Editing Will Smith (section)

==Early life==
Willard Carroll Smith II was born on September 25, 1968, in [[Philadelphia]], to Caroline (née Bright), a school board administrator, and Willard Carroll Smith Sr.,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.terryfuneralhome.com/obituary/Willard-C.-Smith-Sr./Philadelphia-PA/1669675|title=Willard C. Smith, Sr.|publisher=Terry Funeral Home|access-date=March 22, 2018|archive-date=March 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180322210012/http://www.terryfuneralhome.com/obituary/Willard-C.-Smith-Sr./Philadelphia-PA/1669675|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/smith-father-willard-carroll-smith-sr-dies-article-1.2864074|title=Will Smith's father Willard Carroll Smith Sr. dies|website=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|access-date=December 30, 2016|archive-date=December 15, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161215184305/http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/smith-father-willard-carroll-smith-sr-dies-article-1.2864074|url-status=dead}}</ref> a [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] veteran<ref>{{cite web|title=Will Smith Loses His Father, Ex-Wife Pays Tribute|url=https://www.vibe.com/2016/11/will-smith-loses-his-father-sheree-fletcher-pays-tribute/|website=Vibe|access-date=April 23, 2018|date=November 8, 2016|archive-date=April 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180424071403/https://www.vibe.com/2016/11/will-smith-loses-his-father-sheree-fletcher-pays-tribute/|url-status=live}}</ref> and refrigeration engineer. His mother graduated from [[Carnegie Mellon University]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://in.askmen.com/article/1098555/will-smiths-best-acting-moment |title=Will Smith's Best Acting Moment |date=September 25, 2014 |access-date=November 11, 2021 |archive-date=November 11, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111034957/https://in.askmen.com/article/1098555/will-smiths-best-acting-moment |url-status=live }}</ref>

He grew up in West Philadelphia's [[Wynnefield, Philadelphia|Wynnefield]] neighborhood<ref name="Schuman"/> and was raised [[Baptist]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Strauss|first=Bob|url=https://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/movies/5377381.html|title=Will Smith on power, dogs and Cruise|work=[[Houston Chronicle]]|date=December 14, 2007|access-date=July 24, 2011|archive-date=December 19, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071219131727/http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ent/movies/5377381.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He has an elder sister named Pamela and two younger siblings, twins Harry and Ellen.<ref name="Schuman">{{cite book |last=Schuman |first=Michael |date=January 1, 2013 |title=Will Smith: A Biography of a Rapper Turned Movie Star |publisher=Enslow Publishers, Inc. |pages=9–10 |isbn=9780766039940}}</ref> He attended Our Lady of Lourdes, a private Catholic elementary school in Philadelphia,<ref name="Iannucci">{{cite book |last=Iannucci |first=Lisa |date=2010 |title=Will Smith: A Biography |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |pages=4–10 |isbn=9780313376108}}</ref> and [[Overbrook High School (Philadelphia)|Overbrook High School]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Will Smith, 1986 |url=https://www.blackhistory.mit.edu/archive/will-smith-1986 |publisher=MIT Black History |access-date=March 28, 2022 |archive-date=January 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210121082950/https://www.blackhistory.mit.edu/archive/will-smith-1986 |url-status=live }}</ref> His parents separated when he was 13<ref name="Keegan">{{Cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1689234,00.html |title=The Legend of Will Smith |last=Keegan |first=Rebecca Winters |date=November 29, 2007 |magazine=Time |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201152117/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1689234,00.html |archive-date=December 1, 2007 |url-status=dead |url-access=registration }}</ref> and divorced around the year 2000.<ref name="itas">{{cite episode|title=Will Smith|series=Inside the Actors Studio|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdaiFOFfeTQ| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160102160938/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdaiFOFfeTQ| archive-date=January 2, 2016 | url-status=dead|credits=James Lipton (producer)|network=Bravo|season=8|number=806|airdate=January 13, 2002|access-date=August 24, 2015}}</ref>

Smith began rapping at age 12. When his grandmother found a notebook of his lyrics, which he described as containing "all [his] little curse words", she wrote him a note on a page in the book: "Dear Willard, truly intelligent people do not have to use words like this to express themselves. Please show the world that you're as smart as we think you are". Smith said that this influenced his decision not to use profanity in his music.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Rowley |first1=Glenn |title=Here's How Will Smith's Grandmother Influenced His '90s Rap Lyrics |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/will-smith-credits-grandmother-influence-clean-rap-lyrics-8548111/ |access-date=March 28, 2022 |magazine=Billboard |date=January 15, 2020 |archive-date=March 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220329075609/https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/will-smith-credits-grandmother-influence-clean-rap-lyrics-8548111/ |url-status=live }}</ref>