Jaden Smith doesn’t mind dropping his last name? (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Jaden Smith and Will Smith are probably Hollywood’s most excellent father-son duos. Although the two had their fair share of conflicts, their relationship has always felt vibrant. Jaden’s debut on-screen with Will in The Pursuit of Happyness showcased their special bond. Over the years, the two have worked on other creative projects, shared laughs, and sometimes even fashion statements.
While Will is known for being a supportive dad, Jaden isn’t afraid to do his own thing. As Jaden craves his own space in music and film, his presence in the industry is no less impressive. Despite growing up as Will’s son, he has always been under the spotlight, but there was a time when he took steps to make his own identity.
Why Did Jaden Smith Remove His Last Name?
In a throwback interview with Apple Music’s Zane Lowe, Jaden Smith asked why he removed his last name, which now goes by Jaden. He shared, “I realized that Willow changed her name to Willow at some point. And that she was no longer Willow Smith. Yeah, it took me a while. It took me a while. Because if you look Willow Smith up, it’ll still come up. But then it took me a while to see that it was just Willow. And I was like, ‘Yo. That’s so strong. You feel like you don’t have to say your last name. You’re just Willow.’”
He continued explaining that his decision was also influenced by his desire to distinguish between his two identities as an actor and a rapper. Jaden added, “I create different characters for myself, and that’s also one of the reasons I love Bowie so much, but I create different characters for myself, and it’s like Jaden, that’s music, and Jaden Smith, that’s 501(c)(3), that’s acting in movies. I wanted to make that little distinction there, just a little bit so that I could just…different things are happening.”
Jaden has not entirely abandoned his family’s name from his real identity. He made this decision for his musical career and thus uses Jaden as the stage name.
What is Jaden Smith’s Net Worth?
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Jaden Smith’s estimated worth is $8million. Following his debut in the film The Pursuit of Happyness, he starred in other roles like The Karate Kid alongside Jackie Chan, After Earth, The Get Down, Skate Kitchen, Life in a Year, and A Man Named Scott.
Jaden’s music career began when he rapped with Justin Bieber in Never Say Never. In 2017, he released his first studio album, Syre, followed by Erys and CTV3: Cool Tape Vol. 3. The star lives with his sister, Willow Smith, in a $4 million home in the Hollywood Hills.
