Willow Smith has recounted her experiences of “intense racism and sexism” while out on tour with her mom’s band.
In the 2000s, Jada Pinkett Smith formed the nu-metal band, Wicked Wisdom. During her interview for the cover of the July 2021 issue of L’Officiel, she opened up about the negative experience.
“My mom got so much hate. It was intense racism and sexism, just packed on to the tens. People giving her death threats, throwing glass at her onstage. Some crazy stuff went down,” she told the publication.
“I got to see that hate firsthand,” she said. “It was so scary to me, and I think I internalized a little bit.”
She says despite the experience not being all positive, her mom’s perseverance and strength gave her the inspiration to keep on the path of creating.
“She really showed me what ‘womaning up’ really was by taking a stance and not being afraid of other people’s judgements and perceptions,” says Willow. “I really wanted to just go within that place in myself and try something new, regardless of what my insecurities were.”
Willow has come a long way since she dropped “Whip Ya Hair” when she was just 10 years old. On Friday, she released her new single, “Lipstick,” off her upcoming album, “Lately I Feel Everything.”
“I just wanted to fulfill that desire that I had ever since I was 10 or 12 of singing rock music, of being a Black woman singing rock music,” she said.
The album drops on July 16.
It is heavily influenced by rockers Avril Lavigne, My Chemical Romance, and Paramore.
“I just wanted to let loose with this album,” Smith said in a statement to Rolling Stone. “I wanted to have fun and be young and not be so existential and worrying all the time.”
