Will Smith Borrowed $10k From Dealer To Pay Tax Debt

Will Smith recently released “Will,” his tell-all memoir. The book reveals a ton of personal stories that Smith has never publicly shared. From his jealousy over his wife’s relationship with Tupac to his dark history with his father, the megastar held nothing back.

During his book tour, Smith talked to Idris Elba about some of the more interesting tales in the book. He told Elba about an issue he had with the U.S. government over a $2 million tax bill. People reported on the story.

“I’m not sure what the government is like with taxes in the U.K., but in the U.S., they take it seriously. So Uncle Sam wanted his money. I didn’t forget—I just didn’t pay.

[I had] to sell everything, and I knew whatever my new life was going to be, I could feel it was going to be in Los Angeles. So, I borrowed $10,000 from a friend of mine who was a purveyor of neighborhood pharmaceuticals.

I borrowed $10,000, and I moved to Los Angeles, and one time we were doing shows, and I was trying to drum up some cash, so we were in Detroit, and we were doing a show. I had met a guy named Benny Medina. You remember Arsenio Hall? I started to go there because everybody was on Arsenio Hall.”

Will Smith has come a long way since those halcyon days of loan sharking and tax evasion. His book has created a ton of buzz. After all these years, and through all the struggles, Will Smith remains a pop culture icon.

What do you think of Will Smith’s story? Let us know in the comments!