Kevin Hart is speaking out in support of Will Smith months after the infamous Chris Rock/Oscars slap back in March.
During a “This or That” game with DJ EFN and N.O.R.E. on the latest episode of their Drink Champs podcast, the comedian was asked who he’d pick between Will Smith and Ice Cube, to which he responded:
“Dark times deserve fucking great light. I’m not gonna shit on my brother. They both are my brothers and I’m not gonna take the time to shit on them. I’mma say Will Smith and here’s why. Will Smith is a fucking—he’s not only a legend, he’s not only a GOAT. Will Smith is the reason why the idea of African-Americans attached to global IP is normal. Movies, shit that’s owned. Studios took the gamble on more leads of color because of the work that Will Smith and Denzel [Washington] were doing. These are the faces that are getting universal return. So I’m not gon’ shit on Will and act like he hasn’t been that guy. So I’m gonna go Will Smith.”
He continued, “People make mistakes and from mistakes, they should be allowed time to to fucking recover. In that, this is no longer the world’s problem. This is Will and Chris’ problem. Let them deal with that, the world should step out of it...The world is now out of it, should stay out of it and move on. Let Will recover from it, let Chris get back to work as normal. And let two men be men and figure that out if they choose to. If they do, they do. If they don’t, they don’t.”
Hart’s comments should come as no surprise seeing as how over the summer, when performing a set alongside Chris Rock for their Rock Hart: Only Headliners Allowed tour, he presented Rock with a literal goat named Will Smith. Hopefully the rest of the world will do exactly what Hart suggests, though, and finally bow out of the conversation between the Rock and Smith. Give people the freedom to mess up, the grace to rectify the situation and the space to evolve and move on.