Will Smith brought it all back to the late ’90s with a surprise appearance at Coachella to perform “Men in Black” with J Balvin.
Smith appeared in a black suit and sunglasses from the classic 1997 film of the same name to perform the Grammy-winning hit.
During the elaborate alien-themed show, in which Balvin was dragged off stage by dancers in black suits, The Fresh Prince pulled out a “neuroanalyzer,” a fictional device from the sci-fi comedy that can Erase memory.
The brief appearance was well-received by fans attending the festival and watching at home.
One netizen said: “No matter what happens in Will Smith’s personal life, he will never be a legend. Look at the performance on stage and the crowd’s reaction to someone who stopped performing a few years ago… crazy.
Another commented: “You can actually hear Will Smith rap but it’s not 90% background music like most Coachella clips I’ve seen. Old school rappers have different bodies .
Another viewer praised Smith’s rapping ability: “This is awesome. Also, Will Smith has better breath control than 98% of rappers today.”
Full clip of Will Smith performing “Men in Black” at #Coachella pic.twitter.com/QCwbOPPE6D https://t.co/pkSYgug8z8
β Ahmed/The Ears/IG: BigBizTheGod πΈπ΄ (@big_business_) April 15, 2024
While Will Smith doesn’t appear in the latest Men in Black movie (2019’s Men in Black), he remains a regular character in another of his iconic film franchises.
The 55-year-old actor recently premiered the trailer for Bad Boys’ fourth installment, Bad Boys: Ride or Die.
In the film, Smith will reprise his role as Detective Lt. McCrory alongside Martin Lawrence (Lt. Marcus Burnett), with a cast that also includes Vanessa Hudgens, Eric Dane, Rhea Seehorn, Tiffany Haddish, Paula Nunez, DJ Khaled and Joyner Lucas.
The synopsis for Bad Boys: Ride or Die is as follows: “Miami detectives McCrory and Marcus Burnett investigate corruption within the Miami Police Department as their late captain is traced to being involved in a drug ring, but a The arrangement turns them into fugitives, forcing them to work outside to solve cases according to the law.
Will Smith also recently revealed the film’s release date on Instagram. He shared a photo of himself and co-star Lawrence on set, adding in the caption that the film was locked and loaded for a summer release.
“Pack! Every time my boyfriend and I are together there is nothing but magic. @BADBOYS 4 See you June 7th!” he wrote.
Smith and Lawrence first starred together in 1995’s “Bad Boys,” nearly 30 years ago.