Will Smith said that legendary hip-hop duo Eric B. & Rakim inspired his Genie character.
In a trailer for the new live-action remake of Aladdin from a couple months ago, Will Smith’s Genie sang part of one of the film’s most iconic songs, “Friend Like Me.” Now the entire soundtrack is out, and it actually includes two distinct versions of the song: One that’s more similar to the original, and other more hip-hop-oriented rendition (listed as the “End Title” version) that features DJ Khaled.
The standard version has a recognizable instrumental that’s pretty in line with the original spirit of the song, but with Smith’s personality sprinkled in throughout.
