"Work of Art" marks the rapper-actor's second song released this summer
Will Smith is reaching his moment of clarity with his latest song "Work of Art."
The rapper-actor, 55, released the music video for his new single on Friday, July 26, with some assistance from his son, Jaden Smith, and Russ. It sees him stepping back into his original music mode with some modern influence as he taps into a "new voice" he's discovered recently.
At the start of the mostly black-and-white visual, Will has a brief conversation with collaborator Russ about the inspiration behind their song and the revelations it surfaced about himself.
"'Work of Art' was the song where I found my voice," he explains. "It was like [gasps], that's how I want to sound, that's what I want to talk about. And it was like, I had recorded probably 20 tracks before that, and there was the old constellation of ideas of how I thought I needed to be that was coming through in the music. And then 'Work of Art' was the first one that was like -- "
"A moment of clarity," Russ interjects.
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"Yes," Will confirms, "and it was like that is the fullness of who and what I actually am."
The video then segues into a catchy chorus rap-sung by Jaden -- "I'm a work of art / Baby, look at me, I'm a work of art / Now they framing me, painting in a dot / For the dead people, I'm a work of art / As I live and breathe" -- as Will takes his place on a gallery pedestal.
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"I am the tongue, truth and the lie, both in tandem / I am the Sun, and I'm the rain, and I'm the wind / I am for real, and I'm pretend / I am Musa, I am Jesus / I am Judas, I am the judge / I am the victim, and I'm the shooter," he raps double time.
The video flashes through scenes of the art museum as Russ comes in with his verse, rapping, "My soul feels trapped like I'm ridin' the Bryson Tiller beats / On the road to inner peace, takin' unfamiliar streets / Trying to kill the beast, just made it grow more / My shadows haunting me, what you think I'm driving a ghost for?"
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The end of the visual cuts back to Russ and Will as the latter breaks down the first few bars of his opening verse. "That first idea [I am the paint, I am the brush] is like, no blame," he says.
"And then that second line [I am a saint, but if you touch, I am a savage], I was never able to admit that before," Will notes, seemingly referencing his infamous Oscars slap moment. "I think people are waking up to the idea of the absolute spiritual magic of this place."
Will first previewed "Work of Art: with Russ and Jaden during a live performance at the La Velada del Año IV event hosted by famous Spanish Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos on July 13 -- a moment also captured in the song's music video. The live rendition was preceded by the Bad Boys: Ride or Die star performing some of his old hits like "Miami" and "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It," plus his previous single "You Can Make It." He debuted the track live at the 2024 BET Awards on June 30 with surprise guest Kirk Frankin and the Sunday Service Choir.
Will's latest song is expected to appear on a forthcoming album that he first teased to Extra back in May. "I have a project that is, without question, the most personal and powerful music that I've ever made," he shared. "So, you know, I'm going to sneak that out on you in a month or so."
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