107-714: Rodney Roy Jerkins (born July 29, 1977), also known by his stage name Darkchild , is an American record producer, rapper, and songwriter. He has collaborated with a broad range of popular artists. Jerkins has won two Grammy Awards from 19 nominations. Among his most successful productions are " The Boy Is Mine " by Brandy and Monica , " It's Not Right but It's Okay " by Whitney Houston , " Say My Name " by Destiny's Child , " If You Had My Love " by Jennifer Lopez , " Déjà Vu " by Beyoncé , " He Wasn’t Man Enough " by Toni Braxton , " Telephone " by Lady Gaga , and " As Long as You Love Me " by Justin Bieber . Jerkins' father, Frederick,
214-528: A Duo or Group with Vocals category. It, however, lost in its nominations for Record of the Year and Best R&B Song to Celine Dion 's " My Heart Will Go On " and Lauryn Hill 's " Doo Wop (That Thing) " respectively. The song garnered three Billboard Music Awards . It was listed as number 55 of the Hot 100 singles of all time by Billboard in 1998. This position was raised to number 54 in 2008. In addition, it
321-517: A Male Actor in a Leading Role . On February 7, 2022, National Geographic announced that Smith would star in a series titled Pole to Pole , which will stream on Disney+ . The show will follow Smith and his film crew as they go on a 26,000-mile (42,000 km) trek from the South Pole to the North Pole, crossing all of Earth's biomes and spending time in communities along the way. Part of
428-458: A New York advertising executive who succumbs to a deep depression after a personal tragedy. Weeks after signing Smith onto the film, his father was diagnosed with cancer, from which he died in 2016. As part of his role required him to read about religion and the afterlife, he was brought closer to the elder Smith, calling the experience "a beautiful way to prepare for a movie and an even more majestic way to say goodbye to my father". The film marked
535-498: A collaboration between him and his former group mate Jazzy Jeff, and launched his own YouTube channel, which as of July 2019 has over 6 million subscribers and 294 million total views. Smith performed the official song " Live It Up " alongside American singer Nicky Jam and Kosovar singer Era Istrefi at the closing ceremony of the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Moscow, Russia. That September, Smith appeared, alongside Bad Bunny , on
642-625: A critical and commercial failure. Producer Todd Black partially attributed the failure to Smith's involvement following the Oscar incident. In 2023, it was announced that Smith would co-star in Bad Boys: Ride or Die , the fourth installment in the Bad Boys film series. The film includes a comedic moment inspired by the Oscars incident. Smith is set to co-star with Michael B. Jordan in
749-523: A duet would help combat ongoing rumors that the singers were rivals. With the permission of Clive Davis , who headed Monica's record company Arista Records , Monica eventually signed on to the project. Originally, the two artists recorded their vocals for the song together with Jerkins and his production team at the Record One studios in Los Angeles. However, the joint recording was felt to be
856-550: A failure so Monica re-recorded her vocals separately at the DARP Studios in Atlanta, Georgia with longtime contributor Dallas Austin and turned the song into a more mature pop sound. (Thus, Austin would later share the main production credit alongside Jerkins. ) Though both Brandy and Monica repeatedly denied the song reflected any actual rivalry between them, tabloids began writing the opposite. There were claims that Monica
963-642: A fictionalized version of himself on the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990–1996), for which he was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Television Series Musical or Comedy in 1993 and 1994 . He first gained recognition as part of a hip hop duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff , with whom he released five studio albums which contained five Billboard Hot 100 -top 20 singles—" Parents Just Don't Understand ", " A Nightmare on My Street ", " Summertime ", " Ring My Bell ", and " Boom! Shake
1070-415: A football. I didn't want to be the guy who did a movie saying football could be dangerous". These views subsided when he met Omalu, whose words about American ideals resonated with Smith. Smith's performance was praised for being "sensitive [and] understated". In 2016, Smith played Deadshot in the supervillain team-up action film Suicide Squad . Smith's participation in the film meant choosing it over
1177-534: A joint album. On May 19, Smith confirmed new music coming in 2024 in an interview with ET and that it is the most personal music he had ever done, with Teddy Swims confirming he recorded music with Will for the upcoming project. On June 27, 2024, Smith announced on his Instagram that his first solo single in nearly 20 years was coming out the following day, " You Can Make It ", saying "Through some of my darkest moments, music has always been there for me - to lift me and help me grow. It's my humble wish that it can do
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#17327906587851284-442: A joint statement in which they called the press out for its "disturbing behavior" and called the "ongoing negativity [as] totally unfair." However, Jerkins later claimed that both singers "didn’t get along" during production and that he and Dexter Simmons remixed the track seven times to keep everything even. In a 2012 interview with WZMX , Monica spoke about her past relationship with Brandy: "We were young. We could barely stay in
1391-494: A markedly matured style and a far more flexible range. Meanwhile, Monica whets appetites for her own forthcoming disc with a deliciously diva-driven performance that is rife with subtext." He complimented the producers for dressing the singers in "plush synths and quietly insinuating beats that will have seasoned listeners reminiscing about the heyday of Barry White and the Love Unlimited Orchestra . This isn't
1498-635: A note on a page in the book: "Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like this to express themselves. Please show the world that you're as smart as we think you are". Smith said that this influenced his decision not to use profanity in his music. Smith started as the MC of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince , with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer. Townes and Smith were introduced to each other by chance in 1985, as Townes
1605-694: A previous position beneath the Top 20, at number 23, following the Beatles and the 27–1 leap of their single " Can't Buy Me Love " in April 1964. Internationally, the single also achieved a strong charting, peaking at number one in Canada , the Netherlands and New Zealand , while reaching the top five on most of the other charts on which it appeared. The accompanying music video, directed by Joseph Kahn , starred
1712-504: A rather standard script [...] in their surprisingly complementary styles. Brandy is to groove what Monica is to rhythm. Where Brandy rides the contour of a melody like a wave, Monica advances and recedes, spontaneously creating then dismissing parallel rhythms." On June 5, 1998, "The Boy Is Mine" became both singers' first number-one hit and fifth top ten entry for each on the US Billboard Hot 100 . Bouncing from number 23 to
1819-455: A result of the controversy. In a statement to CNN, Smith stated: "I accept and respect the Academy's decision". Smith offered an on camera apology on July 29, saying he was "deeply remorseful" for his actions. As a result of the incident, Netflix cancelled production on an action film that was set to star Smith titled Fast and Loose. In December 2022, Emancipation was released and was
1926-646: A role in Independence Day: Resurgence , which he said would be like "clinging and clawing backwards". While Suicide Squad was a massive financial success, earning over $ 700 million at the box office, the film received negative reviews from critics. Christopher Orr, film critic from The Atlantic wrote that "the latest offering from the DC Comics superhero universe may be the most disastrous yet". Later that year, Smith starred in director David Frankel 's drama Collateral Beauty , playing
2033-539: A runaway slave, who outsmarts hunters and the Louisiana swamp on a journey to the Union Army . Smith's memoir Will , which was written with Mark Manson , the author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck, was published on November 9, 2021, and promoted with a tour. The book is a journey of self-knowledge recalling childhood traumas, his relationship with his father, and his experiences with ayahuasca . In
2140-547: A sequel to I Am Legend. The film is in active development. Additionally, Smith is attached to star in the science fiction films Brilliance and Resistor. Smith was attached to star in crime thriller Sugar Bandits , but exited the project in September 2024 due to scheduling conflicts with another undisclosed project; he will remain involved as a producer. In September 2023, it was reported by VIBE magazine that Joyner Lucas and Will Smith would be working together on
2247-534: A spy who teams up with the nerdy inventor who creates his gadgets (Holland). In 2020, he reteamed with Martin Lawrence for the third film in their franchise, Bad Boys for Life . In 2019, Smith and Keisuke Honda led a $ 46 million investment round in esports organization Gen.G . In June 2020, it was announced that Smith would star in Emancipation , directed by Antoine Fuqua , in which he portrays Peter,
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#17327906587852354-413: A tale of funny misadventures that landed Smith and his former DJ and rap partner Mark Forrest (Lord Supreme) in trouble. The song sampled the theme song of " I Dream of Jeannie ". Smith became known for light-hearted story-telling raps and capable, though profanity-free, "battle" rhymes. The single became a hit a month before Smith graduated from high school. Based on this success, the duo were brought to
2461-418: A twinkling yet stormy synthesized harp line, produced through the harp setting of a keyboard . When the two protagonists initiate a conversation that depicts their first meeting as rivals, the track adds a pulsing beat and a countermelody of cello strings before the chorus kicks in. Similar to McCartney and Jackson's "The Girl Is Mine", Jerkins and his team structured "The Boy Is Mine" with spaces. During
2568-467: A woman for the first time, making her potential for an adult career à la Toni Braxton a distinct possibility." Lorraine Ali, writing for Rolling Stone , complimented Jerkins ' production for its "sweeping orchestration." Craig Seymour from The Village Voice said that the song "creeps up on you with a harp sound that's like light twinkling on a reflective pool." He found that "You don't groove to it so much as you vibe in it, as Brandy and Monica kick
2675-488: Is an Evangelical pastor and his mother was a housekeeper. Jerkins began playing piano at age five. He would follow his brother and father, who both played at church gatherings. Raised in Galloway Township, New Jersey , Jerkins is one of four children: two boys and two girls. His brother is fellow producer Fred Jerkins III. Jerkins attended Absegami High School , and identifies as a Christian . At age 13, he
2782-578: Is enough for me. We'll look at it and we'll consider it, but it feels like that it might be time to let someone else do that". Men in Black 3 , released ten years after Men in Black II (2002), grossed over $ 624 million worldwide. Unadjusted for inflation, it is the highest-grossing film in the series. In 2013, Smith starred in After Earth with his son Jaden. The film was a disappointment at
2889-424: Is no longer able to vote on Oscar nominations as a member of the Academy. Commentators have speculated that Smith's resignation from the Academy and other related fallout from the slap would damage his "family brand". On April 8, 2022, the Academy announced its decision to ban Smith from future Oscars galas and associated events for 10 years. Several film projects that Smith had been involved in were put on hold as
2996-495: The Billboard Hot 100 . Smith and Townes are still friends and claim that they never split up, having made songs under Smith's solo performer credit. Smith spent money freely around 1988 and 1989 and underpaid his income taxes. The Internal Revenue Service eventually assessed a $ 2.8 million tax debt against Smith, took many of his possessions, and garnished his income. Smith was struggling financially in 1990 when
3103-629: The Billboard 200 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album's lead single was the theme song from Smith's film Men in Black II , called " Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head) ", which reached number three on the UK Singles Chart. Later in the year, Smith's first compilation album Greatest Hits was released, featuring songs from his three solo albums as well as those produced with DJ Jazzy Jeff. 2003 saw Smith return for Bad Boys II ,
3210-1003: The David Blaine: Real or Magic TV special. Smith married actress Jada Koren Pinkett on December 31, 1997. They met when Pinkett auditioned for a role as Smith's character's girlfriend in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air . The pair produce films through their joint production company Overbrook Entertainment and Westbrook Inc. Together they have two children: Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born 1998), his co-star in The Pursuit of Happyness and After Earth ; and Willow Camille Reign Smith (born 2000), who appeared as his daughter in I Am Legend . Smith and his wife Jada have expressed unconventional practices in their marriage, jokingly calling their commitment "bad marriage for life". Both he and Pinkett Smith have admitted to having extramarital relationships and believing in
3317-467: The Grand Canyon . Smith was insured by Lloyd's of London for $ 200 million for the jump, which raised money for the charity Global Citizen. Smith was raised in a Baptist household and attended a Baptist church and Catholic school. In a 2013 interview, he said he did not identify as religious. In 2015, Smith said in an interview with The Christian Post that his Christian faith, which
Rodney Jerkins - Misplaced Pages Continue
3424-646: The Hot R&;B Singles , Hot 100 Singles Sales and Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales charts. Within the first month of its purchasable release the song went on to sell 605,000 units. It spent thirteen consecutive weeks atop the Billboard Hot 100 and was at the time the third-longest running number-one song in US chart history , sharing this record with Boyz II Men 's " End of the Road " (1992). "The Boy Is Mine"
3531-600: The Marc Anthony song " Está Rico ". Smith portrayed The Genie (originally voiced by Robin Williams ) in the live-action adaptation of Disney's Aladdin , directed by Guy Ritchie . He also participated in the soundtracks by recording singles: "Arabian Nights (2019)", "Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali". The film was released on May 24, 2019. Aladdin grossed over $ 1 billion worldwide to become Smith's highest-grossing film, surpassing Independence Day . Smith
3638-417: The NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air , around him. The show was successful and began his acting career. Smith set for himself the goal of becoming "the biggest movie star in the world", studying box office successes ' common characteristics. In 1989, Smith was arrested in relation to an alleged assault on his record promoter, William Hendricks;
3745-651: The Never Say Never liner notes. Sales figures based on certification alone. Shipments figures based on certification alone. Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper and film producer. He has received multiple accolades , including an Academy Award , a Golden Globe Award , a BAFTA Award , and four Grammy Awards . As of 2024, his films have grossed over $ 9.5 billion globally, making him one of Hollywood's most bankable stars . Smith began his acting career starring as
3852-618: The Screen Actors Guild condemned Smith following the incident, prompting an investigation by the Academy's Board of Governors. Rock declined to press charges against Smith, according to the Los Angeles Police Department . On April 1, 2022, Smith tendered his resignation from the Academy, writing in part: I deprived other nominees and winners of their opportunity to celebrate and be celebrated for their extraordinary work. I am heartbroken. I want to put
3959-610: The UK Singles Chart and topped the UK R&;B Singles Chart . Smith portrayed heavyweight boxer Muhammad Ali in the 2001 biopic Ali . For his performance he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor , and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama . In 2002, following a four-year musical hiatus, Smith returned with his third album Born to Reign , which reached number 13 on
4066-402: The "greatest actors" of his generation by several publications. Forbes referred to him as the "biggest movie star of the post- 9/11 era". His transition from music to acting has influenced multiple rappers to also become actors, with him being cited as a pioneer for the rappers crossing over into acting by Complex . In 2006, Time named him one of the 100 most influential people in
4173-404: The 2010s, he produced songs for Mariah Carey , Leona Lewis , JLS , Kylie Minogue , Ayumi Hamasaki , The Saturdays . Jerkins was a music executive and mentor on season 10 of American Idol . In 2013, Jerkins was hired on to be a producer for Michael Jackson's posthumous album Xscape . He originally worked on the title track for the album from 1999 to 2001. He is the only producer to work on
4280-523: The 2014 FIFA World Cup opening ceremony, Jerkins produced a song featuring the Palestinian 2013 Arab Idol winner Mohammed Assaf . In 2017, he produced Blind and Makings of You for Tamar Braxton . In 1999, Jerkins joined Sony / Epic Records to promote singer Rhona Bennett , Pop/R&B girl group So Plush , and rapper Fats. Fats appeared on two tracks on which Jerkins produced for Michael Jackson 's album Invincible , and So Plush released
4387-578: The All-Time Top R&;B/Hip-Hop Songs countdown. The singers reunited on the 2012 single " It All Belongs to Me " and the remix of American singer Ariana Grande 's 2024 single of the same name, " The Boy Is Mine ". "The Boy Is Mine" was a song Brandy wrote with Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins , his brother Fred Jerkins III , Japhe Tejeda , and LaShawn Daniels . The singer came up with its concept while watching an episode of The Jerry Springer Show tabloid talk show , where love triangles among
Rodney Jerkins - Misplaced Pages Continue
4494-458: The Room "—from 1985 to 1994. He released the solo albums Big Willie Style (1997), Willennium (1999), Born to Reign (2002), and Lost and Found (2005), which spawned the U.S. number-one singles " Gettin' Jiggy wit It " and " Wild Wild West " (featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee ). He has won four Grammy Awards for his recording career. Smith achieved wider fame as a leading man for
4601-547: The UK. "Men in Black" (and second single " Just Cruisin' ") was later included on Smith's debut solo album Big Willie Style , which reached the top ten of the U.S. Billboard 200 and was certified nine times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). The third single from the album, " Gettin' Jiggy wit It ", became Smith's first Billboard Hot 100 number one when it
4708-710: The United Kingdom (platinum); the top-five in Australia, Germany (gold), Sweden, and Switzerland (gold) and the top-ten in Austria (gold) and Italy. The single won many awards throughout 1998 and 1999. It was nominated for three Grammy Awards at the 41st annual ceremony , winning both singers their first prize by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences in the Best R&;B Performance by
4815-578: The action film Bad Boys (1995), and the science fiction comedy Men in Black (1997); he later reprised both roles in several sequels. After starring in the thrillers Independence Day (1996) and Enemy of the State (1998), he received Academy Award for Best Actor nominations for his portrayals of Muhammad Ali in Ali (2001), and Chris Gardner in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006). He starred in
4922-531: The attention of Jive Records and Russell Simmons . The duo's first album, Rock the House , which was first released on Word Up in 1986 debuted on Jive in March 1987. The group received the first Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for " Parents Just Don't Understand " (1988), though their most successful single was " Summertime " (1991), which earned the group their second Grammy and peaked at number 4 on
5029-521: The boy is mine." Critics noted that the lyrics almost take on the heated fell of a political debate or even a reality show." The song has garnered positive reviews from music critics. AllMusic editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine ranked the duet among the best songs on both album, Never Say Never (1998) and The Boy Is Mine (1998). Larry Flick from Billboard called it a "surprisingly subdued, ultimately sleek and soulful jam." He added, "Joined by fellow jeep ingénue Monica, TV's " Moesha " reveals
5136-402: The boy phones them one after the other. They each overhear the other's conversation through the wall, realizing that they've both been played. They proceed to gather up all gifts and memorabilia related to the boy and toss them out the door. After Brandy and Monica sing more through the song's lyrics, the boy knocks on Brandy's door. The door opens showing Brandy for a brief moment before she opens
5243-457: The channel, the other's TV is also turned. They begin singing. The next scene shows the two discussing their problem among their separate groups of friends. The titular boy himself (played by Mekhi Phifer ) then appears outside adjacent apartments, 6 & 7, where we later discover the two girls live; all their friends walk by him as they exit their respective friend's place. The girls are seen next arguing through their adjoining bedroom wall, until
5350-505: The charges were later dismissed. Smith's first major roles were in the drama Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and the action film Bad Boys (1995) in which he starred opposite Martin Lawrence . The latter film was commercially successful, grossing $ 141.4 million worldwide. However, critical reception was generally mixed. In 1996, Smith starred as part of an ensemble cast in Roland Emmerich 's Independence Day . The film
5457-561: The commercially successful films I, Robot (2004), Shark Tale (2004), Hitch (2005), I Am Legend (2007), Hancock (2008), Seven Pounds (2008), Suicide Squad (2016), and Aladdin (2019). For his portrayal of Richard Williams in the biographical sports drama King Richard (2021), Smith won the Academy Award for Best Actor . At the 2022 ceremony , shortly before winning, Smith slapped presenter Chris Rock after Rock made an unscripted derogatory joke referencing Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith 's baldness, which
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#17327906587855564-417: The condition. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) said that Smith was asked to leave the ceremony but he refused. Later in the night, Smith was named Best Actor for King Richard and apologized to the Academy and the other nominees, but not to Rock, in his acceptance speech. Following public backlash, Smith issued a formal apology via a public Instagram post. ABC , AMPAS, and
5671-444: The constructing of the lyrics, they settled on a call and response form, giving each singer two bars a piece to sing. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing , the song is set in the time signature of common time, with a tempo of 93 beats per minute. It is written in the key of C ♯ minor , and it follows a chord progression of F ♯ m 9 –C ♯ m 9 , and
5778-1346: The course of his career, Jerkins has developed a "camp" of successful topline writers, including LaShawn Daniels , Kenisha Pratt , Toni Estes , Anesha & Antea Birchett , Jordan Omley, Delisha Thomas , Marvin Hemmings , Kalenna Harper , Keli Nicole Price , Nora Payne , Michaela Shiloh , Isaac Phillips , Japhe Tejeda , LeToya Duggan, Mischke Butler , Andre Lindal , and Victoria Monét , among others. Jerkins has produced and written for Brandy , Patti LaBelle , Joe , The Saturdays , Toni Braxton , Vanessa Williams , Will Smith , Keyshia Cole , Monica , Michael Jackson , Ayumi Hamasaki , Cher , Jessica Simpson , Jennifer Lopez , Ashanti , Aaliyah , Amerie , Ariana Grande , Britney Spears , Mary Mary , Kirk Franklin , Kierra Sheard , The Black Eyed Peas , Destiny's Child , Spice Girls , TLC , Janet Jackson , Danity Kane , Beyoncé , Linda Király , Lady Gaga , Cascada , Tamia , Pussycat Dolls , Whitney Houston , Natasha Bedingfield , Mary J. Blige , B5 , Lionel Richie , Tiffany Evans , JYJ , Wonder Girls , Austin Brown , Kanye West , Katy Perry , Hikaru Utada , Keke Palmer , Hala Al Turk , Nelly Furtado , Justin Bieber , Brian McKnight and LMFAO . In
5885-475: The domestic box office and was panned critically. Calling the film "the most painful failure in my career", Smith ended up taking a year and a half break as a result. Smith starred opposite Margot Robbie in the romance drama Focus , released on February 27, 2015. He played Nicky Spurgeon, a veteran con artist who takes a young, attractive woman under his wing. Smith was set to star in the sci-fi thriller Brilliance , an adaptation of Marcus Sakey 's novel of
5992-660: The door wider to reveal Monica beside her. Noticing that he had been caught, the boy is taken aback, and the door is slammed in his face before he even gets a chance to talk to them, ending the video. Brandy first performed the song by herself on The Tonight Show . Following that, she and Monica first performed it together at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards in Los Angeles at the Gibson Amphitheatre on September 10, 1998, an event which remains, to date, Brandy and Monica's only television broadcast performance of
6099-667: The drama and the playfulness between the two. Making its debut on April 22, 1998, it uses the radio edit of the song, removing the intro. It was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards at the 1998 ceremony , including Best R&B Video and Video of the Year , but lost to both Wyclef Jean 's " Gone Till November " and Madonna 's " Ray of Light " respectively. The video begins with Brandy watching an episode of The Jerry Springer Show . Next Monica who, using her remote, accidentally turns Brandy's TV along with her own to watch an old romantic movie. Confused, Brandy changes her channel back. Much to their dismay, whenever one of them turns
6206-571: The film I Am Legend , released on December 14, 2007. Alongside marginally positive reviews, its opening was the largest ever for a film released in the United States during December. Smith himself has said that he considers the film to be "aggressively unique". A reviewer said that the film's commercial success "cemented [Smith's] standing as the number one box office draw in Hollywood". On December 1, 2008, TV Guide reported that Smith
6313-638: The film "a high-concept misfire" and wrote: "In practice, it's been a nearly impossible project to get made, passing through the hands of countless actors and falling through multiple times because the technology wasn't there yet. At least, that's been the excuse, although judging by the finished product, it was the script that never lived up to the promise of its premise". Later that year, Smith had his second starring role in an animated film, in Spies in Disguise , opposite Tom Holland . Smith voiced Lance Sterling,
6420-457: The film, Smith portrays Chris Gardner . Smith first became interested in making a film about Gardner after seeing him on 20/20 and connected with him during production. The film, along with Smith's performance, received praise. On December 10, 2007, Smith was honored at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on Hollywood Boulevard . Smith left an imprint of his hands and feet outside the theater in front of many fans. Later that month, Smith starred in
6527-669: The filming took place during an expedition in the Ecuadorian Amazon which helped discover the northern green anaconda . During the 94th Academy Awards on March 27, 2022, Smith walked onstage and slapped presenter and comedian Chris Rock who had made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett Smith 's shaved head with a reference to the main protagonist in the film G.I. Jane . Smith then returned to his seat and yelled at Rock, twice saying "Keep my wife's name out your fucking mouth!" Pinkett Smith had been diagnosed with alopecia areata in 2018 and would later shave her head due to
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#17327906587856634-551: The focus back on those who deserve attention for their achievements and allow the Academy to get back to the incredible work it does to support creativity and artistry in film. So, I am resigning from membership in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will accept any further consequences the Board deems appropriate. The AMPAS President David Rubin accepted the resignation in an official statement but said they would continue their investigation. Smith's resignation means he
6741-413: The freedom to pursue them. Smith has said he wanted a polyamorous relationship with actress Halle Berry and ballerina Misty Copeland but ultimately abandoned the idea after therapy. In October 2023, Pinkett Smith stated that she and Smith had been separated since 2016, though they have no intention to divorce. In 2018, Smith celebrated his 50th birthday by performing a bungee jump from a helicopter in
6848-519: The guests was the theme. Created as a solo track, Brandy originally recorded the song alone. After listening to the result, however, she and Jerkins thought it would work better as a duet, an idea which was further inspired by Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson 's 1982 hit duet " The Girl Is Mine ". At Brandy's request, her label Atlantic Records approached fellow R&B teen singer Monica to collaborate: The pair had seen each other in passing at award shows and other live events, and Brandy thought
6955-547: The heartfelt conversations between them. Smith donated $ 4,600 to the 2008 presidential campaign of Democrat Barack Obama . On December 11, 2009, Smith and his wife hosted the Nobel Peace Prize Concert in Oslo, Norway, to celebrate Obama's winning of the prize. In 2012, Smith said he supported legalizing same-sex marriage . In 2021, Smith announced that production of his upcoming film, Emancipation ,
7062-509: The late-1980s, Smith confirmed he briefly dated Sandra Denton , better known as Pepa of the hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa . Smith married Sheree Zampino in 1992. Their son Willard Carroll "Trey" Smith III was born on November 11, 1992. The two divorced in 1995. Trey appeared in his father's music video for the 1998 single " Just the Two of Us ". He also acted in two episodes of the sitcom All of Us , and has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and
7169-579: The lowest box office opening of Will Smith's career. The film also received near universal negative reviews from film critics. Hollywood Reporter critic David Rooney criticized Smith's performance writing as "the least interesting component in a madly overqualified cast". His film Bright was distributed via Netflix on December 22, 2017. An urban fantasy, it was the most expensive film for Netflix to date. Smith collaborated with his director from Suicide Squad , David Ayer . This would also be another critical disappointment for Smith, with critics panning
7276-413: The movie. Richard Roeper of The Chicago Sun-Times criticized the film and Smith's performance writing, "By the time Will Smith barks [the line, "Dude, you can't go through elf town!"] with 100 percent urgency and sincerity in the mindboggling mess that is "Bright," it's clear we are watching a truly terrible, mountainous pile of genre-blending garbage". Also in 2017, Smith released the song "Get Lit"
7383-514: The number 1 spot, it became the second song in the history of the chart to ascend directly to number-one from a previous position beneath the Top 20, following the Beatles and the 27–1 leap of their single " Can't Buy Me Love " in April 1964. In addition, it was the first number-one collaboration between solo women since 1979's two-weeks number-one run of " No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) ," performed by Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer . The same week, "The Boy Is Mine" also moved to number-one on
7490-420: The obviously poppy or immediately infectious single one might have expected as the preview to Brandy's new disc, but after a second spin, you won't be able to shake the subtle hook from your brain." Entertainment Weekly ' s J.D. Considine felt that "there's none of the soul-baring theatrics we'd get if Faith Evans and Mary J. Blige had gone at it. Instead, the two younger women play second fiddle to
7597-507: The original version and reworking version of the title track. When asked by Ryan Seacrest in 2013 the favourite people he's produced for he said "Definitely The Saturdays . Without a doubt. I had a lot of fun working with them and was really impressed with their voices. They were very down to earth and I like that a lot in an artist. I wish them all the best in America and think they could end up as big as The Spice Girls." In preparation for
7704-557: The point that when she was dying she was happy, like she was really excited about going to heaven". In 2018, Smith performed the Hindu rite of abhisheka of Shiva at Haridwar , India . He also performed an arti of the holy river Ganga . He has said that he feels a deep connection to Hindu spirituality and Indian astrology . Smith and his family also met and spent time with the Indian spiritual leader Sadhguru , stating that he enjoyed
7811-419: The release of Wild Wild West , he said that he "made a mistake on Wild Wild West . That could have been better". Smith's second album was again supported by the release of a film theme song as the lead single: " Wild Wild West ", featuring Dru Hill and Kool Moe Dee , topped the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified gold by the RIAA. The album, Willennium , reached number five on the Billboard 200 and
7918-475: The room with each other. By no means was it jealousy or envy. She and I are polar opposites and instead of embracing that, we used our differences as reasons not to be amongst each other." "The Boy Is Mine" was written by Brandy Norwood, LaShawn Daniels , Japhe Tejeda , Fred Jerkins III , and his brother Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins . Musically, the song has been described as " R&B - pop ." Written in thirty-two-bar form , "The Boy Is Mine" starts off with
8025-474: The same for you and bring you all the joy and light you deserve". The song released at midnight that evening, featuring Fridayy and the Sunday Service Choir . On July 24, 2024, it was announced that Smith had signed a new distribution deal with SLANG, a newly formed independent label. On July 26, 2024, Smith released another single "Work of Art", featuring his son Jaden and Russ . During
8132-602: The same name scripted by Jurassic Park writer David Koepp , but he left the project to work on the Ridley Scott -produced sports drama Concussion . In Concussion , Smith played Dr. Bennet Omalu of the Brain Injury Research Institute , the first to discover chronic traumatic encephalopathy . Smith reported he had doubts about the film early in the production, saying, "some of my happiest memories are of watching my son catch and throw
8239-504: The same year, he and his Westbrook Studios company signed a deal with National Geographic . Smith portrayed Richard Williams , father and coach of tennis players Venus and Serena Williams , in the 2021 film King Richard . For his performance, he won the Academy Award for Best Actor , Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama , and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by
8346-465: The sequel to the 1995 film Bad Boys ; the film follows detectives Burnett and Lowrey investigating the flow of ecstasy into Miami. Despite receiving generally negative reviews, the film was a box-office success, grossing $ 270 million worldwide. In the following year, he starred in the science fiction film I, Robot and the animated film Shark Tale ; both films were box office successes despite mixed reviews. Smith's latest album Lost and Found
8453-558: The singers and Mekhi Phifer . It was nominated for two MTV Video Music Awards , including Video of the Year and Best R&B Video . In addition, "The Boy Is Mine" was awarded the Grammy Award for Best R&B Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group and received nominations for both Record of the Year and Best R&B Song in 1999. Billboard named it the Hot 100 Sales Single of Year and also listed it 54th on its 50th Anniversary All-Time Hot 100 Top Songs chart, as well as 18th on
8560-502: The single "Things I've Heard Before". Subsequently, So Plush's singles, "Damn" and "Things I've Heard Before", were pressed and made available as promos , and Rhona's album was released in Japan. In 2005, Darkchild Records reemerged when Jerkins signed acts including Shamari Fears , formerly of R&B group Blaque , female MC Asia Lee, dancehall artist Atiba, crossover act Natasha Bradley, and gospel singer Anesha Birchett . In 2006, he
8667-516: The song. The pair came together a second time on December 16, 2008, for a surprise performance at Atlanta 's V103 Soul Session , singing it a cappella . In 2012, they performed the song with their new duet " It All Belongs To Me " at V-103 's "Conversation/Soul Session". US 12-inch single US and Canadian maxi-CD single US CD, 7-inch, and cassette single UK CD and 12-inch single, Australian CD single UK cassette single and European CD single Credits are taken from
8774-505: The steady-thumping bass, keeping their voices so low you'd think they were afraid a teacher might overhear them." In a different review, his colleague Matt Diehl wrote, "No, this isn't an estrogen flip on the Michael Jackson hit. Nor is it the soul-sista catfight that the pairing of these teen-dream divas-in-training promised (the too-silky production delivers a TKO to any gritty R&B tension). Still, child star Brandy sings like
8881-685: The top-ten in over 14 countries and topped the chart in Canada, the Netherlands and New Zealand. In Canada, the song debuted on the RPM Singles Chart at number 74 on the RPM issue dated June 1, 1998, and reached the top spot of the chart on August 21, 1998. It was present on the chart for a total of 45 weeks. It reached the top two in Belgium, France (platinum), Ireland, Norway (gold), and
8988-462: The vocals span from G ♯ 3 to F ♯ 4 . The song's lyrics chronicle a catfight between two young women who try to convince each other that they are the object of a man's affection. On the track, each trades increasingly escalating remarks about how the other must be mistaken, jealous or delusional about her importance to the man in question. The chorus runs as follows: "You need to give it up, had about enough, it's not hard to see,
9095-412: The year's third highest-grossing film, with an estimated 54,616,700 tickets sold in the U.S. It received positive reviews, with critics praising its humor, as well as Jones's and Smith's performances. During the summer of 1997, Smith also began his solo music career with the release of " Men in Black ", the theme song for the film, which topped singles charts in several regions across the world, including
9202-546: Was a contestant on season 10 of America's Got Talent . Jerkins is currently starring with Johnny Wright in a number of episodes of the YOBI.tv Take the Stage web series. The Boy Is Mine (Brandy and Monica song) " The Boy Is Mine " is a duet by American singers Brandy and Monica . It was written by LaShawn Daniels , Japhe Tejeda , Fred Jerkins III , Rodney "Darkchild" Jerkins , and Brandy, while production
9309-401: Was a massive blockbuster, becoming the second highest-grossing film in history at the time and establishing Smith as a prime box office draw. In the summer of 1997, he starred alongside Tommy Lee Jones in the hit Men in Black , playing Agent J . The film was released on July 2 by Columbia Pictures and grossed over $ 589.3 million worldwide against a $ 90 million budget, becoming
9416-461: Was also featured on rapper Logic's song "Don't Be Afraid To Be Different" (2019), from his fifth studio album Confessions of a Dangerous Mind . Smith appeared as an assassin who faces off against a younger clone of himself in Ang Lee 's Gemini Man , released on October 11, 2019. The film was a box office bomb and received negative reviews from critics. Variety ' s Peter DeBruge called
9523-697: Was an online portal where artists can communicate with their fans. Each quarter, members vote for the best video performances. The top performers were then flown to Los Angeles to compete in front of a panel of celebrity judges. The winner would get a demo deal with Darkchild Productions. The site appears to be defunct as of 2024. Jerkins has been married to singer Joy Enriquez since April 4, 2004. The two met when he worked on her debut album. The couple has four children: Rodney David Jerkins Jr. (28 May 2008); Heavenly Joy Jerkins (17 November 2009); Hannah Joy Jerkins (19 October 2012); and Royal David Jerkins, in early 2015. In 2015, his five-year-old daughter Heavenly Joy
9630-406: Was announced that Smith returned to the studio with producer La Mar Edwards to work on his fifth studio album. Smith again reprised his role as Agent J with Men in Black 3 , which opened on May 25, 2012, his first major starring role in four years. After the release of the film, Smith was content with ending his work with the franchise, saying, "I think three is enough for me. Three of anything
9737-513: Was appointed VP of Artists & repertoire (A&R) for The Island Def Jam Group . Jerkins released his wife Joy Enriquez 's second album Atmosphere of Heaven , which features a religious direction, on his independent gospel imprint JoyFul Child Records. The Darkchild name has been loaned to Darkchild Gospel, a record company run by Jerkins' brother, Fred Jerkins III . In late 2008, Jerkins joined Nicholas Longano , Ray Brown, and Jonathan E. Eubanks in creating Music Mogul , Inc. MusicMogul.com
9844-678: Was being pulled from the U.S. state of Georgia because of the recent passage of the Election Integrity Act of 2021 , which critics viewed as a restrictive voting law, negatively impacting non-white voters. Smith and director Antoine Fuqua released a joint statement: "We cannot in good conscience provide economic support to a government that enacts regressive voting laws that are designed to restrict voter access". Smith has often been noted for achieving groundbreaking success throughout his musical career, and with his work as an actor in television and film. He has been cited as one of
9951-530: Was certified double platinum by the RIAA. " Will 2K ", the second single from the album, reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100. Before the end of 1999, a video album was released featuring Smith's seven music videos released to date, which reached number 25 on the UK Music Video Chart . The same year, he was also featured on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air co-star Tatyana Ali 's single " Boy You Knock Me Out ", which reached number three on
10058-704: Was due to an autoimmune disease. The controversial event earned substantial media coverage and criticism, with Smith ultimately resigning from the Academy along with being banned from attending all their events for ten years. Willard Carroll Smith II was born on September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia , to Caroline (née Bright), a school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith Sr., a U.S. Air Force veteran and refrigeration engineer. His mother graduated from Carnegie Mellon University . He grew up in West Philadelphia's Wynnefield neighborhood and
10165-445: Was helmed by Jerkins and Dallas Austin . It was released as the lead single from both singers' second albums from 1998, Never Say Never by Brandy and the album of the same name by Monica. Inspired by Michael Jackson and Paul McCartney 's 1982 duet " The Girl Is Mine ", the lyrics of the mid-tempo R&B track revolve around two women fighting over a man. The song received generally positive reviews from music critics and
10272-578: Was instilled in him by his grandmother, helped him to accurately portray Bennet Omalu in Concussion , saying: "She was my spiritual teacher, she was that grandmother at the church, the one having the kids doing the Easter presentations and putting on the Christmas plays and her kids and grandkids had to be first. She was the most spiritually certain person that I had ever met in my entire life. Even to
10379-406: Was listed 18th on the All-Time Top R&B/Hip-Hop Songs countdown. In 2008, Billboard ranked the song third on a special The 40 Biggest Duets of All Time listing. The song is the best-selling song of 1998 in the United States with 4.5 million copies sold. A music video for "The Boy Is Mine" was directed by Joseph Kahn . Filmed in Los Angeles in April 1998, it uses 90-degree tilts to depict
10486-553: Was offered a chance to work at a studio in Atlantic City , but declined. At age 14, Jerkins was mentored by his idol, Teddy Riley , but he did not accept a contract offer to work with the producer due to an aspiration to build an "empire" without such support. He was also offered a chance to work at Bad Boy Records , but declined. At 16, he was approached by James Jones, formerly of Uptown Records , and moved in with him to Hackensack to work with him. One of their first sessions
10593-602: Was performing at a house party only a few doors down from Smith's residence, and he was missing his hype man . Smith decided to fill in. They both felt strong chemistry, and Townes was upset when his hype man finally made it to the party. Soon after, the two decided to collaborate. Smith enlisted a friend to join as the beatboxer of the group, Clarence Holmes aka Ready Rock C , making them a trio. Philadelphia-based Word Records released their first single in 1986 when A&R man Paul Oakenfold introduced them to Champion Records with their single " Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble ,"
10700-526: Was raised Baptist . He has an elder sister named Pamela and two younger siblings, twins Harry and Ellen. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia, and Overbrook High School . His parents separated when he was 13 and divorced around the year 2000. Smith began rapping at age 12. When his grandmother found a notebook of his lyrics, which he described as containing "all [his] little curse words", she wrote him
10807-559: Was released in 1998. In 1998, Smith starred with Gene Hackman in Enemy of the State . The following year, he turned down the role of Neo in The Matrix in favor of Wild Wild West (1999). Despite the disappointment of Wild Wild West , Smith said that he has no regrets about his decision, asserting that Keanu Reeves 's performance as Neo was superior to what Smith himself would have achieved, although in interviews subsequent to
10914-470: Was released in 2005, peaking at number six on the Billboard 200. Lead single " Switch " reached the top ten of both the Billboard Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. In 2005, Smith was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records for attending three premieres in a 24-hour time span. Smith and his son Jaden played father and son in the 2006 biographical drama The Pursuit of Happyness . In
11021-454: Was selected as one of America's top ten most fascinating people of 2008 for a Barbara Walters ABC special that aired on December 4, 2008. In 2008, Smith was reported to be developing a film entitled The Last Pharaoh , in which he would be starring as Taharqa . Smith later starred in the superhero movie Hancock , which grossed $ 227,946,274 in the United States and Canada and had a worldwide total of $ 624,386,746. On August 19, 2011, it
11128-419: Was the best-selling single of 1998 in the US, with sales of 4,500,000, with the second best-selling single being Next 's " Too Close ". It was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and was ranked eighth on Billboard ' s Decade-End Charts. The song spent 18 weeks in the top 10 and a total of 27 weeks in the Top 50. Outside the US, "The Boy Is Mine" reached
11235-416: Was the first number-one pop hit for both artists, in the US and internationally. Exploiting the media's presumption of a rivalry between the two young singers, "The Boy Is Mine" became the best-selling song of the year in the US, selling 2.6 million copies, and spent 13 weeks at the top of the US Billboard Hot 100 . It became the second song in the history of the chart to ascend directly to number-one from
11342-480: Was upset when Brandy performed the song solo on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno , and Brandy was reportedly miffed when Monica opted to take the name of the duet for the title of her second album . Following reports that the pair came to blows during a rehearsal for a performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in September 1998, talk of the rivalry became so loud that the singers' managers released
11449-749: Was with Patti LaBelle . Jerkins' first recorded output was a " gospel rap " collaboration with his brother, Fred Jerkins III , entitled On the Move . He later incorporated the name "Darkchild", at the age of 17, subsequently accepting a worldwide publishing deal with the EMI Music Corporation . The producer then proceeded to establish a commercial music career, initially working with artists such as Joe , Mary J. Blige and Brandy . Jerkins' stated his first big projects were Blige's Share My World , Whitney Houston 's It's Not Right but It's Okay , and Brandy and Monica's The Boy Is Mine . Over
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