Will Smith is making it clear he’s back — and not just to play nice. The legendary rapper-turned-actor dropped a surprise freestyle titled “Lunch Break” via Lyrical Lemonade, marking another bold step in his return to music following the release of his new album, Based on a True Story.
Over a hard-hitting trap beat, Smith sounds more defiant and energized than he has in years, dropping bars that compare his legacy to soccer greats:
“Hip Hop’s Messi, Neymar and Ronaldo / Goooal! Scored on these boys / I’ve won damn near every award on these boys / Sold-out movie theaters and even tours on these boys / Feelin’ like a mop, wipe the floor with these boys.”
The 56-year-old doesn’t stop at boasting — he also takes time to address the controversy that’s haunted him since the 2022 Oscars, when he slapped Chris Rock on live television.
“I be overcoming shit that y’all be having trouble with / Let ’em run they mouths, I mean really, that’s what come with this / They built a wall but I’m jumping it and loving it / They want me to be done with it, but I’m still havin’ fun with it.”
A New Chapter: Based on a True Story
The freestyle follows the release of Based on a True Story, Smith’s first album in two decades, which dives headfirst into the highs and lows of his personal life. On the track “You Lookin’ For Me?”, he tackles public speculation around his marriage to Jada Pinkett Smith:
“Personal life with my wife — mind your business, it’s complicated.”
Other songs on the 14-track project include barbershop-style discussions about his so-called “cancellation” (“Int. Barbershop – Day”), and references to the now-infamous “entanglement” scandal involving Jada and singer August Alsina.
Inspired by JAY-Z and Kendrick Lamar
Smith revealed that JAY-Z and Kendrick Lamar were instrumental in encouraging his return to music. In an interview on Sway in the Morning, he said:
“Jay said, ‘Don’t fake your story. Tell your truth.’ That’s where I got Based on a True Story.”
“Kendrick was like, ‘Say the shit you’ve always been scared to say.’”
That advice clearly shaped both the album and this new freestyle — raw, unfiltered, and true to Smith’s unique journey through fame, fallout, and redemption.
What’s Next for Big Will?
With Based on a True Story gaining buzz and “Lunch Break” reminding fans that Will Smith can still deliver bars with bite, it’s clear the Bad Boys star is carving out a new space in hip-hop — one rooted in truth, growth, and lyrical sharpness.
