Is Chris Rock enraged over Will Smith’s rap comeback? Oscars' 'slapgate' lyrics stir fresh outrage

Chris Rock isn’t laughing—and definitely not rapping—about Will Smith’s latest moves. Two years after that infamous Oscars slap, the fallout continues to ripple through both careers. But while the world may have tried to move on, Smith appears to have pressed rewind, incorporating the scandal into his latest rap album Based on a True Story.

And Rock? He's reportedly livid as per Radar Online.

Rapping About Redemption—or Reliving the Slap?

In lyrics that leave little to the imagination, Smith raps, “Will Smith is cancelled, You can’t cancel no icon,” while cheekily adding he won’t be “nominated for an award”—a jab clearly referencing his decade-long Oscar ban. Adding salt to the wound, he even includes a staged slap in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, as if making light of a moment that many considered career-shattering.


To Rock, it’s far from funny.

According to insiders, the comedian sees these stunts as a “smug PR act,” dismissing Smith’s so-called spiritual transformation as hollow. "It’s hard not to roll your eyes when Will markets this changed man persona," a source told Radar Online. "Chris is seething. He feels like Will is playing the victim while monetizing the moment that humiliated him."

'World’s Worst Rap' and a House of Cards

As Smith rhymes his way through controversy, another chapter of his life seems to be closing quietly: his marriage. Behind the scenes, he and Jada Pinkett Smith are reportedly selling off their real estate holdings, marking the slow dismantling of their union.

The latest property on the chopping block? A Woodland Hills home the couple has owned since 2010. Purchased for $910,000, the Mediterranean-style residence is now listed for $2 million. While they never lived in the house, the sale is part of a broader trend. The duo has already sold a Baltimore property and continue to maintain separate residences—despite remaining legally married.

Their sprawling $42 million Calabasas mansion, once the family’s central nest, still stands as a symbol of better times. But with their children grown and rumors of separation more or less confirmed, it too feels like a relic of a past that’s quickly fading.

Slap, Split, and a Legacy in Limbo

From public apologies and awkward interviews to albums that remix real-life regrets, the slap that echoed around the world continues to shape both Smith’s and Rock’s legacies. For Rock, the sting remains fresh—more so when it becomes lyrical fodder. For Smith, it seems to be a pivot point: a moment of downfall he’s determined to reclaim and repurpose.

Whether that makes him resilient or opportunistic depends on who you ask. But one thing’s for sure: in Hollywood, even a slap can echo for years—especially when it comes with a soundtrack.