Will Smith announces UK tour: ‘Can’t wait to see you guys’

He’ll be performing new tracks alongside his classic hits

Will Smith has announced his first ever headline tour, bringing his music to the UK and Europe this summer.

The 56-year-old rapper and actor will perform tracks from his upcoming album, Based On A True Story, his first full-length release in two decades.

Fans can also expect to hear classic hits like ‘Gettin' Jiggy Wit It’ and ‘Miami’.

Announcing the tour on Instagram, Smith expressed his excitement, stating: "I’M GOING ON TOUR THIS SUMMER!! We’re hitting up UK & Europe to bring U all the hits, some new joints, and a few surprises.

“All these years, I’ve NEVER done a headline tour and I can’t wait to see you guys!!”

The UK leg of the tour kicks off on August 24 at Scarborough Open Air Theatre, followed by dates in Cardiff’s Bute Park on August 25, Manchester’s Victoria Warehouse on August 27, London’s Brixton Academy on August 28, and the University of Wolverhampton Halls on August 30.

The tour also includes several European festival appearances, including the Mawazine festival in Rabat, Morocco.

Smith first rose to fame as part of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, achieving a Grammy win for their hit single ‘Parents Just Don’t Understand’.

Will Smith, centre, starred in ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air’ (Rex Features)

He later transitioned to TV, starring in the popular sitcom The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air.

The show sees a fictionalised version of Smith moving from West Philadelphia to live with his affluent relatives in Los Angeles.

His debut solo album, Big Willie Style, was released in 1997 and included the hit song ‘Men In Black’, which accompanied the film of the same name and peaked at number one in the UK singles chart.

Across his career, Smith has starred in dozens of films including The Pursuit Of Happyness (2006), I Am Legend (2007), and Suicide Squad (2016).

In January, he released track ‘Beautiful Scars’, featuring rapper Big Sean, as well as a music video where they re-enacted a scene from 1999 science fiction film The Matrix.

He has released a handful of other singles that will all feature on his new album, including ‘Tantrum’ with Joyner Lucas, ‘You Can Make It’ featuring Fridayy and Sunday Service Choir, and ‘Work Of Art’, which was a collaboration with rapper Russ, featuring his son Jaden.

Tickets for his Based On A True Story summer tour go on sale Friday March 21 at 10am.

His album will be released on March 28.