The world stopped for Will Smith when he received a remarkable call from Prince. Just eight hours before the music icon’s untimely death, Prince pitched an idea to Will Smith, proposing they start an entertainment company with JAY-Z.
The unexpected call from Prince left Will Smith pondering the possibilities. He shared this memorable moment on the Broken Record podcast with Justin Richmond, recounting how Prince was full of enthusiasm about creating something impactful with him and JAY-Z.
“He called and he was pitching. He was saying that me, him, and JAY-Z should start an entertainment company,” Will reminisced on the podcast. He emphasized the fleeting nature of their discussion, stating, “We talked that night and in the morning – he was gone.”
Although the idea never came to fruition, the connection between Will Smith and JAY-Z endured. Over the years, they’ve joined forces on various projects, albeit through their separate companies rather than one they co-founded.
In 2020, for instance, Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment collaborated with JAY-Z’s Roc Nation to spotlight an important historical narrative. Together, they brought the somber story of Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, to television audiences. The series marked the 65th anniversary of Till’s tragic death, which had kickstarted a pivotal moment in the civil rights movement.
Till’s open casket at his funeral highlighted the brutality he faced in Mississippi in 1955, provoking national outrage and lending momentum to the Civil Rights Movement. Smith and JAY-Z’s storytelling aimed to honor this impactful history.
Furthermore, in 2021, they invested in Landis Technologies, a startup determined to help renters transition to homeowners. Their joint venture supported Landis in raising over $165 million, directly impacting low-income families’ paths to homeownership.
Cyril Berdugo, co-founder of Landis, spoke on the initiative, highlighting the company’s mission of financial inclusion and wealth creation for low-income Americans. He noted, “We make money when our client buys the house back. If we leave money on the table, that’s our problem.”
Although Prince’s dream of an entertainment company with Will Smith and JAY-Z never came to life, the spirit of collaboration between Smith and JAY-Z has thrived. Their joint ventures continue to leave significant marks in both entertainment and social advancement.
