Jaden Christopher Syre Smith (born July 8, 1998) is an American rapper and actor. The son of
Jada Pinkett-Smith and
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...
, he has received various accolades, including a
Teen Choice Award
The Teen Choice Awards were an annual awards show that aired on the Fox television network between 1999 and 2019. The awards, based on a popularity vote that could be overridden by the producerswho reserved the right to choose the winnerscovered ...
, an
MTV Movie Award, a
BET Award and a
Young Artist Award. He has received a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards, stylized as GRAMMY, and often referred to as The Grammys, are awards presented by The Recording Academy of the United States to recognize outstanding achievements in music. They are regarded by many as the most prestigious ...
nomination, and has won two
NAACP Image Awards
The NAACP Image Awards is an annual awards ceremony presented by the U.S.-based National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) to honor outstanding performances in film, television, theatre, music, and literature. The over 40 ...
and an
Empire Award.
Smith made his film debut with his father
Will
Will may refer to:
Common meanings
* Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death
* Will (philosophy), or willpower
* Will (sociology)
* Will, volition (psychology)
* Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will
...
in the 2006 film ''
The Pursuit of Happyness'', and appeared with his father once more in the 2013 film ''
After Earth
''After Earth'' is a 2013 American science fiction apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic action film, action-adventure film co-produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who co-wrote the script with Gary Whitta. The film w ...
''. He also co-starred in the remake films ''
The Day the Earth Stood Still'' (2008), along with
Keanu Reeves, and ''
The Karate Kid'' (2010), with
Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born Chan Kong-sang; 7 April 1954), known professionally as Jackie Chan,; is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker, known for his slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically perf ...
. Following a three-year hiatus, he returned to acting in 2016, starring in the two-part
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
series ''
The Get Down'', and voice-acting in the company's anime series, ''
Neo Yokio''.
As a recording artist, Smith first guest performed on Canadian singer
Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is recognized for his multi-genre musical performances. He was discovered by record executive Scooter Braun in 2008 and subsequently brought to the U ...
's 2010 single, "
Never Say Never". Released for ''The Karate Kid''s
accompanying soundtrack,
the song peaked within the top ten of the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 and received
quintuple platinum certification by the
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) is a trade organization that represents the music recording industry in the United States. Its members consist of record labels and distributors that the RIAA says "create, manufacture, and/o ...
(RIAA). He later released multiple mixtapes, including ''
CTV2'' (2014). Following a three-year work effort, he signed with
Roc Nation and
Interscope Records
Interscope Records is an American record label based in Santa Monica, California, owned by Universal Music Group through its Interscope Geffen A&M imprint. Founded in late 1990 by Jimmy Iovine and Ted Field as a $20 million joint venture ...
to release his debut studio album, ''
Syre'' (2017). It peaked at number 24 on the
''Billboard'' 200, while his second and third albums, ''
Erys'' (2019) and ''
CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3'' (2020), peaked at numbers 12 and 44, respectively. In 2022, he was nominated for a
Grammy Award for Album of the Year
The Grammy Award for Album of the Year is an award presented by the The Recording Academy, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences of the United States to "honor artistic achievement, technical proficiency and overall excellence in the r ...
as a featured artist on Bieber's album
''Justice''.
Early life
Jaden Christopher Syre Smith was born July 8, 1998, in
Malibu, California
Malibu ( ; ; ) is a beach city in the Santa Monica Mountains region of Los Angeles County, California, about west of downtown Los Angeles. It is known for its Mediterranean climate, its strip of beaches stretching along the Pacific Ocean coa ...
,
["Jaden Smith Biography"]
. Biography
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curri ...
. Retrieved June 1, 2014. the son of actors
Jada Pinkett Smith and
Will Smith
Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...
. He has an older half-brother, Trey Smith (b. 1992) and a younger sister,
Willow Smith
Willow Smith (born October 31, 2000), also known mononymously as Willow, is an American singer, actress and dancer. The daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, she has received various accolades, including a Young Artist Award, an NAAC ...
(b. 2000). He attended
New Village Leadership Academy before being homeschooled by his parents.
Growing up, his fame and his family's celebrity status prevented him from having a normal childhood, something he has spoken on at length. He took up skateboarding.
Smith and his siblings were youth ambassadors for Project Zambi, which, in conjunction with
Hasbro
Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational corporation, multinational toy manufacturing and entertainment holding company founded on December 6, 1923 by Henry, Hillel and Herma ...
, helps Zambian children orphaned by
AIDS
The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...
.
Career
Acting

Smith made his major role debut in the 2006 film ''
The Pursuit of Happyness'' as Christopher, the son of Chris Gardner, Will Smith's character.
For the role, he won the Breakthrough Performance award at the
2007 MTV Movie Awards. He next appeared as Jacob in the 2008
Scott Derrickson
Scott Derrickson (born July 16, 1966) is an American filmmaker. He is known for his work in the horror genre, directing films such as ''The Exorcism of Emily Rose'' (2005), ''Sinister (film), Sinister'' (2012), and ''The Black Phone'' (2021). He ...
science fiction film ''
The Day the Earth Stood Still'',
[ a remake of the 1951 classic of the same name.
In 2010, with ]Jackie Chan
Fang Shilong (born Chan Kong-sang; 7 April 1954), known professionally as Jackie Chan,; is a Hong Kong actor and filmmaker, known for his slapstick, acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, and innovative stunts, which he typically perf ...
, Smith starred in '' The Karate Kid'', a remake of the 1984 film. In May 2013, Will Smith and Jaden starred together, as father and son, in ''After Earth
''After Earth'' is a 2013 American science fiction apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction, post-apocalyptic action film, action-adventure film co-produced and directed by M. Night Shyamalan, who co-wrote the script with Gary Whitta. The film w ...
''. In 2014, it was announced that Smith would return for the sequel ''Karate Kid 2'' with Jackie Chan, to be directed by Breck Eisner, produced by James Lassiter and Will Smith, and written by Zak Penn.
In April 2014, Smith was cast in the film ''The Good Lord Bird'', based on the 2013 novel of the same name by James McBride. Smith plays Henry Shackleford, a young slave living in Kansas Territory in 1857 who encounters abolitionist John Brown.
Smith took a break from acting following the release of his mixtape ''Cool Tape Vol. 2'' to focus on music. He then returned to act in Netflix original '' The Get Down'' in 2017. He also had a voice-acting role in '' Neo Yokio'' and a role in ''Nashville
Nashville, often known as Music City, is the capital and List of municipalities in Tennessee, most populous city in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the county seat, seat of Davidson County, Tennessee, Davidson County in Middle Tennessee, locat ...
'' as himself. Commenting on his break from acting, he said, "The kinds of roles I was being offered weren't exactly what I was looking for, nothing felt really necessary that I needed to be in until this came along". Smith has returned to acting in films with the announcement of a film based on skateboarding. On June 21, 2018, Crystal Moselle's '' Skate Kitchen'' released its first official trailer with Smith as the main character. It was released on August 10, 2018, after screening at Sundance in Winter 2017. In 2020, he starred with Cara Delevingne in the romantic drama '' Life in a Year'', to positive reviews.
Music
In 2010, Smith rapped alongside Canadian singer Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is recognized for his multi-genre musical performances. He was discovered by record executive Scooter Braun in 2008 and subsequently brought to the U ...
in the song " Never Say Never".["Justin Bieber – Never Say Never ft. Jaden Smith "](_blank)
. YouTube. JustinBieberVEVO. May 27, 2010. Retrieved June 1, 2014. It peaked at No. 8 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and was certified 5× Platinum in the US.
On October 1, 2012, Smith released his debut mixtape, '' The Cool Cafe''.["Jaden Smith – The Cool Cafe"](_blank)
. DatPiff.com. Retrieved on May 17, 2013. He released the sequel to ''The Cool Cafe'' on November 8, 2014, titled '' CTV2''.
Smith started working on his debut studio album in 2014, a process that took three years. He announced in December 2016 that it would be titled '' Syre''. The lead single from ''Syre'', "Fallen", was released on December 5, 2016, three more singles were released, "Batman" and "Watch Me" on July 14, 2017, and "Falcon" on November 16. ''Syre'' was released on November 17, 2017, and debuted at #24 on the US ''Billboard'' 200. "Icon
An icon () is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, in the cultures of the Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Catholic Church, Catholic, and Lutheranism, Lutheran churches. The most common subjects include Jesus, Mary, mother of ...
" was released as a single on the same day and reached No. 3 on the Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles
Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles (also known as Bubbling Under the Hot 100) is a chart published weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine in the United States. The chart lists the top songs that have not yet charted on the main ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Chart ...
chart.
Smith later announced that his next project following ''Syre'' would be titled ''Erys'' on December 14, 2017. Another project, '' Syre: The Electric Album,'' was later teased via Twitter. Leading up to the release of the project, Smith released the single "Ghost" featuring Christian Rich. On July 8, 2018, Smith released the project exclusively on Instagram
Instagram is an American photo sharing, photo and Short-form content, short-form video sharing social networking service owned by Meta Platforms. It allows users to upload media that can be edited with Social media camera filter, filters, be ...
on his 20th birthday. The project was later released four days later to streaming platforms. ''Syre: The Electric Album'' is a guitar-centric rework of Smith's studio album ''Syre'' and is influenced by Jimi Hendrix and The Beatles' '' Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. Less than a year later, on July 5, 2019, Smith released his second studio album, '' Erys'', and debuted at number 12 on the US ''Billboard'' 200.
On July 30, 2018, Smith was announced as an opener during J. Cole's KOD Tour alongside Young Thug and EarthGang
EarthGang (stylized EARTHGANG) is an American hip hop duo from Atlanta, Georgia, composed of Olu (aka Johnny Venus; born Olu Onyemachi Dakarai Fann) and WowGr8 (aka Doctur Dot; born Eian Parker). They are co-founders of the musical collective S ...
and on August 2, performed for the first time at Lollapalooza
Lollapalooza () is an annual American four-day music festival held in Grant Park (Chicago), Grant Park in Chicago. It originally started as a touring event in 1991, with Chicago becoming its permanent location beginning in 2005. Music genres i ...
. One of Smith's influences, Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ; formerly stylized as KiD CuDi), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Clevelan ...
, stated that he would like to make an album with Smith, which Smith supported, saying that he would like to in the future during an interview on August 21, 2018.
Jaden was managed by Will Smith's management company, Westbrook Entertainment, until March 2019 when Three Six Zero, an established management firm, acquired Westbrook. Following the acquisition, on July 24, 2020, Smith released the single "Cabin Fever", from his third album '' CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3'', which he described is a completion of the trilogy of the previous ''Cool'' tapes and "also kinda completing the trilogies of ''Syre'' and ''Erys'' at the same time". The album includes a collaboration with Smith's friend and previous collaborator Justin Bieber, on the song "Falling for You". On June 21, 2021, Smith released the single "Bye". On August 27, 2021, Smith released another version of the album ''CTV3: Day Tripper's Edition'' on all streaming platforms.
Fashion
'' GQ'' described Smith as "in a league of his own" in terms of fashion and a "superstar who has taken fashion to an entirely different level". Smith has called Tyler the Creator, Batman
Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
and Poseidon his icons when it comes to fashion. Smith said that Tyler the Creator introduced him to the brand Supreme. Batman's dark, gothic scenery has influenced the clothing he has created through his brand MSFTSrep and his personal clothing style, wearing Batman protective armor to Kanye West's and Kim Kardashian's wedding and his prom. MSFTSrep's range includes hoodies, T-shirt, trousers and vests. In May 2013 Smith collaborated with a Korean designer, Choi Bum Suk, to create a pop-up store where customers can buy clothes with their collaborated logos.["Jay Park, Girls' Generation, and more attend Jaden Smith's 'MSFTSrep' and 'General Idea's pop-up store event"](_blank)
. AllKPop.com. May 8, 2013.
In 2016, Smith modelled in a womenswear campaign for Louis Vuitton
Louis Vuitton Malletier SAS, commonly known as Louis Vuitton (, ), is a French Luxury goods, luxury fashion house and company founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton (designer), Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogram appears on most of its products, ...
wearing a skirt. Explaining his choice to wear a skirt, he said he was attempting to combat bullying, saying "In five years, when a kid goes to school wearing a skirt, he won't get beat up and kids won't get mad at him." Smith continued to wear womenswear throughout the rest of 2016. He was the first male model to model womenswear for Louis Vuitton. He created a denim line with fashion brand G-Star in 2018.
Just Water
Smith has been a partner in spring water company Just Water since he was 12 years old. The company is attempting to create a water filtration system anyone can afford, which can be used in poorer areas and nations; they also seek to help with water infrastructure, and creating more environmentally-friendly construction methods by producing their own drywall. Just Water launched officially in the UK on August 27, 2018.
Musical artistry and influences
Smith's influences include Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ; formerly stylized as KiD CuDi), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Clevelan ...
, Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer and record producer. One of the most prominent figures in hip-hop, he is known for his varying musical style and polarizing cultural and political commentary. After ...
, Kurt Cobain
Kurt Donald Cobain (February 20, 1967 – ) was an American musician. He was the lead vocalist, guitarist, primary songwriter, and a founding member of the grunge band Nirvana (band), Nirvana. Through his angsty songwriting and anti-establis ...
and Tycho. He also considers his father, Will Smith, an inspiration, saying: "He started in music and transitioned to movies. I started with movies, and then I transitioned into making music—I look at him and use it as a blueprint of how good of a person he is, but not necessarily the success that he reached."
Personal life
Jaden Smith's father Will revealed that his son sought an emancipation
Emancipation generally means to free a person from a previous restraint or legal disability. More broadly, it is also used for efforts to procure Economic, social and cultural rights, economic and social rights, civil and political rights, po ...
ruling without his parents' consent, as a present for his 15th birthday. Will told the media that Jaden's primary motivation was the establishment of his own residence and also explained that his children were not subject to strict parenting: "We generally don't believe in punishment. From the time Jaden was five or six, we would sit him down, and all he has to do is be able to explain why what he did was the right thing for his life." However, Smith and his father appeared together on ''The Ellen DeGeneres Show
''The Ellen DeGeneres Show'' is an American first-run syndicated talk show that was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres. The show ran for nineteen seasons from September 8, 2003, to May 26, 2022, in which it broadcast 3,339 episodes. It was produced by ...
'' on May 15, 2013, where Jaden said:
The thing that people don't get is everything at his house is free. So I can get anything and everything at his house, so I'm going to be there for 20, 30 more years. He ill Smithsays that as soon as I have a movie that's bigger than one of his movies I can get my own house.
In June 2017, at the age of 19, Smith moved out of his parents' house into a $4 million home in Hidden Hills.
Smith is a vegetarian
Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the Eating, consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects as food, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slau ...
. He started a mobile restaurant providing free vegan dinners for the homeless (but where others pay). His vegan lifestyle caused his parents to intervene, following a rapid decline in his health. He was later diagnosed with lactose intolerance
Lactose intolerance is caused by a lessened ability or a complete inability to digest lactose, a sugar found in dairy products. Humans vary in the amount of lactose they can tolerate before symptoms develop. Symptoms may include abdominal pain ...
and celiac disease
Coeliac disease (British English) or celiac disease (American English) is a long-term autoimmune disorder, primarily affecting the small intestine. Patients develop intolerance to gluten, which is present in foods such as wheat, rye, spel ...
. He later returned to vegetarianism.
In 2013, Smith criticized traditional education and advised people to drop out of school. Discussing teenagers who attend public school, he said, "Kids who go to normal school are so teenagery, so angsty." Smith subscribes to, and sends tweets about, numerous conspiracy theories
A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources:
*
...
including the Illuminati, and chemtrails.
Smith dated Sarah Snyder from 2015 to 2017. She inspired numerous songs on Smith's debut album, ''Syre.'' Beginning in November 2018, Smith has claimed that rapper Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
was his boyfriend. Tyler, who is bisexual, denied this claim. In the song "NOIZE" on ''Erys'' in 2019, Tyler revealed, while rapping, that their relationship claims were sarcastic.
Smith has been called a non-binary
Non-binary or genderqueer Gender identity, gender identities are those that are outside the male/female gender binary. Non-binary identities often fall under the transgender umbrella since non-binary people typically identify with a gende ...
icon for his work in popular media challenging traditional gender role
A gender role, or sex role, is a social norm deemed appropriate or desirable for individuals based on their gender or sex.
Gender roles are usually centered on conceptions of masculinity and femininity. The specifics regarding these gendered ...
s. He is often seen in gender-fluid clothing, wearing dresses, skirts and high-heels. For his ''Vogue'' Korea editorial in 2016, he wore traditionally female attire: a black skirt, blue nail polish, and a flower in his hair. He has made public comments such as "If I Wanna Wear A Dress, Then I Will, And That Will Set The New Wave...". He said that he wore skirts primarily to help kids to be bullied less in schools.
In 2023, Smith was the subject of an online death hoax after Facebook posts and YouTube videos claimed that he had died. Posts on various social media platforms claimed that Will Smith publicly announced the death of his son.
Discography
Studio albums
*'' Syre'' (2017)
*'' Erys'' (2019)
*'' CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3'' (2020)
Tours
Headlining
* Vision Tour: A North American Journey (2018)
Co-headlining
* Willow & Erys Tour (2019)
Supporting
* Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American Rock music, rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer A ...
– Mania Tour (2017)
* J. Cole – KOD Tour (2018)
* Post Malone
Austin Richard Post (born July 4, 1995), known professionally as Post Malone, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. His music blends various genres including hip-hop, Pop music, pop, Contemporary R&B, R&B, Tra ...
– Beerbongs & Bentleys Tour (2019)
* Tyler, the Creator
Tyler Gregory Okonma (born March 6, 1991), known professionally as Tyler, the Creator, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer. He has been cited as an influential figure in alternative hip-hop during the 2010s. Tyler beca ...
– IGOR Tour (2019)
* Justin Bieber
Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is recognized for his multi-genre musical performances. He was discovered by record executive Scooter Braun in 2008 and subsequently brought to the U ...
– Justice World Tour (2022)
* Kid Cudi
Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi (born January 30, 1984), also known by his stage name Kid Cudi ( ; formerly stylized as KiD CuDi), is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and fashion designer. Born and raised in Clevelan ...
– Insano World Tour (2024)
Filmography
Film
Television
Explanatory notes
References
External links
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Jaden
1998 births
Living people
21st-century American male actors
21st-century American male musicians
21st-century American rappers
African-American male child actors
21st-century African-American male actors
American male child actors
African-American male dancers
American male dancers
African-American male rappers
21st-century American male rappers
American conspiracy theorists
American male film actors
American male television actors
American people of Creole descent
Columbia Records artists
Male actors from California
Male actors from Los Angeles
Musicians from Malibu, California
Male actors from Malibu, California
Rappers from Los Angeles
Will Smith
Alternative hip-hop musicians
Jaden
Three Six Zero Recordings artists