Chris Rock Jokes That He Watched "Emancipation" To See Will Smith Get "Whipped"

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NEW YORK, NY - OCTOBER 24: Chris Rock performs during the the Movement Voter Project comedy benefit at The Bell House on October 24, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for Movement Voter Project)
"He played Muhammad Ali! I played Pookie," Chris Rock reportedly said during a stand-up set about Will Smith's slap.

Chris Rock will finally address the infamous Oscars moment involving Will Smith during his Netflix special this weekend It will mark the first time that he’s addressed the moment on a televised platform, though he’s made numerous mentions of the situation since it happened nearly a year ago. He’s referred to Will as “Suge Smith,” despite believing that he’s one of the “softest” men in Hollywood. Then, Kevin Hart and Dave Chappelle gifted him a goat that they named after the Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air actor.

A recent report indicated that he’ll finally speak on the matter during the debut of Selective Outrage. On the same night Will Smith took home a Beacon Award for his performance on Emancipation, Rock joked about watching the film solely to see Smith in his shoes on the night of the Oscars. “The other day, I watched ‘Emancipation’ just so I could watch him getting whipped,” he said, according to the Huffington Post, though he clearly has an arsenal of material loaded up for Friday night’s show.

Chris Rock: He Played Muhammad Ali!

Chris Rock and Will Smith during "Hustle & Flow" Los Angeles Premiere - Red Carpet at ArcLight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood, California, United States. (Photo by Lee Celano/WireImage)

Though it’s unclear whether all of the jokes will make it to Selective Outrage, his fans in Manhattan were treated to a few references surrounding the Oscars moment. At one point, Rock compared his size to Will Smith, who bulked up on numerous occasions for movie roles. “The thing people wanna know … did it hurt? Hell yeah it hurt. He played Muhammad Ali! I played Pookie (in ‘New Jack City’). Even in animated movies, I’m a zebra, he’s a fucking shark. I got hit so hard, I heard ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears,” he reportedly said.

He continued, “Will Smith is a big dude. I am not. Will Smith is shirtless in his movies. If you see me in a movie getting open heart surgery, I’m gonna have a sweater on.” There’s a lot to look forward to, especially since Selective Outrage will be among the first of its kind. Chris Rock’s special will be broadcasted live from Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre on Saturday. Will you be tuning in? Let us know in the comments below. 

About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.
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