I was looking at these new photos of Willow Smith – out and about in New York yesterday with her adorable puppy – and I came to the startling realization: In my whole life, the culmination of everything I do and say, all of it will never amount to the coolness radiating from 9-year-old Willow Smith. I know many of you think that she’s a poseur or she’s too young, but you’ve got to admit – she’s really, really cool for a 9-year-old, right? And check it out – her hair is even different. She’s already moved on from the “skunk” hair. Lady Gaga and Rihanna, take notes. Even her puppy is radiating a “I’m too good for this patch of grass” vibe! Anyway, just a thought.

Since Willow’s music video for “Whip My Hair” came out a few days ago, Willow has been giving interviews and it seems like her parents are letting her do her own thing, and speak without a filter. When being interviewed on the radio, Willow discussed her feelings about Lady Gaga (I feel another “mothership” reference coming): “[Somebody] I would really want to work with on a song would be Lady Gaga… She is amazing! She’s just so amazing, she’s a free person. She’s a free girl, baby.” Willow also talked clothes: “Sometimes I put my own stuff in it. I mix up the outfits too. My mom puts together outfits and I can pick which one I want to wear.” MOM! Additionally, Willow talked in greater detail about the “Whip My Hair” video to MTV… I also put the video up again!

Willow Smith had a little help from her friends on the set of the video for “Whip My Hair.” In the clip, which premiered Monday, Roc Nation’s latest signee, joined by her crew of pint-size girls, turns a drab classroom into a kaleidoscope of color with a few energetic flicks of her paint-dipped braids.

“Having my Warriorettes there, my best friends caring — Jade, Angel Punky, they’re just all my best friends — and my family there just made it even better,” Willow told MTV News about the shoot when she stopped by Tuesday (October 19).

“Me and my friends were touching the oranges, ’cause they were, like, real oranges but they were spray-painted,” she said. “It was gooey,” she added, turning up her nose at the recollection.

The 9-year-old progeny of A-list actors Will and Jada Pinkett Smith explained that her BFFs are her Warriorettes, a supportive team that fully subscribes to the ethos espoused by her smash single “Whip My Hair.” The outgoing tween, who describes her style as “schoolgirl-meets-punk rock,” also opened up about the significance of the track.

“‘Whip My Hair’ means don’t be afraid to be yourself,” Smith explained, “and don’t let anybody tell you that that’s wrong. Because the best thing is you.”

A sampling of the lyrics bear that out: “We turn our back and whip our hair/ And just shake ‘em off, shake ‘em off, shake ‘em off/ Don’t let haters keep me off my grind/ Keep my head up/ I know I’ll be fine.”

As for filming last month in Los Angeles, Willow, a girl firmly on her grind, said she “liked it” but admitted it could be intense at times.

“It was a long day. … It was hard sometimes, but, like, if you have a commitment to that, you have to stick with it,” Willow said.

Clad in circus pants, a military blazer and a Lady Gaga brooch, the upstart artist turned serious for a moment. “And it’s not because I have to, it’s because I want it,” she said of her percolating music career. “Most people, if they don’t want it, they’ll just be like, ‘Oh well, I can do that tomorrow’ — is that what’s called procrastinating?” she added with a grin.

[From MTV]

So now we know the feminist, girl-power message of “Whip My Hair”. Now you can move forward with your life with that knowledge, right?

All of us spent way too much time this summer talking about and thinking about Jada Pinkett Smith’s face. I asked you guys what was wrong/different with Jada when she started making a ton of appearances with her son Jaden to promote The Karate Kid. I gave her the benefit of the doubt and suggested that perhaps it was weight loss combined with some truly unfortunate Bangs Trauma wigs. Many of you disagreed, claiming that she had gone in for some Madonna-esque chicken cutlet implants. I’m starting to agree.

Anyway, these are new photos of Jada and Willow in Milan. I think Jada did a cute mother-daughter jaunt to Italy so that they could see some of the fashion shows – they were at Armani and Jada went to Pucci alone. Willow even put some white stuff at the end of her hair… to coordinate with her clothes, I guess? Sure. I do think Willow looks cute, by the way. And I bet she had a great time. I guess my point is that Jada seems like a great mom, and it hurts me to think that she’s f-cking with face, and sending the signal to Willow that once you get to a certain age, you have to get drastic surgery to look “young.” That being said, I’m so glad Jada put away the bangs trauma wig. That thing was hideous.

Jada & Willow in Milan on Sept. 25, 2010. Credit: WENN.

A few days ago, we heard the hot new single for the fall, “Whip My Hair” by Willow Smith. Willow is the nine-year-old daughter of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. She has an older brother, Jaden, who is the next big thing in Hollywood (thanks to the success of The Karate Kid), and now Willow is poised to become the next huge pop sensation, because, as was the rumor a few days ago, Jay-Z ended up signing Willow to his Roc Nation label. That means she’ll probably be putting out her first album next year, maybe. Honestly, imagine if Justin Bieber and Rihanna had a love child, a little girl who dressed like a mini-Gaga. Yeah… Willow is going to be HUGE.

It’s always nice to see the music industry make room for a talented newcomer. On Wednesday, the Roc Nation entertainment company announced that it had signed a recording deal with the 9-year-old pop singer Willow Smith, whose debut single, “Whip My Hair,” has become a viral sensation after hitting the Web earlier this week.

In a news release, Roc Nation said that Willow Smith, who is the sister of the “Karate Kid” actor Jaden Smith and – oh, yes – the daughter of the superstars Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, will shoot her debut video in Los Angeles later this month.

Jay-Z, the Roc Nation founder and president, said in a statement, “It’s rare to find an artist with such innate talent and creativity at such a young age. Willow is about to embark on an incredible journey and we look forward to joining her as she grows in all aspects of her career.”

In a interview Wednesday morning with Ryan Seacrest, Willow Smith assured the host that she is truly 9 years old (“You could look at my birth certificate, or you could ask my mom,” she said) and admitted that math was her most challenging subject in school.

[From The NYT]

If it was another little girl, I would be wringing my hands in worry for the possible traps and eventual self-destructive path this whole thing would lead to. But I have faith in Will and Jada as parents, I really do. They seem to be very focused on protecting and nuturing their kids while still letting them find who they are as artists. Or whatever. That was kind of an Oprah-fart, wasn’t it? Ha! I was trying to say that I’m not worried, I guess.

Once again, here’s Willow’s song “Whip My Hair”. Once again, I don’t think it’s bad at all. For a pop song, you know? It’s better than most of the crap Rihanna puts out, seriously.

Willow on July 18 & 21, 2010. Credit: WENN.

For the most part, I give Willow Smith a pass on just about everything. She’s the nine-year-old daughter of Will and Jada Smith, and to be honest, I wish I was as cool as Willow right at this very moment, not even back when I was nine. Willow’s style has been analyzed and over-analyzed, and once again, I don’t blame Willow for being obsessed with style – I blame her parents for never telling her “no” and for hiring Willow her own stylist.

Anyway, Willow is a singer! She just released her first single “Whip My Hair” and it is… honestly, it’s not horrible, considering she’s 9 years old. I could actually see dancing to this after a few drinks, and I’m not kidding. Here you go:

According to Necole Bitchie’s sources, “Willow is now taking her talents to the studio and it’s not half bad. Word around town is President Carter has given her a cosign and is allegedly bringing her aboard the Roc Nation ship. Reminds me of Rihanna and Ester Dean rolled in one. I think your readers will approve.” Damn, she got signed by Jay Z? Rihanna better watch her ass.

Thanks to Dlisted for the tip!

Previously, I’ve given 9-year-old Willow Smith a pass. As the daughter of Jada Pinkett and Will Smith, I thought that Willow was developing her own brand of mini-Gaga-esque hardcore fashion statements, and I disliked how everyone was in a rush to bash her for A) being a kid and experimenting with clothes and B) Not looking like every other little pretty princess girl out there. Willow rocked her style and I thought she was badass, all on her own. Not so much… Us Weekly has an interview with Willow’s stylist. Yes. A 9-year-old has a stylist. Who does she think she is, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon? Not only have The Smiths hired a stylist for Willow (she shares the guy with her big brother Jaden), but the stylist has “customized hundreds of pieces” for her. Um… seriously?

Willow Smith, 9, isn’t just Hollywood royalty and a budding actress…she’s a fashion icon in the making! Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith’s daughter has been making her mark recently on red carpets and fashion shoots with out-there hairstyles and wardrobe choices that recall Rihanna and other rule-breaking celebs.

“She is young, edgy, and individual,” the little girl’s stylist, Rob Zangardi, tells UsMagazine.com.

Zangardi says he and Mariel Haenn have customized “hundreds of pieces” for Willow and older brother Jaden. And despite her tender age, Willow is “very” involved in picking out her ensembles, Zangardi says.

“We start off the design process sitting down with her and talking about what we wanted to make,” he explains, using magazines and other “creative references” for inspiration.

At the L.A. premiere of Jaden’s The Karate Kid, Willow wore a leopard pony hair jacket and a leopard pants (“during the fitting it just kind of came together,” the stylist says) — and toted a pricey Givenchy bag.

But Willow’s not into designer labels, Zangardi explains. “It wasn’t about the fact that it was a Givenchy bag; it was about the fact that it has gold spikes and star studs on it.”

Willow’s young age, he says, “allows her to have a little bit more fun and take more risks than an adult could. We just made her a 3-finger ring in diamond and gold.”

Any inspiration from her mother Jada, 38? “She’s got her mom’s rock and roll sensibilities,” he says. “The skulls and some of those pieces that Jada likes–like leather motorcycle jackets.”

[From Us Weekly]

She’s nine years old. Let her wear something from Gap Kids. She’ll outgrow it in less than a year anyway. Am I overreacting? I don’t think I am, honestly. I’m all for parents encouraging a kid’s interests, whether it’s football or dolls or math or fashion. BUT there are ways to encourage a nine-year-old’s interest in fashion without hiring a stylist to customize “hundreds of pieces”. Ugh. If she has a stylist at the age of nine, what will she have when she’s 16 years old? When she’s 21 years old? I can’t even.

Header: Willow at a photo shoot in Paris on July 25, 2010. Credit: Bauer-Griffin. Also: Willow on July 19, 21, 25, 2010. Credit: WENN.

Will Smith and his youngest son Jaden, 10, appeared in the 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness together as father and son. Mom Jada Pinkett Smith told Moviefone that she had a serious talk with her husband about whether her children should pursue show business. She said that she was supportive from the beginning but asked Will if he was fully ok with it because she knew Jaden would be successful:

You know, I was actually really OK with it because my kids were born into this. It’s really something they see as a family business. Like, “You guys do it, so we feel like it’s something we should be doing too. And we’re pretty good at it, so I think we’re gonna rock with this for a little while, Mom, until something changes.” When Jaden told his father, “I can do that,” I pulled Will aside and said, “Look. Don’t have him audition if you’re not really considering possibly having him do this. Because you’re not gonna find anyone who’s going to give you what he’s going to give you. I’m just telling you that.” Will was like, “Oh, OK …” [Laughs] And he went in and blew everybody away and Will was like, “Oh my god, this is real.” And I said, “I told you.”

[From Moviefone]

Jada also says she doesn’t give her kids an allowance and has them use their own money when they want to buy things for themselves. She says it teaches them the value of money. Her daughter Willow, 8, was in I Am Legend in 2007 with dad Will and also appeared in Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, which was out in July.

Now that Jaden is set to appear as the star in a remake of The Karate Kid, he seems to have cemented his status as an up and coming young actor:

Columbia Pictures is back in the dojo with a new version of the 1984 hit “The Karate Kid,” which has been refashioned as a star vehicle for Jaden Smith.

The film will be produced by Jerry Weintraub (who launched the original franchise) and Overbrook Entertainment’s James Lassiter, Will Smith and Ken Stovitz. Will Smith, who is the 10-year-old actor’s father, co-starred alongside Jaden in his feature debut, “The Pursuit of Happyness,” which Overbrook and Escape Artists produced for Columbia.

The script is being written by Chris Murphy, and the film will shoot next year in Beijing and other cities. While the new film will be set in that exotic locale, it will borrow elements of the original plot, wherein a bullied youth learns to stand up for himself with the help of an eccentric mentor.

China Film Group Corp. will co-produce in China.

The younger Smith, who next stars in “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” is a martial arts practitioner.

[From Variety]

In the interview quoted earlier, Jada also addressed criticism that her kids may be growing up too fast by getting into showbusiness at such young ages. It seems like a valid question especially now that the news is out that Jaden is about to star in a movie at the ripe age of 10.

Q: Do you ever feel like they’re growing up too fast?

Well, my humble opinion — and it’s a very humble opinion because all kids are different and parents always have to be able to recognize what their kids need — but if there’s something that kids can do to work and actually feel like they’re participating and providing for the family in some way, there is nothing better for a child’s self-value. I’ve just watched it — I think part of that is what keeps them on Earth. They feel like they’re real participants, and contributing to their own lives and really doing things that they can be proud of, that they own.

[From Variety]

I gained some respect for Jada reading that, and hope that she’s right about her kids and that they’ll remain down to earth. Little Willow has been quoted talking about herself in the third person, and she and Jaden even wore sunglasses on the red carpet at the Kit Kittredge premiere, although Jaden took his off at one point. Maybe Jada keeps it more under control than her kids make it seem, and I would bet she’s the type of mom that picks her battles. Jaden’s star is about to get a lot brighter and he’ll need some guidance from his very famous parents.

Update: There’s a lot of interest in how Jada gives the children access to their money. She says she manages her children’s money for them and gives them an allowance from their earnings. Here’s that part of the interview:

11. Do you think they really understand it all yet?

I’ve watched them really blossom, and I tell you what — them working gives them more appreciation for what we do. They get it! When mommy and daddy are out on the set, they know what that means and what it is. And they’re making their own money, so they’re very like, “Uh-uh, I’m not gonna buy that!” [Laughs] They’re very responsible how they spend their own money. They know what it means to work hard for something, which is fantastic. They have to utilize their own money for their special things, which is great for me.

12. Will and Jada don’t give their kids allowances?

Heck, no! [Laughs] Guess what? They make their own money! They get a certain amount of money from their own money. How about that? Allowance from their own money. [Laughs] For me, this is not just about, “Ooh, you’re doing movies!” While we’re doing this, you’re gonna be learning about life. When you work and you spend money, money goes away. So you better be really clear on what you’re spending and why. And let me tell you, they don’t spend. They are like, “OK, let me think on this. Do I really want that?” [Laughs] But if I’m buying it, it’s like, “I have to have it!” [Laughs]

Will Smith and Jaden are shown at the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa premiere on 10/26/08. The whole family including Jada, Jaden, Willow and Trey are shown at the Hancock premiere on 6/30/08. Willow and Jaden are also seen with their mom at the Kit Kitteredge premiere on 6/19/08. Credit: WENN