Nobody barfed on Jada Pinkett Smith during last summer’s Ozzfest. In fact, tipsy headbangers liked Pinkett’s heavy metal band, Wicked Wisdom, so much that the group is on the road again for a club run with Sevendust.
The actress-turned-vocalist also tours with children Jaden, 7, and Willow, 5, and, sometimes, hunky husband Will Smith. Wicked Wisdom’s self-titled debut CD arrived in stores Tuesday.
Q. So is this a serious hobby, a career or temporary insanity?
A.(Laughs.) I definitely would love it to be a career. I mean, that’s definitely how I’m approaching it. This is something I’ve always wanted to do, something I’ve been doing now for about four years. And I’ll continue to do it until … it kills me. (Chuckles.)
Q. What was the genesis?
A.I’ve always wanted the opportunity to create heavy music. It’s something that I grew up with. I would look at artists like Axl Rose, and I’d be like, “Wow, where are the women that are actually doing that?” And, so, as a little girl, I was, like, “Wow, I would really love one day to have the opportunity to get onstage and rock out.” And, so, when I came back from Australia from doing “The Matrix” (sequels), I just said, “You know what? I’m going to do this. It’s now or never.”
Q. At what point in your life did you first move your head up and down in a headbanging motion?
A.Probably in high school. I was a big Metallica fan.
Q. Reeeaaally.
A.Oh, my God, yes! I mean that’s so funny when people say that. Because you have to remember, there was heavy rock music before there was hip-hop, you know what I mean? So I didn’t get introduced to hip-hop until I was maybe 9 years old.
Q. By that time, you were a full-on metallic hesher.
A.Yeah! I mean, by that time, I’d already been introduced to Led Zeppelin, and introduced to Queen and introduced to the Who. Ozzy Osbourne was one of my favorites. I just loved the dramatics of Ozzy. I would stare at his album covers: Like, this dude is cool!
Q. Oh yeah, I’m sure your parents were loving that.
A.My parents were the ones that introduced me to it! That’s the thing you have to remember. When my parents were coming up, there weren’t color lines with music. There was just music. … It’s just now that people’s attitudes have kind of changed. And really haven’t changed, because the same kids that go to Sevendust, you’ll definitely see them at a 50 Cent concert.
Q. It’s an interesting gang of female actors when it comes to fronting rock groups. You’ve got Juliette Lewis … .
A.Let me tell you, Juliette Lewis is awesome. We performed together one time. She’s a baaaaad chick. I really admire Juliette, because she puts it down on that stage. She is no joke.
Q. So how did your hubby deal with you touring with Ozzfest and all those hot male groupies?
A. Ah, he loved it! He doesn’t care! He thinks it’s sexy. Last night, I get offstage, he’s, like, “I like all them guys screaming for you like that.” (Laughs.) It puts a little spark in a marriage, you know? We’ve been together now for 12 years. Put a little fire in the marriage – you know what I mean? A little hot sauce on it!
Q. There had to be SOMETHING that happened during Ozzfest that made you go, “Oh my God.”
A.It’s so difficult to make me go, “Oh my God.” You have to remember, I grew up in the ‘hood. I’m the type of chick that’s got caught up in crossfire. I’ve been robbed. To me, I felt like Ozzfest wasn’t half as bad as some of the clubs I’ve been to. It really wasn’t what everybody made it out to be.
The most difficult aspect of it was just being able to turn the crowd around and get them onboard. I think that was the most challenging aspect. Here is a person that people know already as one thing and has totally gone to the complete opposite of that. So it was basically about getting people onboard to understand I’m not here to mock you. … I’m here to show you a good time, and then show you that I’m serious about this. This is something I love to do.
Q. One thing that probably made fans go “Oh my God” at Ozzfest was your husband showing up onstage.
A.Oh yeah. Well, I tell you what: They might have said, “Oh my God.” But it was amazing at all those cheers you heard. They loved him out there. You kidding me?
Q. Weren’t you worried that he might lose his mind and bust out “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It”?
A.Let me tell you: If he got jiggy wit it, they would have loved it. It’s so funny to me, because when he first came, I was, like, “Wow, I wonder how this particular audience is going to react to Will?” They reacted to Will just like every audience does. They went … crazy! … Because people love him. I don’t know what the phenomenon is. I know why I love him. But you can’t take Will to any corner of the Earth and him not get that response. Him being at Ozzfest just solidified that idea for me at every place we went to. And he went out in the audience, and the audience was just so happy to see him there.
Q. Do you ever get to call him the Fresh Prince?
A.No.
Q. Not even in the bedroom?
A.No, I just call him Big Daddy. (Snickers.)
Q. Well, it sounds like it’s been an exciting four years in Wicked Wisdom.
A.It’s been great, man, and this tour with Sevendust has just been off the hook. … And that’s what I love about this, too, because every day we go out, and we shake hands with the crowd. Sign autographs. Take pictures. To me, that’s the best part about it, to be able to share the experience with the audience.
Q. But it’s so anti-Hollywood in so many ways.
A.Well, yeah, but for me, that’s one of the reasons why this is so good. I get tired of being behind the red ropes. … The fun of it is being able to get out with the folks and share an experience. It’s no fun being on the other side of the velvet ropes with a bunch of boring people like myself.
Q. Oh yeah, I’m sure it would (stink) to be married to Will, hanging out behind the red ropes.
A.Oh, no, being married to Will, I’m very lucky.
