Will Smith was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He spent most of his days in a playground, training basketball and relaxing all cool. Career-wise, he started as the vocalist of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer. The duo was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime." They gained critical acclaim for winning the first ever Grammy in the Rap category (1988).
Smith was a charismatic and energetic performer but he was nearing bankruptcy when in 1990, the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him. The show was successful and helped revitalize his career
Although he made a notable dramatic film debut in Six Degrees of Separation (in which he played totally against type as a gay con man) while still appearing in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith's film career took off with his role in Bad Boys (1995) along with co-star Martin Lawrence.
After The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended in 1996, Smith began a successful solo music career while simultaneously starring in a series of films. The first two films were hugely successful summer blockbusters: Independence Day (1996), in which he played a fearless and confident fighter pilot, and Men in Black (1997), where he played the comic and confident Agent J against Tommy Lee Jones's deadpan Agent K. Smith's acting in Men in Black won critical praise. The two films established Smith's commercial reputation as a bankable star whose appeal across age, race, and gender lines could "open" a film at the box office. Because his movies usually open during the July 4th weekend, many people have come to call a July 4th weekend in which Will Smith stars in a movie "Big Willie Weekend."
Lead roles in Enemy of the State, Wild Wild West, Ali, Men in Black II Bad Boys II and "I, Robot" then followed. He also starred in 2005's Hitch. (Like Smith, Hitch co-star Kevin James starred in a sitcom named for royalty, The King of Queens.) His 2006 role is that of Chris Gardner in the "inspired by a true story", "The Pursuit of Happyness" was nominated for, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role" an Oscar in 2007. Smith's son Jaden also stars in the movie.(Jaden Smith as of 2010 lately played the lead role of Dre Parker in the 2010 remake of "The Karate Kid".) Will Smith's latest acting role was "Seven Pounds" in 2008 where he played Ben Thomas an IRS agent. Since then he's been producing movies that include, "The Karate Kid"(2010), "The Human Contract"(2009), and "Lakeview Terrace"(2008)
Smith was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the boxer Muhammad Ali in Ali.
Smith also released a string of hit singles, often associated with his most recent film, throughout the late 1990s. The most notable of these were his #1 hit theme song "Men in Black," the #1 hit "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" (which made jiggy a catchphrase for a while in 1998), and "Just the Two of Us," an affecting message to his young son. His first two solo albums went platinum, but his third, on Columbia Records, was a sales disappointment compared to his past efforts, and after a quick Greatest Hits release that was almost not advertised at all, he was dropped by the label. He signed a recording contract with Interscope Records and released the successful Lost and Found in 2005. The album was propelled solely on the smash hit single, "Switch," which appealed to the mainstream media ala "Summertime." The single stayed atop the charts for months and returned Smith to the forefront of Hip Hop.
Also, on February 6, 2005 he appeared in the Super Bowl XXX.
On July 2, 2005, Smith served as host for the Live 8 concert in his native Philadelphia before an enormous crowd, and later performed a set with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Smith married actress Sharee Zampino in 1992. They had a son, Willard Christopher III, also known as "Trey", but divorced in 1995. Smith married actress Jada Pinkett in 1997. Together they have two children: Jaden Christopher Syre (born 1998) and Willow Camille Reign (born 2000). Along with his brother, Harry Smith, he owns Treyball Development Inc., a Beverly Hills-based company named after his first son. He has been consistently listed in Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40.
Will Smith has been criticized for his lip service to his home town of Philadelphia, PA. Several of his songs talk about parts of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. While he has spoken over the years about how much he loves the city and how much he wants to give back, none of his proposed ventures in the city of Philadelphia have ever been developed. He has proposed opening a restaurant, several upscale bars, and a community center in Philadelphia which have never seen development.
Chasing Forever
Will Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gently with the Caress on your hand
And that Kimono that I bought you on my trip to Japan
Sunshine peekin' through the venitian blinds
Four years, and like wine, you got finer with time
I got a question, if the prodda dressin' and the Gucci
All got goes, and the freeze on the Lucci
Do you think it'd be enough if we just had us?
Don't answer quick, think about it cause I'm askin' for real
Golddiggers goin' to hear this song drivin' and crash at the wheel
Forever is a long time, so far we gettin' along fine
No car I ever drove, no ice I ever saw
No music I ever made, ain't nothin' I wanted more
We could deal with whatever together
Sunshine, all that other weather, when we chasin' forever
[Chorus]
I want to stay with you forever
I want to spend all my life with only you
I want to stay, lets stay together
Chasing forever, with only you
Chasin' forever, a buckwild, endeavorous scene
Should we pursue with somethin' real or just chasin' a dream
Or casin' the scene
Fore I die I plan
To see your soul and eternity in the palm of my hands
Now as a man, there's certain things I'm lackin for sure
But I'm committed to growin and coming at you mature
In the future, I know it ain't gonna be all good
But when we feelin' the hurt, if we willin' to work
The eight ball will never turn to see us behind
Though I ain't no knight, and my armor don't shine
My mom said the lynch pin of love is trust
An taught me monogomy is uh, monogamous
Plus, for you dinner by candlelight
Now don't commit before you sure you understand me right
It's a race to a strange place, most see never
It's a chase we gotta make together, forever
[Chorus]
Now you would think after all my heartbreaks I'd be cruel
Hiding behind my ego, evil but no
Much the contrary, I'm very much certain
You searchin' for joy, it's on the other side of hurtin'
Finally found a person, worthy of all
Instead of pushin' me down, you want to cushion my fall
Your eyes could make the sun rise, all the birds sing
Seal it with a kiss, bind it with a ring
More carrats than even bugs could eat in a week
An the ribbon in the sky, close your eyes don't peek
I'll tell you what I see in the future
A hacienda so cute with, five little kids callin' you mom and callin' me dad
Havin more good times than JJ had
Judging by the look in your eyes, you see it
Let no man sever, welcome to forever
[Chorus: x3]
The song "Chasing Forever" by Will Smith is a romantic and introspective track about love, commitment, and loyalty. The lyrics describe the singer's appreciation of his partner, who has aged like fine wine over the four years they have spent together. He poses a question to her about materialism and whether their love can survive on its own without the trappings of wealth or possessions. Smith acknowledges that their relationship will face challenges in the future, but believes that trust and monogamy are key to lasting love.
The chorus of the song echoes the sentiment that the singer wants to spend his life with only his partner and 'chase forever' with her. He wants to grow old with her, raise a family, and create a future together. The lyrics conclude on the optimistic note that no obstacle will sever their love, and they will stay together forever. Smith's heartfelt delivery and the soulful R&B groove of the music create a mood of sincerity and romantic longing.
Line by Line Meaning
Early mornin' wake up
Starting the day together with love and affection
Gently with the Caress on your hand
Touching each other with tenderness
And that Kimono that I bought you on my trip to Japan
Remembering special moments and gifts from the past
Sunshine peekin' through the venitian blinds
Feeling hopeful and optimistic about the future
Four years, and like wine, you got finer with time
Growing together and appreciating each other's development over time
I got a question, if the prodda dressin' and the Gucci
Wondering if material possessions are as important as the relationship itself
All got goes, and the freeze on the Lucci
No matter what happens with money and status
I mean real bad girl, I'm talking rougher than rough
Asking if the love between them is strong enough to overcome any challenge
Do you think it'd be enough if we just had us?
Questioning whether their love is enough without relying on external factors
Don't answer quick, think about it cause I'm askin' for real
Encouraging deep thought and honesty in the answer
Golddiggers goin' to hear this song drivin' and crash at the wheel
Suggesting that their love is so strong that materialistic people may be jealous and lose control
Forever is a long time, so far we gettin' along fine
Acknowledging that forever is a big commitment, but so far, their relationship is working well
No car I ever drove, no ice I ever saw
Saying that material possessions are not as important as love and connection
No music I ever made, ain't nothin' I wanted more
Reinforcing that love is the most important thing in Will's life
We could deal with whatever together
Understanding that they can face any challenge as a team
Sunshine, all that other weather, when we chasin' forever
No matter what happens, they will continue to work towards building a forever relationship
I want to stay with you forever
Expressing his desire to spend the rest of his life with his partner
I want to spend all my life with only you
Affirming his commitment to a monogamous relationship
I want to stay, lets stay together
Reiterating his desire to stay together forever
Chasing forever, with only you
Continuing to work towards building a forever relationship with his partner
Chasin' forever, a buckwild, endeavorous scene
Describing the adventure of chasing forever with his partner
Should we pursue with somethin' real or just chasin' a dream
Asking if chasing forever is a realistic goal or just a fantasy
Or casin' the scene
Consideration of the potential risks and rewards
Fore I die I plan
Expressing his commitment to building a future with his partner
To see your soul and eternity in the palm of my hands
Desiring a deep and intimate connection with his partner
Now as a man, there's certain things I'm lackin for sure
Admitting his flaws and being honest about his shortcomings
But I'm committed to growin and coming at you mature
Promising to work on himself and improve for the sake of their relationship
In the future, I know it ain't gonna be all good
Acknowledging that there will be challenges in their future
But when we feelin' the hurt, if we willin' to work
Knowing that they can overcome any hurt if they work together
The eight ball will never turn to see us behind
Assuming that they will never fail or lose sight of their goal
Though I ain't no knight, and my armor don't shine
Admitting that he's not perfect, but he'll always be there for his partner
My mom said the lynch pin of love is trust
Sharing a valuable lesson from his mother about the importance of trust in a relationship
An taught me monogomy is uh, monogamous
Learning the value and importance of monogamy
Plus, for you dinner by candlelight
Expressing his dedication and commitment to creating romantic moments with his partner
Now don't commit before you sure you understand me right
Encouraging his partner to take time to understand his intentions before committing fully
It's a race to a strange place, most see never
Describing the unknown journey they're on together towards forever
It's a chase we gotta make together, forever
Understanding that the journey towards forever is one they need to make together
You searchin' for joy, it's on the other side of hurtin'
Suggesting that true joy and happiness can be found on the other side of difficult times
Finally found a person, worthy of all
Feeling grateful and lucky to have found a partner worthy of love and commitment
Instead of pushin' me down, you want to cushion my fall
Having a partner who supports and encourages him rather than tearing him down
Your eyes could make the sun rise, all the birds sing
Feeling deeply in love and connected with his partner
Seal it with a kiss, bind it with a ring
Expressing his desire to make their love official and lifelong through marriage
More carrats than even bugs could eat in a week
Describing the extravagance of their love and commitment
An the ribbon in the sky, close your eyes don't peek
Referencing a Stevie Wonder song about a love that lasts forever
I'll tell you what I see in the future
Sharing his hopes and dreams with his partner
A hacienda so cute with, five little kids callin' you mom and callin' me dad
Describing a happy family life with his partner and children
Havin more good times than JJ had
Hoping for a life filled with more joy and happiness than struggles
Judging by the look in your eyes, you see it
Feeling confident that his partner shares his vision for the future
Let no man sever, welcome to forever
A declaration of love and lifelong commitment to his partner
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: KENNY GREENE, NASIR JONES, WILLARD C SMITH, STEVIE WONDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind