Will

Questions About Will

by Will Smith

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Answered Questions (8)

Is the content appropriate for a young teen? My 14 year old loves Will Smith and wants to read it.
Jessica Martins Anything thats mentioned in this book wont surprise your 14 year old. Its nothing he hasnt heard or said before, especially if he likes Will Smith. It…moreAnything thats mentioned in this book wont surprise your 14 year old. Its nothing he hasnt heard or said before, especially if he likes Will Smith. Its a memoir and a self-help book. He's not gonna finish it worse off than when he started. (less)
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Why Mark Manson though?
Nando Gigaba I think what Will Smith tried doing with the book was not only give us a memoir but a book one could pick up whether they are a fan of his or not and …moreI think what Will Smith tried doing with the book was not only give us a memoir but a book one could pick up whether they are a fan of his or not and be inspired to transform their lives.
Mark Manson has given us two bestsellers in the self-help category but not just bestsellers, two books that changed the tide of self-help and have impacted the younger and older generation.

From the few interviews I've seen, Will needed someone who was going to help him clarify his vision plus he has genuine respect for Manson. (less)
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do you indeed sit on the throne as the prince of belair?
Patrick of course he does
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I love Will Smith, enjoy his movies and have always thought he was just the coolest dude alive. I wanted to read this book. But after that slap at the Oscars... I don't know, man. I just can't get behind him anymore..?
Michelle Morrill I too was hesitant to read this after the big incident but I'm so glad I did as this speaks volumes as to some of the whys of his behavior, I think. I…moreI too was hesitant to read this after the big incident but I'm so glad I did as this speaks volumes as to some of the whys of his behavior, I think. I don't condone his behavior AT ALL but from the very first chapter, I saw giant blinking arrows pointing to the deep seeded answers as to why he ended up at “the slap” that is now so infamous. Always a pleaser, looking to entertain to diffuse and seeking external love with his own value. So much is rooted in his abusive childhood. I'm so glad I read this. I listened to the audio and highly recommend it. He did a phenomenal job reading it, sometimes singing, and his personality and heart came through vividly. I loved the music in the background at times and especially his inflections and voicing the different people in his life like Nelson Mandela and Muhammad Ali. Hearing him tell his story you felt like you were with him on this long upward journey of self-discovery, rising to the top, preserving through his fears of losing everything, so it was all the more mind boggling to be listening to this, written before he really did come crashing down. And after feeling like I’ve been in his head and getting such a strong sense of who he is, feeling his vulnerability and the demons he faces all stemming from an abusive father, I can only imagine his mindset today, and that he is putting in the soul searching work to come back better than ever. And all I can say is that I’m rooting for him. After all, everyone loves a come back kid. (less)
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What is Will's place in the hip-hop shrine? I am learning about the genre and I see that he preemptively strikes criticism against his style and authenticity. How is he regarded amongst the hip-hop community? Thanks.
Samantha L Justice Kelley That’s a good question. There are lots of ways to answer this and here’s my succinct attempt. First, I view hip hop as a culture and rappers exist wit…moreThat’s a good question. There are lots of ways to answer this and here’s my succinct attempt. First, I view hip hop as a culture and rappers exist within this culture. Keeping the perspective of the time (the 80s and 90s) is important; hip hop continues to evolve, and it wouldn’t be fair to paint Will against hip hop artists of today or even a decade ago. Will emerged amongst hardcore rappers telling stories of their unfortunate surroundings and his sound and form of storytelling was more reminiscent of children’s fables by comparison. It was mostly upbeat, innocent and contained G-rated language. His image came across as though he grew up with a silver spoon in his mouth (which wasn’t true) and he was pitted against artists who almost certainly had not. I am one of the people who respects the mark Will made within the hip hop culture - especially having won the first Grammy in his genre - and who recognizes that hip hop artists never were and never will be a monolith. However, the content of his music didn’t age well for me, whereas that of many of those other artists did.(less)
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