Will Smith has been constant internet fodder since March 27 when he infamously smacked Chris Rock across the face during the 94th Annual Academy Awards. Some have taken sides, while others choose to remain neutral. Public Enemy legend Chuck D falls into the latter.
On Saturday (April 16), Chuck shared a tweet showing love to both Smith and his partner-in-rhyme DJ Jazzy Jeff. As The Fresh Prince & DJ Jazzy Jeff, the beloved duo penned hits such as “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and the Kool and the Gang-sampling “Summertime.”
“Will Smith is the only mc I ever heard others around him murmur’ yo when is he gonna stop rhyming?” he wrote. “No lie I’m serious @djjazzyjeff215 … Say whatever Will Smith probably the most rhymingest dude I ever met. Period…dude can rap all damn day … fact @djjazzyjeff215 also is endless talent all damn day long.”
DJ Jazzy Jeff addressed the controversial “slap heard around the world” earlier this month during a Closed Sessions Legend Conversation at Dorian’s Through the Record Shop in Chicago. While he defended his partner-in-rhyme, he also noted it was out of character for the Academy Award-winning actor.
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“Don’t get it twisted that it was something he was proud of,” Jazzy Jeff said. “It was a lapse in judgment, you know? I think the thing that I’ve realized is I don’t know too many people that has had the least amount of lapse of judgment than him.
DJ Jazzy Jeff Defends Will Smith Amid Chris Rock Incident While Calling It 'A Lapse In Judgement'
“I can name 50 times that [Smith] should’ve smacked the shit out of somebody and he didn’t. So for him to have a lapse in judgment, he’s human. And I think a lot of the criticism comes from the people who don’t think people like that are human.”
Smith has since resigned from the Academy, apologized to Chris Rock publicly and been banned from attending the Academy Awards for the next 10 years.
