Will Smith Seemingly References Slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars In New Freestyle Rap

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Will Smith still hasn’t let the Oscars slap heard around the world go.

During an appearance on British DJ Charlie Sloth's freestyle rap show Fire in the Booth on Sunday, June 22, Will seemingly referenced the moment from the 2022 awards show when he approached host Chris Rock onstage after the latter insulted Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

“I am the illest,” Will rapped. “If you talking crazy out your face up on the stage and disrespect me on the stage, expect me on the stage.”

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Rock surprised many in the audience when he made a joke about Jada’s shaved head. Jada has been open about her diagnosis of alopecia areata, an autoimmune disease that causes hair loss on the scalp and elsewhere, according to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation.

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In response Will approached Rock, slapped him around the face, and said, “Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth.”

Will later apologized to Rock for the slap, but both men have spoken about the event in the years that have followed. (Will was ultimately banned from The Academy and all related events for 10 years.)

Chris Rock and Will Smith ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs followed up the pair onstage and attempted to make peace. “I did not know that this year was going to be the most exciting Oscars ever,” he told the crowd. “OK, Will and Chris we're going to solve that like family at the Gold Party, OK? But right now, we are moving on with love. Everybody make some noise!”

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The camera then cut to Will and Jada, who were both smiling in the audience.

Will ended up winning Best Actor for his role in King Richard during the same broadcast and offered a teary speech.

“Oh, man. Richard Williams was a fierce defender of his family,” he said. “I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people. I know to do what we do, you got to be able to take abuse. You got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you got to be able to have people disrespecting you. And you got to smile, you got to pretend like that’s OK.”

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He continued, “I want to apologize to the academy. I want to apologize to all my fellow nominees. … Thank you for this moment. And thank you on behalf of Richard and the entire Williams family. Thank you. I hope the academy invites me back.”