A lot of people are linking, appalled, to this. Will Smith at his very cockiest.
Bears-cave says: the only thing that will prove him wrong is if the population at large is petty enough to deny him success simply because he says he will be successful.
“Oh, that Ali movie — I’m not going to that — did you know Will Smith said he thought he could be president? The nerve.”
Honestly, I think it’s admirable. I wish I had that kind of confidence in my own abilities (actually, having the success that prompts that kind of confidence doesn’t hurt either). Listen, the guy grew up in a low-income area of Philidelphia, and he’s made something great of himself by LEARNING HOW TO MAKE UP SILLY SONGS. Lots of people do that, sure — how many go on to be one of the most highly paid young actors in Hollywood?
“He does all the same stuff.”
Bad Boys (action). ID4 (sci fi). MIB (comedy). Enemy of the State (suspense/thriller). Ali (documentary). Whatever.
“He’s just a rapper.”
He’s just the only rapper I can play on the stereo when my kid is around. Positive messages on top of that. Anthems. Songs that make you feel GOOD, make you feel like you can DO something.
“Here’s my beef — I understand what you are saying and what you feel, but the world is bigger than what you are rapping about,” he said. “Just rap about more topics in your world. You mean to tell me, all day long, all you do is smoke blunts, have sex and kill people? You never do anything else?”
On top of this, the guy is a loving husband and father, he’s honest about the mistakes he’s made, doesn’t repeat them, and stands by his commitments. So the dude wants to be president? I can think of a list of worse qualities to have.
Second, why is everyone surprised? He said this exact same thing on his last album. (Ahh, they didn’t hear the album. Their loss. Truly.)
He’s what, thirty? Same age as me. Too young, but wait 10 years. Wait 20. Put some years of living in a country at war on top of that confidence, that drive, and that intelligence, and hell yes he’s a viable candidate. Reagan made those ridiculous movies during the Korean War era, and that senile old bastard was BELOVED during his term.
Finally, people need to remember that this crap was in Playboy. Have you read the interviews that go into Playboy? People say all kinds of outrageous stuff in interviews for that mag, because come on, it’s Playboy — when are you going to have a chance like that again?
Will played it safe: if Playboy ever interviews me, I’m going to make my case for personal godhood. First argument in my favor: being interviewed by Playboy.
