Will Smith attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Columbia Pictures Bad Boys: Ride or Die at TCL Chinese Theatre on 30 May 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
- Will Smith is making a musical comeback at the 2024 BET Awards.
- He is set to perform a new original song and is reportedly working on a new album.
- His appearance follows a 10-year ban from the Academy Awards.
Will Smith is making a musical comeback at the 2024 BET Awards, which will take place on Sunday, 30 June.
“From his start as a rapper to The Fresh Prince to being a box office king as one of the Bad Boys, Will Smith is truly a global icon, and we are honoured to welcome him back to grace the BET Awards stage,” said Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET.
“We look forward to Will adding to yet another defining night for the culture that is not to be missed.”
According to Variety, he will perform a new original song. While no other details were revealed, he is reportedly working on a new album.
Smith’s upcoming performance follows his collaboration with Sean Paul on the song Light ‘Em Up, which appears on the Bad Boys: Ride or Die soundtrack. In April, the 55-year-old joined J Balvin on stage dressed in a Men in Black costume during the Columbian singer’s UFO-themed performance at Coachella.
The King Richard actor’s appearance at the awards comes after his 10-year ban from the Academy Awards for slapping Chris Rock on stage.
Other artists scheduled to perform on Sunday include GloRilla, Ice Spice, Latto, Ms Lauryn Hill & YG Marley, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey, Tyla, and Victoria Monét. Taraji P. Henson will return as the host of ‘Culture’s Biggest Night’.
Among the nominees is South Africa’s Tyla, who received four nominations.
READ | 4 BET Awards nominations: Tyla stands to win big on culture’s biggest night
The main show will air in SA on 1 July at 02:00 on DStv 129 with a repeat at 19:00