Will Smith Breaks Silence On Chris Rock Slap

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Will Smith accepts the Actor in a Leading Role award for ‘King Richard’ onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California
"I'm here whenever you're ready to talk," Will Smith says in his apology to Chris Rock.

It's been a few months since we've heard from Will Smith after he slapped Chris Rock on the Oscars stage. And while he hasn't necessarily been seen publicly, he's issued a handful of statements addressing the issue. However, he came forth with a new apology video this morning on YouTube where he extended a heartfelt apology to Chris Rock and his family for the infamous slap. In his video, he explained why he didn't offer an apology to Rock during his acceptance speech.


"I was fogged out by that point,” he said. “It’s all fuzzy. I’ve reached out to Chris and the message that came back is that he’s not ready to talk and when he is, he will reach out. So I will say to you, Chris, I apologize to you. My behavior was unacceptable and I’m here whenever you’re ready to talk.”

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Smith also apologized to Chris Rock's mother, who recently opened up about her feelings about the slap, as well as Tony Rock, who has been incredibly vocal about the incident. Will Smith explained that he had a tight relationship with Tony which he now described as "irreparable."

"There is no part of me that thinks that was the right way to behave in that moment,” he continued. “There’s no part of me that thinks that’s the optimal way to handle a feeling of disrespect or insults.”

Check out the full video below. 


About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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