Jaden Smith has learned that – to borrow from Drake’s 2010 track “Thank Me Now” – “when they recognize that you got what it takes to succeed ... that's around the time that your idols become your rivals.”
The 19-year-old said artists like Kanye West, Childish Gambino and Drake are treating him differently now that he’s got a rap album, SYRE: A Beautiful Confusion.
“It’s really changed,” he told Complex, about his relationship with other rappers. “I always felt like Little Homie before and that allowed me in all of their circles. But now that I’m on the charts next to them, I’m not really Little Homie anymore.”
Smith said it’s not about acceptance. “No, it’s more like, ‘You can’t hang out with us anymore. We didn’t know you were making an album this whole time. We thought you were just Little Homie giving us free water and s**t. You’re not really cool with us anymore.’”
The “water” reference is to JUST, the boxed-water company Smith and his famous father Will Smith founded in 2015. He said they’re currently looking for people with great ideas.
“We’re always looking for young designers and youthful people to help us with the mission,” he said. “We also challenge young people to design furniture made out of recycled plastic. If you can do something dope out of plastic let us know.”
Smith will be performing April 10 in Vancouver and May 1 in Toronto.