Will Smith Is Back To Rapping On Movie Soundtracks
In the second half of the ’90s, Will Smith became the undisputed master of the end-credits movie-soundtrack song where he raps the entire plot of the movie that you just finished watching. Smith got his start doing that kind of thing before he even started acting; DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s “Nightmare On My Street” was an unlicensed example of the form. It really went into overdrive with the global hits “Men In Black” and “Wild Wild West” — songs so memorable that comedian Demi Adejuyigbe has a fun sideline doing parody Will Smith songs for movies that don’t star Will Smith. Smith’s public profile has obviously gone through some changes in recent years, but now he’s back in movies and back to rapping on soundtracks.
The big summer-tentpole movie Bad Boys: Ride Or Die, the fourth installment in Will Smith and Martin Lawrence’s Bad Boys franchise, arrives in theaters today. It’s the first major Will Smith project since he famously slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars, and TMZ reports that there’s a scene were Lawrence repeatedly slaps Smith. Smith has recently been making a whole lot of promo spots, including an elaborate “Men In Black”-themed surprise guest appearance at J Balvin’s Coachella set. Now, he’s got a song with Sean Paul on the Bad Boys: Ride Or Die soundtrack.
Sadly, Will Smith does not rap the movie’s plot on “Light ‘Em Up.” He’s just talking about “Back in this bitch like I never left/ The devil came for me, shoulda wore a vest.” I guess that could theoretically be the Mike Lowrey character talking, especially since Smith always made a point not to cuss while rapping, but it just seems fairly generic. But the guy still knows how to rap, and you can hear the song below.
The Bad Boys: Ride Or Die soundtrack also features people like Becky G, BIA, JID, Flo Milli, the Black Eyed Peas, and ScarLip. If you’re curious, you can stream it below.
The Bad Boys: Ride Or Die soundtrack is out now on Epic.