Three 6 Mafia walked home with an Oscar in 2006 for their song "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp," and Juicy J suggested he felt Will Smith dissed him after they got the award.
In an interview with Allison Kugel, as seen above, the Three 6 Mafia founding member talked about his memoir Chronicles of the Juice Man and reflected on the experience of winning an Oscar.
"A lot of people in Hollywood judged us," he shared. "They looked at the lyrics, they looked at the name Three 6 Mafia, they called us devil worshippers."
He said that ABC executives even came out during their rehearsal to make sure they weren't stepping out of line and suggested a lot of people weren't initially "scared" of them because of the image they give with their music. But it was what Will Smith said to them after they won Best Original Song for "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" from Hustle & Flow that really impacted Juicy J.
"[Will Smith] ran up, he was like, ‘Man, I’m just mad ‘cause y’all got one before me,'” Juicy J said. “It could’ve been a joke, but I don’t know him. First of all, when I seen him, I was like, ‘Man I grew up listening to your music, man. It’s an honor to meet you.’ And he shook my hand, but he was like, ‘Man, what the hell? Y’all got one before me?' Like I said, he could have been joking, he a comedian too, but I didn't take it like that because I'm thinking people are gonna be like, 'congratulations!' He didn't say that.”
Related Stories
Will Smith on Steven Spielberg Sending Helicopter to Persuade Him to Take ‘Men in Black’ Role: ‘He Said the Coldest Sh*t’
At the time, Smith said he was hesitant to take on another aliens-focused role after 'Independence Day.'
Will Smith Calls SAG-AFTRA Strike a 'Pivotal Moment' for Acting Profession
Smith also reflected on how far he's come in his acting career and thanked his mentor, Aaron Speiser, for helping him understand that he belonged in the acting world.
Drake, DJ Paul, Juicy J, and More Pay Tribute to Gangsta Boo
The pioneering Memphis artist was reported to have died over the weekend at the age of 43. Numerous collaborators and admirers have since paid their respects.
Meanwhile, he contrasted his interaction with Will Smith with other Hollywood royalty, although he suggested it was all from white actors and directors. "John Travolta walked up to me, he said congratulations," he continued. "Steven Spielberg said congratulations. George Clooney, which he had won one, he said congratulations. Like, a lot of those actors was like, 'congratulations,' [but] nobody Black walked up to me and said congratulations that I can remember."
Earlier in the interview, he spoke about not feeling much appreciation from Black talent at the Oscars that year. "I was asking John Singleton, I was like, 'Man these people are hating on us like crazy,'" he told Kugel. "John Singleton even said himself, he's like, 'You feel the hate?' He said, 'Don't worry about it, man, they just mad because they ain't got one. And I was like, 'Damn right.'"
Watch the full interview with Juicy J above.
