In the last four years, Jaden Smith has gone through multiple public evolutions, transitioning from Twitter phenom to legitimate rap threat with the release of 2017’s SYRE. He’s dabbled in the acting sphere as well, earning a role in the short-lived Netflix series The Get Down and the Ezra Koenig-produced Neo Yokio. In addition, he’s also set out to save the world, one box of bottled water at a time.
The prodigy, who turns 20 this week, has been a pop culture presence since he was old enough to walk. That can be at least partially attributed to being the son of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith, but we’d be remiss to neglect the fair share of work that Jaden has put in himself to earn his current status in the creative hierarchy. SYRE was a giant step for him, one he acknowledged in an exclusive interview with Complex in the aftermath of its release.
“I know that once it goes out, it’s gonna be out forever—and that’s a good thing, because I really want people to be able to connect with it, and look back on it, and talk about it,” he said. “I’m doing it all for the youth, so I have to let it go.”
As Jaden leaves his teens, it’s a perfect time to reflect on his contributions to one specific creative medium: Twitter. He’s been a constant presence on the platform for the last five years, sending out his various interpretations of the world around us in an effort to enlighten the blinded masses. It’s helped curate an image of Smith as an open-eyed philosopher, taking in information and disseminating as best he can.
To celebrate the “Icon” performer’s entrance into the world, let’s take a look at 19 of his best tweets.
You can ascribe “big mood” to a good portion of Jaden’s tweets, but there’s perhaps no bigger mood than being in the back of an Uber, surrounded by two-week old hard peppermint candies, silently crying so as to not alarm the random that you’re sharing an Uber Pool with.
Honestly, a really valuable lesson and piece of life advice: Have you seen what soda does to you when you drink it on a consistent basis? Thanks for teaching us how to be a skinny legend, Jaden.
Do we give Zac Efron enough shoutouts? Sure, he played a part in helping bring to life two of the worst movies to ever be conceived (Baywatch and We Are Your Friends), but he’s also earned a lifetime of clout for his contributions to the world as Troy Bolton. Don’t act like you forgot!
Have you ever played Edward Fortyhands? Then this tweet was created specifically with you in mind.
Teens are powerful. While it’s not exactly their job to fix our country, they will roast you into oblivion, sap all your life force, and then convert it into brain power to come up with ways to further make anybody five years older than them obsolete. Who doesn’t need the support of the youth?
With Papa Smith having his own success on IG since joining in December 2017, it’s no shocker that mom joined in on the fun. Her feed is a mix of her serving looks and hyping up her children’s success, so really, aside from the 1.6 million followers, she’s no different from any other Instagram mom.
If you’re going to approach a celebrity, interrupt whatever they have going on at that current moment and ask for a photo, the very least you can do is be prepared to take it as quickly as possible so that they can return to attempting to exist like a normal human. Also, selfie mode always.
When you and your friends are ordering a pizza and they tell you to call it in.
Jaden’s made a lot of proclamations over the years, so for them to start coming true in 2018 is either confirmation of the impending apocalypse or the bright light at the end of the tunnel.
Drag yourself 2K18.
With the cruelty of the current administration’s stance towards immigrants increasing by the week, this observation from 2014 has become concerningly poignant.
A slight points deduction for the usage of “females,” but a valid and important thought nonetheless.
Again, practical advice from the icon himself. Your hands can tell you if you’re dehydrated, give a palm reader a look into the entirety of your existence, or, more importantly, determine if you’re capable of eating a Whopper.
I would bet money that Ariana Grande and Pete Davidson look at this tweet as part of their daily affirmations.
We love a self-aware legend! It’s admirable that at 16 years old Jaden was capable of laughing at himself, when most anyone else that age would channel that same energy into angry subtweeting if confronted with self-reflection.
When a tweet gets a lot of retweets but has an egregious spelling error in it.
Dipping out, not having to deal with anybody’s wackness, and getting some actual rest for once? Absolutely a giant flex.
Seriously, since Jaden unleashed this beauty to the world in 2013, has a single tweet even come close to matching up to this one? Nearly every reply to it is one containing utter confusion, but nevertheless, the power of the words persists. Ugh, his mind. Maybe one day, our feeble brains will evolve and gain the ability to extract the true meaning of such a legendary post.
Happy birthday, young king.
