Over two decades after his last album 'Lost and Found,' Will Smith has made a much-awaited comeback to the music industry, appearing to have grown deeply introspective in the interim.
While he's primarily recognized for his blockbuster Hollywood roles in films like Men in Black, Bad Boys, and I, Robot, the 56-year-old also boasts a successful music career.
Smith penned the memorable theme for the Men in Black series and had chart-toppers like 'Just Cruisin'' and 'Get Jiggy wit It'. Now, he's back with a new single 'Beautiful Scars', collaborating with Big Sean for this latest track.
Will Smith has made his return to music after two decades
The music video for Will Smith's new single draws intrigue by incorporating elements from the sci-fi landmark *The Matrix*, with Smith taking on the role of Neo, originally played by Keanu Reeves.
The 1999 film, helmed by Lana and Lilly Wachowski, tells the story of Neo, who is recruited by Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne) and Trinity (Carrie-Ann Moss) to liberate humanity from the oppressive 'Matrix' simulation.
In an alternate reality, Smith could have been Neo, but he declined the part to star in *Wild Wild West*, which later proved to be both a commercial and critical disappointment.
Before the video's debut, Smith shared an Instagram post on January 6, where text on a computer screen explained his decision:
"In 1997, the Wachowskis offered Will Smith the role of Neo in The Matrix. Smith turned it down. He chose Wild Wild West, believing it was a better fit for him at the time."
"Yet the lingering question is: How would The Matrix have turned out with Will Smith as Neo?"
The video concludes with the messages 'Wake up, Will...' and 'The Matrix has you...'
In another Instagram teaser, Big Sean, costumed as Laurence Fishburne's Morpheus, joins Smith in a playful reenactment of the iconic 'blue pill or red pill' scene. Here, Sean quips that Smith has made 'awesome career choices', but there's one choice he 'truly regrets'.
Smith has openly discussed his decision to pass on the role previously, sharing in a 2019 YouTube video that despite the Wachowskis' 'genius' pitch, the film didn't resonate with him. Even after the directors tried to sway him with a detailed description of an action sequence, he declined.
He admitted he 'wasn't proud' of his choice to reject the role, but he had made peace with it, saying: "Keanu was perfect. Laurence Fishburne was perfect. If I had done it, because I’m Black, [Fishburne’s character] Morpheus wouldn’t have been Black because they were looking at Val Kilmer [for] Morpheus. So I probably would have messed The Matrix up. I would have ruined it. I did y’all a favor."
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