Big Willie’s Comeback to Rap

Will Smith, Reborn? A Bully’s Redemption or Just More Showbiz Smoke?
By Relentless Aaron

I’ve got a love-hate relationship with Will Smith.

The love is rooted in his talent, his versatility, his decades of entertainment that helped shape so many of our memories. From Fresh Prince to Ali, from Pursuit of Happyness to I Am Legend — the man delivered. He climbed high, fell hard, and now he’s making his way back into the public’s good graces. That’s the love part.

But let’s talk about the hate. Yeah, I said it — the hate I feel for what he did to Chris Rock on that stage.

That was bullying, plain and simple. Not a misstep. Not a mistake. Not a moment of “passion.” It was calculated. Controlled. Delivered with a crisp backhand of power and ego. And even if he’s sorry — even if he’s said it a hundred times — I’m still sitting with the discomfort of that moment. You don’t just slap another Black man in front of the world and walk away with an Oscar minutes later. You don’t get to stand tall and soak up applause while the man you just assaulted has to wear that moment like a scar for life.

I’ve been bullied too. Not by an actor, but by someone with real wolves at his side — Sean Combs and his goons. When you’ve lived through something like that, your lens changes. The Will Smith incident wasn’t just about Will and Chris. It was about all of us who’ve been humiliated, cornered, and made to feel powerless. His smack re-opened a wound that hadn’t yet healed for me. It reminded me of how public bullying can make you feel invisible in real-time.

And yeah, I’m strong. I’m courageous. I’ve survived hell and high water. But I’m also human. And I’m tired of pretending like some acts of violence don’t linger.

Will Smith has every right to come back — that’s not my issue. But his rebirth shouldn’t erase the impact of his violence. There are victims watching. There are people who are still trying to feel safe again.

So while the world might welcome him back with open arms, I’m still sitting in the back of the theater — arms crossed — waiting for something real. Not a redemption arc. But accountability that doesn’t just look like press runs and polished soundbites.

Until then, my love-hate remains.