Watch: Will Smith Releases Teaser for Runaway Slave Movie 'Emancipation'

Will Smith is having a relatively rough year for a guy who won his first Academy Award in March.

Of course, slapping the host of the show about to fete you is probably not the best way to get on the good side of karma.

While Chris Rock famously declined to press charges for the incident, Smith did get a 10-year ban from attending the ceremony. He also was grilled mercilessly by the internet and went into hiding when he should have been celebrating the apex of his acting career. 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Will Smith (@willsmith)

Things are finally looking up for the actor, who apologized to Rock for the assault on the comedian in what the latter referred to as a "hostage video,” however.

Smith's first post-slap project, “Emancipation,” is generating positive buzz. Following a recent screening his performance as Peter — the real-life runaway slave depicted in the "Whipped Peter" series of photos in Harper's Weekly in 1863 that served as a searing indictment on slavery — was compelling enough for Apple to give it a December release.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NAACP (@naacp)

The feature will be released to theaters in a limited release on Dec. 2, before making its debut on Apple TV+ a week later — making it eligible for this year's Oscar nominations.

That doesn't guarantee, of course, that Smith will remotely add another best actor trophy to his case remotely next year. If the word-on-the-street is to be believed, though, the movie and the powerful performance that drives it might be the most important of his career.

I had the pleasure of watching the film #Emancipation and can’t begin to tell how powerful this is for OUR community and OUR history. It’s a story of adversity, of resilience, of love, and of triumph.

Thank you Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith for sharing your gifts!#ThisIsPower

— Derrick Johnson (@DerrickNAACP) October 1, 2022

"I had the pleasure of watching the film #Emancipation and can’t begin to tell how powerful this is for OUR community and OUR history," NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson posted on Twitter following the screening. "It’s a story of adversity, of resilience, of love, and of triumph. Thank you Antoine Fuqua and Will Smith for sharing your gifts!"

Watch the teaser for the movie below:

Coolio Dead at 59

©Facebook/Coolio

Grammy Award-winning rapper Coolio died Wednesday at a friend's house in Los Angeles. He was 59.

TMZ first broke the news and his longtime manager, Jarez Posey, then confirmed it to multiple outlets.

Posey said the star went to the bathroom and when he did not return for a “long time,” friends broke down the door and found him on the floor.

According to Posey paramedics were called after he was found unresponsive but their attempts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead.

Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio was one of the most recognizable names in rap in the late 1990s.

One of the nicest dudes I’ve known.
Good people. R.I.P. Coolio 🕊 🌹 🕊 pic.twitter.com/yQF9ZonbKA

— MC HAMMER (@MCHammer) September 29, 2022

The Pennsylvania native found success in the music industry after moving to Compton, California, where he went to community college and worked as a volunteer firefighter before devoting himself to music full-time.

In 1994 his debut album "It Takes a Thief" made him a star. The platinum album's lead single "Fantastic Voyage" reached No. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100, while it peaked at No. 8 on the Billboard 200.

Coolio kept the momentum going with his next release 1995's “Gangsta’s Paradise." The hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film "Dangerous Minds" earned him a Grammy for best solo rap performance.

He went on to make the song the title track of his second studio album released the same year. "Gangsta's Paradise" went on to sell over two million copies in the United States and generated two more major hits for the artist in "1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin' New)" (No. 5 Billboard Hot 100) and "Too Hot" (No. 24).

After the news broke, friends, fans and former colleagues took to the internet to eulogize the fallen star. Among them was Weird Al, who the rapper feuded with after the parody song master released the song "Amish Paradise." The two squashed the beef later.

"RIP Coolio," he wrote in a simple and touching tribute.

RIP Coolio pic.twitter.com/Z53f3n6HDU

— Al Yankovic (@alyankovic) September 29, 2022

Keke Palmer, SZA Featured Prominently on Prestigious TIME100 Next List

Courtesy Time

Time magazine revealed its annual list of the most influential people in the world today, and It Girl Keke Palmer, along with R&B powerhouse SZA, was front-and-center

The dynamic duo was picked — along with actor Sydney Sweeney and conservationist Farwiza Farhan — to be one of the four worldwide cover persons for the TIME100 Next list.

It showcases 100 emerging leaders from around the world, shaping the future and defining the next generation of leadership, by having their peers pen a few words on why they deserve the recognition.

Calling her one of the most talented human beings I've ever met, rapper-turned-actor Queen Latifah did the honors for Palmer, writing:

Watching Keke evolve as a young woman has been a joy. She is the epitome of grace, poise, and honesty. To watch her grow as an artist, taking on a range of challenging roles—­including her stunning performances in Akeelah and the Bee, Pimp, and the critically acclaimed 2022 blockbuster Nope—has been inspiring to me as a fellow actor. Not to mention, the girl can sing! But then again, this young champion has been inspiring adults for many, many years. Keke is the future, and I can’t wait to see the things that she will do as she continues on her journey.

“For me, it’s always about making sure that I’m achieving the things that I want to achieve. I really do live in a universe of my own,” says @KekePalmer #TIME100Next https://t.co/52FUlIl3Rb pic.twitter.com/APCjEXmHaa

— TIME (@TIME) September 28, 2022

Fellow Grammy winner Lizzo feted SZA:

When she dropped CTRL, her debut studio album, it was a cultural f-cking reset. She changed the world! The authenticity in her craft—the way she’s able to tell her story and the way she uses melody—is extraordinary. No one can replicate that. When she’s onstage, she’s timeless. She’s someone who’s the real deal, and I think that she’s well on her way to being regarded as one of the greatest songwriters and singers of all time. All she needs is that pen and that voice and her story, and she’s going to be with us for a long time.

“I think that was my job—to shine a tiny light onto whatever versions of us exist. Whether you’re Black, you’re white or anything, your job is to create a clear lens of humanity for whatever you represent or whoever you represent,” says @sza #TIME100Next https://t.co/0FmrsJNsKu pic.twitter.com/4rH7XlpNv5

— TIME (@TIME) September 28, 2022

Other notable names on the list included Jonathan Majors ("The Harder They Fall"), Lashana Lynch ("The Woman King"), Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ("Aquaman"), Ncuti Gatwa ("Doctor Who"), TikTok influencer Khaby Lame and NBA star Ja Morant.

"Real change requires urgency and the determination to respond with speed to global challenges such as the climate crisis," Time editor-in-chief and CEO Edward Felsenthal wrote of the rising stars and changemakers on the 2022 list. "The leaders featured on this year's TIME100 Next list have demonstrated that spirit. They are shaping our world—and demanding we join them."

To see the complete list click here.