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Rb Hip Hop

Will Smith Is Getting Ready to Drop His First Album Since 2005

Seems like Big Willie Style is going to be venturing into Gospel rap with his upcoming project.

Will Smith

Will Smith

Alan Silfen

Will Smith says he’s hard at work — and that he might be dropping a new album soon.

The rapper and actor did an interview with Instagram account Black Film Allies where he revealed that he’s been working on new music. “Over the past year and a half, I’ve been in the studio,” he said. “I have a project that is the most personal and powerful music project I’ve ever done. The idea of the music is, ‘Dance in your darkest moments.'”


Smith performed a new song “You Can Make It” at this year’s BET Awards with the track debuting at No. 3 on the Hot Gospel Songs chart. The song currently sits at No. 14 and has been on the chart for three weeks.

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He also recently posted an Instagram Reel of himself and Russ giving their song “Work of Art” the car test and mentioned that he just finished his album before introducing the clip. Will Smith hasn’t released a full-length album since 2005’s Lost and Found.

While there isn’t a title or release date yet for the project yet, there is an Instagram page and a website that’s under construction entitled Dance in Your Darkest Moments, so all signs point to that being the name of the album. The bio in the IG page says that it’s “a human wellness initiative designed to inspire self-exploration, encourage acceptance, & cultivate a celebration for life.”

Smith recently posted a clip on his Instagram breaking down how his classic song “Summertime” came about.

Many have speculated for years that Rakim ghostwrote his verses, but that urban legend was put to rest in a recent moment between the pair. “I was absolutely trying to sound like you on ‘Summertime,'” he told Rakim backstage at CBS’ A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop last year. “‘Cause I had been screaming all night, and I couldn’t get my ‘happy-go-lucky’ high voice. And then Hula just said, ‘Yo, just gimme that Rakim sh–.'”

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Check out Smith’s interview clip below:

This article was originally published by Billboard U.S.

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Val Blavatnik
Courtesy WMG

Val Blavatnik

Business News

Val Blavatnik to Oversee Warner Music Canada in New Role at Warner Music Group

Blavatnik will oversee Warner Music Canada as managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at WMG. As part of a slew of executive announcements, Simon Robson will be leaving the company, while Alejandro Duque takes the top international role.

Val Blavatnik, the 28-year-old son of Warner Music Group majority owner and vice chairman Len Blavatnik, has been named managing director of Warner Music North America, U.K. and Corporate Development at the Warner Music Group, the company announced Friday (Sept. 25). In his new role the younger Blavatnik, who has held several roles at the company in recent years, and has been a board member since 2023, expects to “unify and drive business and operational strategy across these markets while guiding the company’s investment strategy to support growth,” according to a press release.

The Blavatnik announcement is part of a flurry of new executive announcements that CEO Robert Kyncl made this morning. In addition, Atlantic Music Group chairman/CEO Elliot Grainge will take on ADA in the U.S. as its new chairman, while Alejandro Duque, who has held the dual roles of president of Warner Latin and president of ADA since last July, has been named president of Warner Music International, adding Asia-Pacific and Europe, the Middle East and Africa under his oversight. (Duque will continue to oversee ADA outside the U.S.) Zach Friedman, currently COO at Atlantic Music Group, will add the title of vice chair of ADA U.S. to his resume.

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