Will Smith "Unsuccessfully" Tried To Make Amends With Chris Rock: Report

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"Hustle & Flow" Los Angeles Premiere - Red Carpet
Chris Rock and Will Smith during "Hustle & Flow" Los Angeles Premiere - Red Carpet at ArcLight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by Lee Celano/WireImage)
The former friends are on the outs after Will slapped Chris at the Oscars, and it's reported the Fresh Prince is remorseful about the who debacle.

It's award season, and people are anticipating the Oscars following last year's controversy involving Will Smith and Chris Rock. Rock's Netflix special, Selective Outrage, was recently released to amplify the interest. As expected, Rock unleashed on Smith and his wife, Jada Pinkett, who was at the center of the violent Academy Awards outburst last year. As far as the public knows, Smith and Rock have yet to chat about their falling out. PEOPLE claims to have spoken with a source with inside knowledge about how Smith is navigating this time.

The person told the outlet that Smith felt terrible about what occurred. "He's tried unsuccessfully to make amends in the best way he could with Chris," the source claims. "But beyond that, family is important to him and [Smith] leaned on them. It all has helped him look inside and mature. He is better but still remorseful. Will listened to those who tried to help him and feels that he has become a better person."

Chris Rock Ethers The Smiths

1999 MTV Music Awards Party
Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith and Chris Rock during 1999 MTV Music Awards Party at Lincoln Center in New York City, New York, United States. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)

In Selective Outrage, Rock didn't hold back. “Y'all know what happened to me, getting smacked by Suge Smith. It still hurts. I got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears," he said. "But I’m not a victim, baby. You’ll never see me on Oprah or Gayle crying. You will never see it. Never gonna happen. … No, I took that hit like Pacquiao."

He then went on to take verbal shots at Jada by mentioning her "entanglement" controversy with August Alsina. “His wife was f*cking her son’s friend," he said. "Now, I normally would not talk about this sh*t, but for some reason, these n*ggas put this sh*t on the internet. I have no idea why two talented people would do something that f*cking low down. We’ve all been cheated on, everybody in here’s been cheated on. None of us has ever been interviewed by the person that cheated on us on television." He further stated, " She hurt him way more than he hurt me. … Everybody called him a b*tch, and who's he hit? Me! A n*gga he knows he can beat. That is some b*tch ass sh*t.”

Testing Out Jokes

Ahead of its release, there were rumors that he tested Smith-centered material during his stand-up shows. There was a report that Rock was said to have joked that he only watched Emancipation, a film about an enslaved man, to see Smith get whipped. Check out a clip of Chris Rock's Selective Outrage above.

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About The Author
Since 2019, Erika Marie has worked as a journalist for HotNewHipHop, covering music, film, television, art, fashion, politics, and all things regarding entertainment. With 20 years in the industry under her belt, Erika Marie moved from a writer on the graveyard shift at HNHH to becoming a Features Editor, highlighting long-form content and interviews with some of Hip Hop’s biggest stars. She has had the pleasure of sitting down with artists and personalities like DJ Jazzy Jeff, Salt ’N Pepa, Nick Cannon, Rah Digga, Rakim, Rapsody, Ari Lennox, Jacquees, Roxanne Shante, Yo-Yo, Sean Paul, Raven Symoné, Queen Naija, Ryan Destiny, DreamDoll, DaniLeigh, Sean Kingston, Reginae Carter, Jason Lee, Kamaiyah, Rome Flynn, Zonnique, Fantasia, and Just Blaze—just to name a few. In addition to one-on-one chats with influential public figures, Erika Marie also covers content connected to the culture. She’s attended and covered the BET Awards as well as private listening parties, the Rolling Loud festival, and other events that emphasize established and rising talents. Detroit-born and Long Beach (CA)-raised, Erika Marie has eclectic music taste that often helps direct the interests she focuses on here at HNHH. She finds it necessary to report on cultural conversations with respect and honor those on the mic and the hardworking teams that help get them there. Moreover, as an advocate for women, Erika Marie pays particular attention to the impact of femcees. She sits down with rising rappers for HNHH—like Big Jade, Kali, Rubi Rose, Armani Caesar, Amy Luciani, and Omerettà—to gain their perspectives on a fast-paced industry.