Posted on 02/24/2015 2:11:48 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
As the nation continues discussions about police brutality and how it pertains to racism, acting veteran Will Smith is also addressing the way America’s overall obsession with gun culture is leading to many early deaths in the Black community.
The Fresh Prince of Bel Air has also sparked rumors that he may be making a return to the music business with the help of one of hip-hop’s biggest stars, Kanye West.
Smith has spent more than 25 years in the acting business, something that often leaves big stars disconnected from the issues impacting people who don’t benefit from fame and fortune. Smith, on the other hand, has remained relatively grounded throughout his experience in Hollywood.
In a recent interview, Smith addressed gun culture and racism in America and explained that one of the biggest pains he has is not knowing what he can do to solve these problems and ultimately help save young Black lives.
“It’s been rough for me trying to find my position in the struggle and where my voice is needed and helpful,” he told Esquire. “You know, I grew up in Philadelphia, and Philadelphia has a really rough police-brutality history. I grew up in a neighborhood where it was very clear that the police were ‘them’ and we were ‘us.’ ”
Smith revealed that the car he had when he was 17 often got him into a lot of trouble with police.
“I had the full stereo system and the rims and the paint job,” he explained. “I had all of that foolishness that made me get pulled over extra, and I had an attitude the second they pulled me over.”
Smith suggested that while police brutality is an extremely important issue that needs to remain in the spotlight, America’s obsession with gun culture also has to be addressed.
“What we’re really talking about in this issue is people walking around the street with guns that can make a decision whether or not they’re going to kill someone, right,” he continued. “And that’s even more difficult, because there’s really no way back from that. This is a gun culture. And it’s painful for me because I cannot figure out how to be helpful.”
Many famous Black fathers have been opening up about the talks they have to have with their sons in hopes that it will keep them safe when they encounter police officers.
Smith has a different sort of talk with his sons.
“I’ve always been telling my sons, ‘We have to separate fault from responsibility,’” he said. “Whose fault it is that Black men are in this situation, whose fault it is doesn’t matter. It’s our responsibility to make it go right. It’s our responsibility. It’s a lot of people’s fault, systemic racism, and it’s a lot of people’s fault that the Black community is in the situation that we’re in, but it’s our responsibility to clean up the mess.”
Smith may be struggling to find his voice in the movement now, but it’s quite possible that his potential hip-hop return could provide him with the perfect stage to start finding out exactly where his voice is needed.
While all people tend to be impacted by music in some way, none seem to be more engulfed into the current musical culture than millennials — a group that many would argue has an incredible amount of power to change American’s future but is lacking the necessary guidance and leadership.
It’s possible that Smith could become an influential voice for today’s youth, and he’s already started partnering up with an incredibly influential hip-hop great.
It’s been roughly 10 years since Smith released his last solo rap album Lost and Found in 2005, but new reports are suggesting that he could be gearing up for a comeback.
During a screening for his new film Focus, Smith told reporters that he is contemplating getting back into the music business.
“I went into the studio with Kanye [West],” Smith said, according to The Guardian. “I’m thinking about it. I’m exploring.”
West has been consistently recognized as a brilliant creative force—albeit controversial—so his assistance could certainly be a big help to Smith.
Meanwhile, he is also picking up some writing tips from his son Jaden, who is also a rapper.
“My son tells me I have to write out the things I don’t like,” Smith added. “I can’t write and stop. I have to keep going and going and write them out. I’ve never worked like that before, but I think I might give that a shot.”
Perhaps West, the reigning king of samples in hip-hop, could find a great way to integrate the song Smith is best known for into his new music.
“Now this is a story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down….”
I’ve always admired Will Smith and respected him as a natural acting and comedic talent. But I value his view on guns about as much as his opinion on quantum physics. In all probability, he knows bupkus about either.
Isn’t Fresh Prince more of a counter to today’s Two & A Half Men or The New Normal or any other family hour perverted takes on “family”?
Friends was about single yuppies in the big city (but not the promiscuous skanks in Sex In The City).
Seinfeld was about disfunctional single adults. None of them were positive role models. Their faults were comedic.
Amazing how a gang of rednecks can sit around and drink beer, shoot targets and not kill each other.
I don’t think I’ve ever even seen this guy in a movie. Wait: that sci-fi movie about the Martians blowing up Washington, D.C.; I did see that. Stupid movie, but I did kind of enjoy seeing D.C. get its due.
Personally, I'll save my respect for someone who doesn't claim to take responsibility but leave the door open to blame someone else for their problems.
Honestly, I somewhat agree with him. He’s being a realist, albeit somewhat politically correct.
He’s an influence on black America, even if he didn’t believe cops were the problem he couldn’t say it. He’s being careful with his words. Regardless, he states two facts:
- We do have a gun culture (knowing it is mortally abused in the black community, he knows it). Although I didn’t read that he thinks it is a fundamentally bad thing.
- It doesn’t matter how things emerged, there’s the responsibility to fix it from within.
At least he’s focused on doing something positive, for this I can support him. He’s a black man that grew up on the streets in the ‘80s. I have no doubt that his environment influenced his juvenile years (attitude) and lingers with him, even if he’s grown up. However, now he is a responsible father that is preaching responsibility.
His perspective could be much worse (ie Sharpton), it’s actually quite conservative in comparison.
Its a little disingenuous to pretend that in 64, all of America instantly shed racism, and opened their arms to their black bretheren, and that for reasons we whites never fully understood, the blacks suddenly went nuts.
A lot was done, but pretending that racism didn’t have some effects on today is a bit over the top. Of course the black culture is to blame for an awful lot of what they have become. In the 80s and the Cosby era, a lot of the racism was dying fast, and was on its way out.
Smith has it right. Yeah, a lot of things have been the cause of the state of Black America. But he told his boys not to dwell on the cause, but to dwell on what they can to to take responsibility for whatever state they find themselves in.
That’s a solid message. Your take on this is exactly why blacks often look at conservatism and decide nothing they can do will get them accepted. By any objective standard, he said a very solid fatherly and good citizen thing to his kids.
Amazing how a gang of rednecks can sit around and drink beer, shoot targets and not kill each other.
To the left of things no doubt. But he at least sounds correct in telling his kids that it’s up to them.
His kids are freaky-weird though, so...
The black culture’s fascination with guns is what’s to blame for all the black deaths in America. And that’s the truth.
Will Smith net worth $240 millions and counting.
I wish I were treated as poorly as he is.....
He has a freaky wife and 2 weird kids.
Will Smith is an idiotic turd. “Gun Culture” is not responsible for drive-by shootings or any other deaths in the “black community”. Rather it’s black culture that is solely responsible for that.
Again, what an idiot. Just one more actor whose movies I don’t watch anymore. I’d rather spend my money on more ammo anyways.
About what Mitt Romney is supposedly worth, which is strange, since VC founders are usually billionaires.
His own recording career may have been free of such gun violence but so is his critique of American culture. He attacks the ‘gun culture’ without attacking those who glamorize gun crime for entertainment and profit in the black community.
I remember early rap from the 70’s and 80’s that was blue as hell. Had to hear it in the barracks.
Thats exactly why I don't take them seriously.
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