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.
Mr. Niceguy
Will Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
HE'S A NICE GUY
how ya doin
HE'S A NICE GUY
Good to see you
HE'S A NICE GUY
How ya momma and them
[VERSE 1]
Mr. Niceguy relationship advice guy
Liked on the vices priceless smile
Look at the eyes got the look of a survivor
Husband, father
Dissed by Eminem but did it bother him (yup)
But he classy Big Will just get another 20 mil
And walk right pass E.
I'ma nice guy why ya'll harassing me, huh
On the radio they be over exaggerating
So blahzay with they lies
They be aggravating me, agitating me
But they waiting and hating me
They be making me crazy but I be taking it patiently
People be messing with me testing me F.ing wit me
I want to send a message to them
Teach em a lesson quickly
Publicly addressing me, disrespecting me heavily
They better be lucky the way my blessings effected me
But aaaaaaaaaaaaah, Calm down Willy
You don't want to drop the bomb now Willy
Keep a nice flow for your mom down in Philly
On the news you go if you blow and act silly, you know
[CHORUS]
HE'S A NICE GUY
(how you doin)
HE'S A NICE GUY
(good to see you)
HE'S A NICE GUY
Sometimes ya'll mistake nice for soft
So before I go off I just
RA RA RA RA RA RA RA RA
[VERSE 2]
Will's sooo nice I'd let him date my daughter
Like he was a white guy
He's not like the rest, he's a private flight guy
Why if I were gay on Friday night I'd
Larry Elder (uncle Tom)
You lucky I didn't make you the whole damn rhyme
Wendy Williams, you don't know me
I'm not your punching bag
You gon blow me up girl you better leave me alone
Before I buy your radio station and send you home
Yo this is a warning shot over the bawl
Truth be told this ain't my style
You gotta understand some stuff a man can't allow
You better chill before you climb a tree you can't get down
[B SECTION]
Ok, people dissing Will sat on a wall
People dissing Will had a great fall
All the king's horses and all the king's men
Couldn't put none of their careers together again
You get it
[CHORUS 2X]
The song "Mr. Niceguy" by Will Smith speaks about the rapper's reputation as a nice and likable guy in the music industry who has been dissed and criticized by fellow rappers and media personalities. However, Smith remains calm and composed, choosing to focus on the positive things in his life while still being assertive in defending himself against his detractors.
In the first verse, Smith describes himself as a "relationship advice guy" and a survivor who has a priceless smile and eye-catching eyes. He also mentions being dissed by Eminem, but insists that he doesn't let it bother him and instead chooses to move on and earn another 20 million dollars. Smith then talks about how some people in the media exaggerate and lie about him, which can be frustrating, but he chooses not to let it get to him and instead takes it patiently. He warns his critics that he could easily teach them a lesson, but instead chooses to stay calm and not blow his cool.
In the second verse, Smith responds to the criticism he has received from various media personalities. He mentions how he is the kind of guy who is welcomed into people's homes and is so likable that people would even let him date their daughters. However, he warns his critics that he could easily fire back and ruin their careers if he wanted to. He sends a warning shot to his detractors, saying that they need to back off and not cross the line, or else they might not be able to recover from the consequences.
Line by Line Meaning
HE'S A NICE GUY
Will Smith is a kind and friendly man.
how ya doin
He greets people warmly and asks how they are doing.
Good to see you
He shows appreciation for seeing people.
How ya momma and them
He shows caring and interest in people's families.
Mr. Niceguy relationship advice guy
Will presents himself as an expert in giving good relationship advice.
Liked on the vices priceless smile
He is admired for his charming smile and personality.
Look at the eyes got the look of a survivor
His eyes reveal his resilience and determination.
Husband, father
He is a committed husband and father in his personal life.
Dissed by Eminem but did it bother him (yup)
He was insulted by Eminem, but he was not affected by it.
But he classy Big Will just get another 20 mil
He is a classy man who can easily earn money and succeed.
And walk right pass E.
He can ignore negative people and comments.
I'ma nice guy why ya'll harassing me, huh
He questions why people are bothering or attacking him when he is just a nice guy.
On the radio they be over exaggerating
Media exaggerates and twists information about him.
So blahzay with they lies
The media is careless and indifferent when spreading lies about him.
They be aggravating me, agitating me
He is annoyed and disturbed by media's negative portrayal of him.
But they waiting and hating me
People are waiting and hating on him even though he has done nothing wrong.
They be making me crazy but I be taking it patiently
He has a calm and patient attitude towards negativity and criticism.
People be messing with me testing me F.ing wit me
People are intentionally testing him and messing with him.
I want to send a message to them
He wants to communicate a message to those who are antagonizing him.
Teach em a lesson quickly
He wants them to learn their lesson immediately.
Publicly addressing me, disrespecting me heavily
He is being disrespected and publicly attacked by others.
They better be lucky the way my blessings effected me
He is grateful for his blessings and the way they impacted his life positively.
Calm down Willy
He reminds himself to stay calm and level-headed.
You don't want to drop the bomb now Willy
He wants to avoid causing chaos.
On the news you go if you blow and act silly, you know
He does not want to be portrayed negatively in the media.
Sometimes ya'll mistake nice for soft
People sometimes confuse his kindness for weakness.
So before I go off I just
He wants to avoid losing his cool and taking action.
RA RA RA RA RA RA RA RA
He releases his energy and emotions through these sounds.
Will's sooo nice I'd let him date my daughter
He is highly respected and trusted by people, to the point of even allowing him to date their family members.
Like he was a white guy
He is treated with reverence similar to that given to Caucasian people.
He's not like the rest, he's a private flight guy
He is different from others and enjoys a luxurious lifestyle.
Why if I were gay on Friday night I'd
He is so likable that even someone of the same gender would be interested in him.
Larry Elder (uncle Tom)
He mentions a person who has been accused of being a traitor to his race.
You lucky I didn't make you the whole damn rhyme
He humorously threatens to include someone in a harsher, more critical line in his rap.
Wendy Williams, you don't know me
He confronts someone who has disrespected him and claims that they do not understand him.
I'm not your punching bag
He refuses to tolerate being a target for others to attack and criticize.
You gon blow me up girl you better leave me alone
He warns someone that they will regret it if they continue to harass him.
Before I buy your radio station and send you home
He is powerful enough to take action against someone if necessary and warns them of the consequences.
Yo this is a warning shot over the bawl
He is issuing a warning to others through his music.
Truth be told this ain't my style
He acknowledges that negativity is not his usual attitude or behavior.
You gotta understand some stuff a man can't allow
He asserts his right to defend himself from disrespect and slander.
You better chill before you climb a tree you can't get down
He advises others to think before they act and consider the consequences of their actions.
Ok, people dissing Will sat on a wall
He uses a nursery rhyme to describe his life where people who criticize him have fallen from their position.
People dissing Will had a great fall
He expresses his belief that those who criticize or insult him will suffer the negative consequences.
All the king's horses and all the king's men
No matter how much power or influence someone has, they cannot fix the damage done to their reputation by attacking him.
Couldn't put none of their careers together again
The people who criticized him are not successful and cannot help themselves, let alone others.
You get it
He concludes with a rhetorical question, asking listeners whether they understand his message and perspective.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: Amanpreet Sahota, Stephen Shabytah, Thomas Smith
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind