Will Smith has confessed that he was "absolutely" trying to emulate Rakim's style on his hit song, "Summertime." The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star made the revelation during the GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop event, which aired on CBS on December 5.
Smith, who won the first-ever rap GRAMMY in 1989 with DJ Jazzy Jeff, said he was inspired by Rakim, widely regarded as one of the greatest MCs of all time, when he recorded "Summertime" in 1991. The song, which samples Kool & the Gang's "Summer Madness," became a summer anthem and won Smith his second GRAMMY in 1992.
"I was absolutely trying to do Rakim," Smith said. "When I made 'Summertime,' I was like, 'I want to make a Rakim record.' And I sat down, and I wrote it, and I was like, 'This is dope. This sounds like Rakim wrote it.' And then I recorded it, and I was like, 'This sounds like Will Smith trying to sound like Rakim wrote it.'"
Smith said he realized he had to find his own voice and style as a rapper, and credited Rakim for being one of his biggest influences. "Rakim changed the game for me," Smith said. "He created a lane where a rapper could rap with dignity."
Rakim, who was also honored at the GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip Hop, thanked Smith for his tribute and praised him for his achievements in music, film, and television. "Will Smith, man, you're an incredible artist, an incredible person, an incredible role model," Rakim said. "Thank you for showing the world how hip hop can grow and evolve.".
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