused on man than God, and I am aware that the intent was not biblical accuracy, but more focused on authenticity as to how (self-help) sermons go. It stoked the fire before the bangin' beat within the "Rave in the Wasteland" really hit the eardrums.
I cannot call it a revelation, but Will does refer to that book in the bible, claiming to be one of the 144,000 to lead the awakening. While that is not merely a number, this is just a song, not a declaration of faith. However, "There's only two things I know for certain. You either trust the Lord, or you don't. And if you don't, Good luck." Happens to be the best line, and a truthful one at that. The second verse after the chorus also catches my eye.
Do you hear the black suits comin' or is it just me? I can hear an old classic instrumentally, but with the verses I think of a new chapter of the Wild Wild West, with or without Loveless, especially the lines before the first chorus. The lines between his declaration of gunslinger to his exclamation of peace in spite of being against the world are some of the best lyrics in the song, and the chorus with Jac Ross's vocals? "Bulletproof."
"Hard Times (Smile)" happens to be the longest song on the record, so far, and what I can say is that "less is more," less complexity to focus more on the song as a whole, and on Teyana Taylor's vocals; to focus on the beautiful scars that were the product of those times, just like that resilient smile.
Speaking of "Beautiful Scars," those are addressed in the aforementioned, moreso in the video before the song begins. The video gives Will a chance to recreate some of the pivotal scenes of his biggest film career regret, and one of the more influential films of the nineties, The Matrix. Yeah, we're not here to talk about videos, but it's pretty cool. Big Sean scenes to play dual roles, he is not only the Morpheus to Will's Neo, but Trinity as well.
I will not say the video was a serving of style over substance because the song itself was good. Will mentions the Matrix in the song, but I prefer his last verse. He sounded how Neo might sound before he became "The One" if he spit bars, instead of blood. I could say I had higher expectations for Big Sean's verses, and when reading the lyrics, I mistook some for Big Will's. Criticism aside, shoutout to O Banga for super-powering the chorus and marking up my memory.
I must ask, did Will reference Will.I.Am's last solo album Willpower, or was it a mere lyrical coincidence? Decent record too, but was it better than this? While there were songs that definitely possessed #thatpower to stay on the charts much longer than this album's tracks, and may have had me geekin' a bit, I prefer this record.
Also, although Will feels "...like Mike every time they turn the mic on," I cannot say he performs to that caliber, if we're talking about Mr. Jordan. I know I am not the only one thinking it, but it's not meant to be deconstructive criticism, it's my opinion coming from a place of real love, and reality.
Joyner Lucas and Will Smith reunite, drop some heat but not to the extent of "an aerosol inside a Arizona," yet with some lyrics I do really like. You can hear the angst in their deliveries and see it in the video by Cartuna; they respond to indignation in an acceptable manner in spite of that "tantrum" raging war against pleasant rapport.
Subsequent relationships are often not the same as a "First Love" and may require patience and some work to build upon, same can be said for this song. All the players in this short game of love gradually build the tension until their own arcs are resolved often in explosive fashion. Will has to iterate the intro though, while I must also applaud Marcin and India Martinez for their contributions to this song, it took a few times to begin to appreciate it, but I do now.
There have been plenty of times where I said to myself, because they cannot hear me or even know I exist, "You Make It Look Easy," to people of various professions. This time I'm talking to Will, "Yeah you have a few other songs on this record that are easier listening that preceded this one, but I'm referring to the title for my last word on this."
Once again, the rev is effective at raising interest for the next song. He also preaches about empathy, which is important, and also warns of a potent possibility, that our actions can be what brings someone from the edge or pushes them off of it. He's right, that one encounter you have with someone can mean more than you know.
Will has sprinkled singles throughout the album drought, but none of them had any airplay; I would not even know they existed if I did not look for them. So, when this song came out, I was excited, but curious as to what it entailed. When I finally did listen to it, I really liked the message, even though it masqueraded as a gospel song that would not align with true gospel. It could still do a lot of good.
Instead of a Bon Jovi-esque blaze of glory, which the vocalizing from Sunday Service reminds me of, it was an anthem for the fallen and downtrodden. We do all have our own cross to bear, but we don't have to bear it alone, and we don't. Even if you don't believe in God, He's there. "There's wisdom in the fire," Jesus is with you stoking that wisdom from those experiences as He sits alongside you in the flames.
The second major single was a different experience when watching the video, because it not only gave us more insight into the creative process but also testimonies of others' self-acceptance. He basically explained that this song was the template for how he wanted to sound on his current triple album in the making. I could say "canvas," but Will is the canvas, and I am the critic. Also, template is a more accurate word choice.
I know he wanted to use polar opposites in the lines of the song to reference the duality of human nature, also alluding that no one is perfect and state that through our differences and flaws we are a unique "Work of Art." There is a set of lines that address this:
"See yourself when you see me instead of acting like you got blindsided/ by the fact that I'm human, the good the bad, and the ugly/Just know you're looking into a mirror when you judge me."
While there are many examples of polarities laid in most lines throughout his first verse, some a little goofy, but did he really have to declare "I am Musa, I am Jesus, I am Judas?" I remember after hearing and watching the video I commented in rhyme about this. It sounds unabashedly blasphemous, even if that was not the intent, can a marker scribble taint a Rembrandt?
It was Will's work, along with Russ and that son of his. So, he could do it as he saw fit. I just think it would have been better if he kept that composite of opposites out of it. It was also cool to see father and son working together. Now I don't know if there is any beef between, but what does Russ mean when he claims his soul is trapped and writing Bryson Tiller beats? I heard some of the latter's music before, but not enough to ascertain whether that was a jab or jive? (latter word has positive connotations for me)
Finally! I mean that exclamation in the best way possible because Will wraps up this underrated work of art with his own work of art sermon. I didn't pick up on it right away, but I would be surprised if the rev was not Will. There is more that can be said, but Will's succinct sermon of self-acceptance is potent enough.
It would not be right for me to just end the review there because this record was a big deal for me. I thought his last record was going to stay what it was, even though I was always open to a new album. I just didn't think he would be able to top "Lost and Found." As said in the beginning but with a different delivery, if someone plans to revitalize their music career decades later after a stellar swan song (not everyone will agree with that opinion), that artist has to bring their best they have to offer. Was it better? It was different, but I appreciated it for what it was, and it was only the tip of the iceberg.
My only request is that Will waits longer before he releases the second part and gives himself more time to recharge creatively; a solid start so far, but bigger projects like this sometimes favor quantity over quality. Would I like 30 more new songs aside from these, even if ten were forgettable additions? No. I am really curious to see where this next album will go, as long as I don't hear another version, or song like, "Pretty Girls." Whilst it was a Freudian slip, and a similar serving of vengeance on Chris Rock's behalf on a major scale, it was not a forgettable song. Which is unfortunate because his comeback deserved a better shot, and like Will, this album slaps.
