As famous parents go, few are as known and revered as Will Smith and Jada Pinkett.
Naturally then, it was always a given that their offspring – Jaden and Willow Smith -would be of immediate notability.
And earlier indication suggested it was a status the pair were embracing; Jaden via acting and Willow by way of music. Indeed, who could forget her explosive debut – aged just 9 – with ‘Whip My Hair’?
Well, according to the singer – who is now 17 – it’s not been smooth sailing. So much so that
Her words came during an interview with Girl Gaze e-zine to promote her new album ‘The 1st.’
She explained of her predicament (and those of other famous kids):
“Growing up and trying to figure out your life… while people feel like they have some sort of entitlement to know what’s going on, is absolutely, excruciatingly terrible— and the only way to get over it, is to go into it. You can’t change your face. You can’t change your parents. You can’t change any of those things.
So I feel like most kids like me end up going down a spiral of depression, and the world is sitting there looking at them through their phones; laughing and making jokes and making memes at the crippling effect that this lifestyle has on the psyche. When you’re born into it, there are two choices that you have; I’m either going to try to go into it completely and help from the inside, or… no one is going to know where I am… and I’m really going to take myself completely out of the eye of society. There’s really no in-between.”
While some will be quick to dismiss her words as privileged waffle, we definitely see where she’s coming from.
Her ability to articulate an experience rarely explored (in a non-whiney way) is impressive.
On a random note, we remain excited for her potential as an artist.
Her releases over the years (of which there have been many) have been rolled out with what feels like minimal fanfare – purposefully. Almost as if to grant her the scope to explore all corners of her artistry and work out the kinks ahead of a more measured push.
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The life of an ungrateful SPOILED BRAT. STFU
I agree they are blessed by God with all the wealth in the world she needs to be grateful and go do some soul searching take a trip to Africa around the poor and the homeless and see how this little c**** feels they irk my nerve will and jada raise kids that seem confused it’s not always about money making you happy but be grateful for what you have little girl you not homeless sleeping in shelters wondering where your next meal comes from no shoe to wear stfu and get on your knees look in the mirror and chant that you and your black family bless
Very well said.
They also get a good amount of shade because people in general are not used to seeing extremely rich black kids that from birth have never had to want for anything a day in their life. Beyoncé and Jayz’s kids will go through the same thing as well. I cannot wait to see what she does next.
Do you want us to apologize to them for being born rich and having an easy life ? Poor babies.
It has nothing to do with race ..black ,black please stop with the race card …. Anyways they should pull them self together and be great ful for who they are and what they have
Actually I think it does. Majority of the criticism they get are from black people and reading comments it always seems to be because they don’t fit into the norm of what other black folk are used to. Growing up middle-upper middle class I used to get it too. Black folk that don’t understand that I wasn’t raised in the hood so I’m not gon act like I rep it. Sorry not sorry.
Nowhere did she say or even come off like she was ingrateful for what she has. And considering she is involved in various organizations, namely the one she started with her mom for the ending of sexual slavery, she has already done more to give back than many will ever try to. She real gave a perspective of what it’s like to be born in the spotlight and spoke about what she intends to do. At 17 she’s not gonna have it all together but she darn well looks to be on her way.
Sorry not sorry
i don’t feel an ounce of pity for her cry me a river
Didn’t read a lie here!!
How dare this heffa ask to be born into a famous rich family then say that that growing up was painful because of all the eyes their success drew.
Not like going through puberty and figuring yourself out isn’t hard enough already for normal children, but hey she has money so those without ain’t tryna hear all that cause money solves everything.
With a full bank account she has no right to complain about anything ever. Just such an ungrateful hussy.
Wow the people on this site suck. She has the right to feel how she feels. Everybody isn’t criticizing you and has access ti your life via social media etc. she didn’t ask to be born to famous parents you imbecile.
Yeah I agree, the stuff im reading is just gross. the fact that they used the exact words “she has no right to complain about anything ever” – it’s crazy that they can’t see what’s wrong with that. just sad. people are allowed to express how they feel and what they struggled with growing up, they don’t have to mask that because they are worried s***** people on the internet are going to criticise them and call them ungrateful. the reality is NO ONE’s life is perfect. these close minded commenters should really read more topics like this and start learning about the struggles of others if they want to have any compassion.
It’s sad…she’s too young to be this bitter and jaded. I think she was expecting to achieve superstardom after the success of Whip My Hair. But after the hype died down, her next few singles flopped, and reality set in, she’s now casting blame on the the last name helped her achieve that taste of success in the first place.
uhhh no, she very clearly expressed what she struggled with – it wasn’t the lack of fame, it was the fact that she was put in the public eye from a very very young age. this is bound to have some mental health issues and it’s why I don’t support family channels on youtube because it’s pure exploitation and damaging to those children. they didn’t choose to be born into that family, and the common argument of “other people have struggled worse” is irrelevant, it doesn’t discount her own suffering.
I have to wonder if some of this is due to the parenting (or lack thereof) she received. I could never really see any rules she had to follow. Will and Jada didn’t seem to make any strong efforts to normalize the childhoods of Willow and Jaden. Notice that Will’s older son seems a bit more . . . normal. Many celebrity kids turn out okay. Look at Diana Ross’ children. And considering their father’s personality, somehow Donald Trump’s children all managed to turn out okay. i feel what she’s saying, but perhaps a bit more structure would have been good during her childhood.
She could’ve been born in the street without food and already dead or ripped hundred times. Be thankful little Bish.
Girl I guess…
The comments are so ridiculous in here. First, she didn’t ask to be born in one of the most rich and famous families in the entertainment industry.
2nd: No one knows her life or how it has been for her, she’s allowed to tell her story the way she wants.
3rd: None of us have been scrutinized since birth by millions of people so we don’t know what she is going through and probably never will.
Give this 17 year old girl a break. I’m sure she’s happy to have the opportunities she has but it’s a double edged sword. i.e: the comments in this comment section.
perfectly said
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yeahh, this is shameful. your inability to understand the possibility of a rich person struggling, especially one brought up in the public eye, is just gross. the fact that you think you can look in from the outside and decide based on wealth that they wouldn’t have had any struggles, is just gross. especially when Willow has so articulately expressed WHY she struggled – being brought up in the public eye, open to people like you to tear them apart based on anything honest they might share, is bound to be horrible. especially with cancel culture – I could never be famous, and I wouldn’t want to. you sound more entitled than she has at this point.