Will Smith Tells Rakim He Was Attempting to Sound Like Him on 'Summertime'

Will Smith has openly acknowledged mimicking Rakim on "Summertime," the 1991 hit single he created with DJ Jazzy Jeff, during a recent interaction at CBS' A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop. Following the event, while backstage with Rakim, Smith confirmed that he intentionally adopted the style of the esteemed rapper on the iconic track.

"I was absolutely trying to sound like you on ‘Summertime,'" Will revealed, prompting a rare smile from the 55-year-old Rakim. He explained, "Because I had been screaming all night, and I couldn’t get my happy-go-lucky high voice. And [producer] Hula just said, ‘Yo, just gimme that Rakim s***.'"

Contrary to long-standing rumors that Rakim ghostwrote "Summertime," the legendary rapper clarified in a 2016 conversation with HipHopDX that it was, in fact, Will and Jeff who wrote the song. Rakim mentioned, "Nah, it was ironic that me and Eric B. had sampled it, and we had it ready to go. But when they came out with it, a lot of people thought it was me because of the style [Will] used. But it was one of those things where that was them. I didn’t write it. That was Will and Jeff."

Rakim further explained the backstory, stating that "Summertime" was a track they had considered using but opted not to include on their first album due to timing and thematic considerations. The new revelation about Smith's imitation of Rakim can be seen in a seven-minute behind-the-scenes clip of his night at the CBS special, available on YouTube. The specific moment occurs around the 2:38 mark. The video also features appearances by Smith's enthusiastic children, DJ Red Alert, Chance the Rapper, Queen Latifah, and more.