Will Smith debuted his new single “You Can Make It” at the 2024 BET Awards. It was his first-ever BET Awards performance.
Two days after releasing the track on Friday, June 28, Smith started off his BET Awards performance standing on a circular podium in the middle of a ring of fire. He was joined by Chandler Moore and Sunday Service Choir.
Gospel singer Kirk Franklin made a surprise appearance alongside Smith, delivering a spoken-word piece in the form of a sermon. The two were then joined by a group of backup singers, after which Smith closed out his performance with the lines: “Nobody gets an easy ride / We all have a cross to bear / But there’s wisdom in the fire / And every moment is an opportunity / Embrace the journey.” Watch the video below.
BET announced Smith as a special performer last week, just ahead of his single release.
“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,” Connie Orlando, EVP Specials, Music Programming & Music Strategy at BET, said in a press statement ahead of Sunday’s show.
Prior to his performance at the BET Awards, Smith most recently performed live at the 2023 Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop, where he joined DJ Jazzy Jeff for a medley of both solo and collaborative hits. The rap duo received a Grammy award for hop-hop for their 1988 hit single “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” Other songs in the album include “Brand New Funk,” “Summertime,” and “Gettin’ Jiggy With It.”
Smith made history as the first rapper to win a Grammy.
Days before the 2024 BET Awards performance, the 55-year-old shared a video of himself on Instagram playing the piano.
“Through some of my darkest moments, music has always been there for me – to lift me and help me grow,” read the caption. “It’s my humble wish that it can do the same for you and bring you all the joy and light you deserve.”
Smith has also found success in his most recent return to the big screen in the blockbuster Bad Boys: Ride or Die. The fourth film in the popular franchise grossed nearly $332 million worldwide, marking it as the ninth high-grossing film of this year.
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