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Music

Will Smith Hits Peak Dad Remaking Jaden Smith's “ICON” Video

It's like the most intricate and loving dad joke.
Lauren O'Neill
London, GB
Right via YouTube / Left via Will Smith on Instagram

What a difference a few months make. We reported a while ago – quite sensibly, we think, considering he released an EDM single – that Will Smith's Midlife Crisis (good band name by the way, if anyone is looking) was well underway. We worried that Will Smith might have been losing his touch and trying to be current when really he can just stick to his "no swearing, good vibes only" rap and it'd be fine. It'd be Will Smith. And maybe that is true, but what is certainly, and most importantly, still around is his ability to update his classically silly physical comedy for his new peak Dad status.

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You may have thought that Will Smith getting Instagram was just another fork in the path of that so-called midlife crisis, but actually I'd suggest that it is an unequivocal force for good in the world. And that is because it exemplifies the pureness of Dads online, as Will has now demonstrated beyond question. His son, Jaden Smith, hit 100 million Spotify streams of his track "ICON" recently, so to celebrate, Will did what dads do best, which is, obviously, a shot-for-shot remake of the song's video starring himself, his only intent being to take the absolute piss. Here are the two videos:

This is, if anything else, a pertinent reminder that Will Smith remains one of the funniest big-time physical comedians, employing the same level of faux-fumbling cheek that made him such a gigantic 90s star on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. But look beyond that, for just a second. Look directly into the glowing light of Will Smith jamming a fallen set of grills back into his mouth and this is also a beautiful encapsulation of dad-ness: the simultaneous state of loving your kids and also having a desperate, inexplicable urge to embarrass them as much and as often as possible.

Will's dedication to the bit is testament to the fact that he's a world class joker, however, with precision achieved on costuming (chain he found in the garage wrapped around his neck a couple times) and lip-syncing. To top it all off, you get to enjoy an Extremely Dad message shared in the caption:

Congrats on 100,000,000 @Spotify streams, Jaden! @c.syresmith It is a Delicious Gift to a Parent to Admire his children. Keep Doin’ You!

I'm not crying you're crying. If this is a midlife crisis then honestly bring on the year 2071.

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