DJ Jazzy Jeff Says "Will Smith Would've Slapped Mike Tyson" At Oscars

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Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff attend Peacock's new drama series "Bel-Air" Los Angeles Drive-Into Experience & Pull-up Premiere Screening at Barker Hangar on February 09, 2022 in Santa Monica, California

DJ Jazzy Jeff says Will Smith had a "lapse in judgment" when he slapped Chris Rock at the Oscars.

Will Smith continues to face backlash for his actions at the Oscars. After slapping Chris Rock, productions were put on hold and Will Smith was banned from attending future ceremonies for the next decade. Many people felt like Will Smith wouldn't have run up on stage if it was someone other than Chris Rock that made the joke. However, DJ Jazzy Jeff doesn't think that's necessarily true. During a recent interview with the Faq Podcast, Jazzy Jeff insisted that Will Smith wouldn't have backed down to anyone.

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"I’ve had people say, ‘Oh he wouldn’t have done that to no gangsta,' Jeff said. "Let me tell you something about Will. Will is somebody that cliff dove in Jamaica and couldn’t swim. Will was the person that whatever he’s afraid of, he runs to. I ain’t got that in me. I don’t have that in me at all. I’ve watched Will almost die numerous times running straight."

With that being said, Jeff said that Will would've slapped Mike Tyson if the boxer had taken a swipe at his wife, even with the knowledge that it wouldn't have ended favorably for him.

"Will would’ve slapped Mike Tyson. It did not matter who was there. Will would’ve got his ass beat, but he was going to do what he was going to do regardless of who it was. It wasn’t for fake. It wasn’t for show. I have to protect. If that was a grizzly bear, he would have did it. I know him," he continued, adding that he wasn't proud of his friend and collaborator at that moment. "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.”

Check the clip 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.