It seems Will Smith got a little angry during the production of Lost and Found. With stabs at Eminem and a song devoted to spouting off about the abuses of Christianity, Smith shows his audience a different style altogether.

By Chris McDougall, Maneater Staff Writer, April 15, 2005:

I like Will Smith, which is why it was scary for me to find out about his latest album, Lost and Found. Through rumors, I’d heard that Smith was sick of the abuse, and finally lashed back at Eminem in this album.

Then I saw the cover, with Smith leaning against a street sign wearing a big red lettermen’s jacket with big red shoes and an oversized, white Phillies hat cocked to the left. Things were not looking good for Will.

Continuing:

It took a few listens, but Smith’s coming-of-age album is actually pretty good.

Before, the music Smith put out was the kind of stuff you would hear at a middle school dance — songs like “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It� and “Miami.� With this album, Will gives us a little bit more. There are still a few of those middle school songs, but he really has something to say on the rest of the album, and he comes right out and says it.

Probably the most controversial song (in Will Smith terms) is “Mr. Niceguy,� in which he addresses his critics for the first time.

About Eminem: “Big Will just get another 20 mil and walk right past him.�

Larry Elder: “Uncle Tom, you’re lucky I don’t make you the whole damn rhyme.�

Then, my personal favorite, Wendy Williams: “Girl better leave me alone before I buy your radio station and send you home.�

And he doesn’t stop there. In the next song, he vents about the abuses of Christianity in the world and, specifically, a friend of his in “Ms. Holy Roller.�

Then he criticizes the “rap game� for being cliché in “Lost & Found� and asks, “Why should I try to sound like you sound? That’s what’s wrong with the rap game right now.�

After that comes the best song on the album, “Tell Me Why,� featuring Mary J. Blige, in which Smith tries to explain the Sept. 11 attacks and the war in Iraq to his son.

It seems like he’s got a chip on his shoulder for most of this album, which I think greatly improves the quality of his music. He’s never gotten much respect because he has always rapped about the good things in life, but now he is stepping out there and letting people see a different aspect of his life.

Not all the songs are simply Smith venting. A lot of his songs tell stories, and a lot of them feature either freestyling or really bad lyrics, but that’s what makes them good. In “If U Can’t Dance (Slide),� he freestyles about nothing, but you can’t help listening intently because it’s so stupid.

It takes a couple listens, but this album flows well. It has a little bit of everything: some good songs to dance to, some good songs to drive to, some good songs to laugh to and, of course, there are a few songs for the middle-schoolers.

Source: Maneater.com

Now I wonder.. Is Eminem's name used just for publicity? Yet again somebody drops in Eminem to get some attention? I like Will Smith, but 1 weak line won't convince me otherwise unless I'm missing something here... -- Webmaster