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American actor and rapper Will Smith will be performing at the 2024 BET Awards with an unreleased original song on Sunday, June 30. The news comes after his recent cameo appearance with J Balvin at the Coachella festival in April.
The award show's EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy, Connie Orlando said in a statement:
"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 honored to welcome him back to grace the BET Awards stage. We look forward to Will adding to yet another defining night for the culture that is not to be missed."
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No further details about the Bad Boy actor's BET performance were disclosed.
Details about the 2024 BET Awards and Will Smith's music career
Will Smith began rapping at the age of 12 and worked with Jeff Townes as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince in the 1980s and early 1990s. The actor began a solo career in 1997, releasing the theme song of the action/Sci-Fi movie Men in Black, with the same name.
On June 24, 2024, it was announced that Wil Smith would be performing at the 2024 BET Awards with an original song. The 55-year-old has released four studio albums, one compilation album, and 18 singles over the course of his career. He has also worked on one video album and 20 music videos.
The actor has a long history with the Black Entertainment Television (BET) Awards and the network which was launched on January 25, 1980. Will Smith and wife Jada Pinkett Smith hosted the award show in 2005.
The rapper has also won the Best Actor award three times with the movies Ali, released in 2001, Hancock/Seven Pounds in 2009 for a dual entry, and 2022's King Richard.
The BET Awards will be aired on Sunday, June 30 at 8 pm ET/PT and hosted by Taraji P. Henson. Will Smith's performance has been announced as an “exclusive” and “a major addition to Culture’s Biggest Night,” by the network.
The Grammy-winning singer Usher will receive the Lifetime Achievement BET Award on the special night.
The other performing artists at the award show are Ice Spice, S*xyy Red, Latto, Lauryn Hill & YG Marley, Tyla, GloRilla, Muni Long, Shaboozey, and Victoria Monét. They will be joined by Tanner Adell, Cardi B, Davido, Gunna, the Roots, Common, Queen Latifah, and the Jungle Brothers.
Will Smith also recently worked on the new addition to the Bad Boys film franchise. The fourth movie Bad Boys: Ride or Die stars Smith with Martin Lawrence, and was released on June 7, 2024. The project has since grossed nearly $147 million in the U.S. and Canada, becoming the sixth-highest-grossing film so far in 2024.
