Chris Rock reportedly furious over Will Smith’s new music referencing Oscars slap incident

Chris Rock is reportedly upset with Will Smith for using 2022 Oscars slap in lyrics and film scenes for promotion.

Chris Rock is reportedly furious with Will Smith for referencing the infamous 2022 Oscars slap in new music and film scenes. According to RadarOnline.com, Rock has privately expressed his frustration, reportedly calling the Men in Black star “arrogant and self-serving” for “cashing in” on the assault.

Smith recently released his new album, Based on a True Story, which includes the line: “Will Smith is cancelled, You can’t cancel no icon.” The track appears to allude directly to the backlash he received after slapping Rock, 60, on live television. Smith also included a nod to the incident in his 2024 film The Bad Boys: Ride or Die, with his character being slapped in a scene reminiscent of the Oscars altercation.

Sources close to Rock say the comedian believes Smith’s public apologies are insincere, especially given the continued use of the slap as comedic or promotional material. “For Chris, that laugh at the incident just reveals how truly insincere Will’s apologies are,” one insider said. “He’s convinced it’s all just a show.” Rock is also reportedly unimpressed with Smith’s efforts to present himself as someone on a “spiritual journey.”

The 2022 Oscars incident — which shocked viewers worldwide — was sparked by a joke Rock made about Jada Pinkett Smith’s shaved head, a result of her battle with alopecia. Smith stormed the stage, slapped Rock, and shouted from his seat, “Keep my wife’s name out your [expletive] mouth.” The fallout led to a 10-year ban from Oscars events and Smith’s resignation from the Academy.

In the midst of the backlash, Smith and Pinkett Smith are reportedly continuing to part ways personally as well, quietly selling off several shared properties amid a prolonged separation.