In a 2015 interview with E!, Will Smith said that Kanye West has been pushing him to rap again, and, based on a recent visit to the “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” it’s clear to see why.
On Thursday, Smith stopped by the NBC show to promote his new film with Martin Lawrence, “Bad Boys For Life,” and during his visit he went through his entire career.
But Smith didn’t talk about it on the couch during a sit-down with Fallon, he did it through a two-minute-plus rap verse that he performed with the late-night host. The Philadelphia native started things off by bringing up his music career.
“Back in ’85 rocked the house until it turned to rubble / Every time I told you girls ain’t nothing but trouble / Jeff the DJ, I’m the rapper / You can call him Jazz, you can call me dapper / Then I was rapping just to make bus fare / Then I moved in with my auntie and uncle in Bel Air,” Smith rapped.
He then delivered a few lines about his various movie roles.
“‘Independence Day,’ aliens on my turf / Nah, welcome to Earth … Joined ‘Suicide Squad’ played Deadshot / Then after my super powers I found them in ‘Hancock,” he spit.
Before the verse was all said and done, Smith brought up his 1997 wedding to Jada Pinkett Smith, her hit Facebook series “Red Table Talk” and their daughter Willow Smith‘s 2010 song “Whip My Hair.”
The 51-year-old posted the performance to his Instagram page on Friday, and in the caption he wrote, “My whole life just flashed in front of my eyes.”
His post received nearly 3,000 comments in a mere 37 minutes.
“This. Is. Hip-Hop… #ForTheCulture 💯,” someone wrote on Instagram.
“Wow 🙌 this Earth does not deserve Will Smith,” another fan commented.
“One of the Pioneers of Rap music! Thanks Will for the evolution of music today!” wrote a third.
“Bad Boys For Life” hits theaters on Jan. 17.
