The glitz and glam of Las Vegas met hip-hop’s golden era on October 5th at the ARIA Resort & Casino for the second annual Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards. This was a night when legends finally got their flowers. Cultural icons who have paved the way but often go underappreciated for their impact were honored. Hosted by Terry Crews, the event celebrated the pioneers who helped build the genre’s foundation. The night culminated in an upscale evening that celebrated their artistry and lasting cultural contributions.
As attendees arrived, they were met with the energy that only a city like Las Vegas can provide. HotNewHipHop was in attendance to capture all of the moments. Many were dressed to the nines in glamorous, upscale attire. Glasses of champagne welcomed guests in the pre-reception area which also hosted a special exhibit that took attendees on a walk through hip-hop’s storied past. The room was lined with artifacts, such as an original 1988 issue of Word Up! magazine, cassette tapes of Nas’ iconic Illmatic, handwritten lyrics from “The World Is Yours,” and old-school party flyers featuring people such as Grandmaster Caz and DJ Jazzy Jeff. These rare pieces of hip-hop history transported the guests back in time, reminding everyone of the movement’s origins.
Hip-Hop Artifacts Were Presented During The Pre-Reception
Credit Jerry Metellus
After about an hour of mingling and deep diving into hip-hop’s archives, guests were guided into a luxurious ballroom where they were seated at elegantly organized tables. Moreover, this set the stage for the night’s main event. The formal proceedings began with an introduction from tech mogul and hip-hop advocate Ben Horowitz, and his wife Felicia Horowitz. Both are co-founders of the Paid in Full Foundation, which hosts this annual gala. The opening remarks set a reflective and celebratory tone. “I am blown away by all of this beauty that I see in this room,” Felicia Horowitz said.
The evening went on and guests were served dinner and treated to opening performances from Rakim, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Doug E. Fresh, as well as Samara Cyn. Then, discussions quickly turned into a living history lesson, as icons Fab 5 Freddy, Grandmaster Caz, and Kool Moe Dee took the stage for an interview-style conversation. The trio shared their reflections on hip-hop’s early days, their personal journeys, and how they’ve navigated the evolution of the genre.
Fireside Chat Hosted By Fab 5 Freddy With Kool Moe Dee And Grandmaster Caz
Credit: Jerry Metellus
Specifically, the discussion veered towards the climate of modern-day battle rap culture. In reference to the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, Grandmaster Caz shared his thoughts and expressed how he feels battle rap is more personal than it used to be. “Drake he’s the biggest person out, he’s got a target on his back cause he’s successful,” Caz said. “A battle rap back in the day wasn’t like, me talking about you, your mother, this and that. It was you get on, do your thing … I get on, do my thing. And the crowd decides which one did the better thing.”
“Today, battling is more personal,” he continued. ”’You ain’t s–t, you ain’t this or that.’ We didn’t have to say what you ain’t. We just said what we are. And what we are is more powerful and speaks for itself.”
Moreover, Terry Crews brought his signature humor and energy to the event, keeping the crowd engaged with his lively hosting throughout the night. The crowd buzzed as the honorees of the night were announced: Grandmaster Caz, Roxanne Shante, and Kool Moe Dee—true legends who have each left impactful marks on the genre. Each of them received their awards and gave speeches. The atmosphere brimmed with respect and admiration for their tireless work in shaping hip-hop. The award, which includes a financial stipend, is aimed at empowering these pioneers to further their creative endeavors, ensuring that their legacies not only endure but continue to grow.
DJ Jazzy Jeff Performed A DJ Set At The Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards
Credit: Jerry Metellus
In a night filled with highlights, DJ Jazzy Jeff’s special performance was a standout moment. He treated the crowd to a DJ set, spinning classic tracks and igniting memories of block parties and basement jams. But the night didn’t end there. What was initially planned as a celebratory performance evolved into something even more special when Kool Moe Dee and Roxanne Shante joined in on an impromptu freestyle session. The spontaneity of the performance was a reminder of hip-hop’s live roots.
Roxanne Shante delivered a particularly empowering speech that left the crowd giving her a standing ovation. “The reason I wasn’t every place else, with everyone else, was because I was supposed to be here tonight getting paid in full,” Shante said during her acceptance speech.
Honorees Kool Moe Dee, Roxanne Shante, And Grandmaster Caz
Credit: Jerry Metellus
The Paid in Full Foundation’s mission to empower and honor hip-hop’s trailblazers came to life through the evening’s festivities. It was clear that this event was about more than just the accolades. Moreover, it was a call to action to acknowledge the past while investing in the future.
Alongside Benjamin Horowitz and his fellow board members, including Felicia Horowitz, Stephen J. Stoute, and Quincy Jones III, the Hip-Hop Grandmaster Awards were a testament to hip-hop’s enduring influence and the necessity of giving these pioneers their long-overdue recognition. With performances from Doug E. Fresh, appearances by Nas and Fab 5 Freddy, and an audience packed with visionaries, the evening was a reminder that hip-hop’s legacy is alive and thriving.
Now, this is a story all about how, Will Smith is extending his return to music. Last month, the Bad Boys: Ride Or Die star made his shocking return on stage at the BET Awards with the track “You Can Make It,” which featured Kirk Franklin.
Today (July 13), Smith keep things old-school during his set at La Velada del Año IV inside of Spain’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium. Instead of performing his latest track, Smith treated the boxing fans to a mashup of The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme song and his 2005’s single “Switch.”
Although most new fans are more familiar with the series’ reboot, Bel Air, between 1990 and 1996, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air dominated TV.
“Blessed are the ears of those who can hear Will Smith sing the intro to ‘The Fresh Prince of Bel Air’ live,” wrote one user (roughly translated to English).
Dichosos los oídos de aquellos que pueden escuchar a Will Smith cantar la intro del principe de bel air en vivo pic.twitter.com/qvbo2a2Cvv
Ironically, despite the record’s popularity, it wasn’t actually supposed to be released. In June 2022, during an interview WTOP, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Smith’s longtime friend, collaborator, and the song’s writer, made the confession.
“I thought we were making a filler,” he said. “I thought this would be a thing they would use until they figured out what the real theme song was. We did it, I mixed it, and that’s the same thing that plays on television today. That still trips me out. It never changed.”
Well, clearly, producers saw the same special quality listeners have clung onto for so man y decades to follow.
Rock The Bells, the global platform dedicated to elevating Hip-Hop culture from its roots to the modern day, has announced the first wave of talent joining the second annual “Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience”, sailing on November 13-17, 2024 from Miami to Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau, Bahamas for another five days of non-stop Hip-Hop. The initial wave of artists includes Jadakiss, E-40, Rakim, Talib Kweli, Digable Planets, and AZ, along with a cast of DJsthat set the tone for the inaugural cruise, including DJ Jazzy Jeff, Kid Capri, Mannie Fresh, and Rock The Bells Radio’s own The Finisher Mister Cee, DJ Scratch, and DJ Epps. Roxanne Shante and Torae will return as hosts.
“Rock The Bells Cruise: A Hip-Hop Experience” is in partnership with Sixthman, the industry leader in unforgettable music and lifestyle festivals at sea. Inspired by classic Hip-Hop for Hip-Hop heads, the experience is the first of its kind, offering an immersive five-day Hip-Hop experience aboard the Norwegian Gem. Hip-Hop will be taking over every corner of the ship with themed parties, meet & greet autograph sessions, rap karaoke, open mic nights, and much more.
“Keepin the heads ringing, Rock the Bells Cruise is back!,”said Sixthman CEO Jeff Cuellar,“Hip-Hop heads get ready for a bigger and more action-packed schedule that continues the tradition of celebrating the icons across all Hip-Hop culture while also looking ahead to the next 50 years.”
Rock The Bells proudly serves Hip-Hop’s legends and champions the culture by providing opportunities to spotlight its icons through content, commerce, and experiences. This partnership is the first time Sixthman has produced a classic Hip-Hop cruise.
The week-long cruise will sail from Miami and make two stops in the Bahamas at Great Stirrup Cay and Nassau. Pricing ranges from $1,180 to $7,191. Cabins are on sale to the public today, Tuesday, March 5th. More information can be found at rockthebellscruise.com. A full slate of performers, activities, and other details will be made available within the coming months.
On this date in 1965, Jeffrey Townes, better known to Hip Hop and television fans as “Jazzy Jeff” was born in the City of Brother Love and has become one of the best to ever place their hands on a pair of Technics 1200s.
Originally known as the DJ for rapper/actor The Fresh Prince aka Will Smith, Jeff’s claim to fame was his seemingly innate ability to play the wheels of steel like instruments, popularizing the “transformer” style scratching sound which was mimicked by many DJs who succeeded and preceded him. The two-time Grammy Award winner later became an established producer, sitting behind the boards for artists like Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, The Roots, Floetry, and many more. Just last year, Jazz worked on the Straight Outta Compton film, doing scratch overdubs for the classic flick.
Happy born day and salute to one of the pioneers of the 1s and 2s of Hip Hop culture!
DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith, known for their iconic hip-hop duo in the late 1980s and their memorable partnership on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, are set to reunite on stage. The duo’s reunion will occur at A GRAMMY Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop, airing on Dec 10 on CBS and Paramount+. DJ […]
On Wednesday, September 20, Jada Pinkett Smith posted throwback videos of her and Tupac during their junior year of high school as a way to promote her forthcoming memoir, Worthy. In the clips, Pinkett Smith and the late Tupac are performing to Will Smith’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” with DJ Jazzy Jeff from 1988.
This morning, September 21, Smith revealed plans to explore that time period even more thoroughly with his Class Of ’88 podcast. According to Billboard, Smith “will celebrate 1988 hip-hop with episodes alongside Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim, and Chuck D.”
The publication additionally relayed, “Smith will explore the landmark year of 1988, which included the rise of Public Enemy, the ascension of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince, and the outpouring of female MCs such as Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah.”
The Wondery podcast will last for eight episodes. Beginning on October 26, Class Of ’88 will be available exclusively on Amazon Music and Audible. Amazon Prime members can listen to the podcast’s trailer here.
“Today, hip-hop dominates pop culture,” Smith says to start the trailer. “But it wasn’t always like that. Before 1988, a lot of people saw our music as just a passing fad.”
The nearly two-minute audio trailer also includes excerpted perspectives from Smith’s A-list guests, including Queen Latifah recalling, “[Hip-hop] had an expiration date, like milk. That’s what they were saying.”
In 1988, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince released He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper, housing “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The track claimed the first-ever Best Rap Performance at the 1989 Grammys, which DJ Jazzy Jeff and Smith boycotted because the category wasn’t televised (as revisited by Andscape in January 2018).
There’s nothing like celebrating Hip Hop’s 50th Anniversary by speaking with an icon like DJ Jazzy Jeff. With nearly 40 years in the music industry, calling Jeffrey Townes a legend is an understatement. He emerged in the infancy of Hip Hop alongside Will Smith, with low fades and high hopes. The pair were known as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, as in those days, such pairings were common. In current Rap culture, DJs are sometimes seen as an accessory to an emcee’s team; however, Hip Hop’s inception was built on the backs of beatmakers, producers, and scratchers. Often, DJs were the stars that fans wanted to see during live shows. Many started with humble beginnings, teaching themselves the ins and outs of production.
While we live during a time when lessons on just about anything are at our fingertips, not all accessibility is helpful. Townes saw a lane that needed occupying, so he launched his CafeMedia music program, Command Central: Making Beats with DJ Jazzy Jeff. Over a course of six weeks online, students learn to build the foundation of music production with the Hip Hop icon. There are award-winning surprise guests, and for a lucky few, DJ Jazzy Jeff will play their tracks during his live sets. There are more visible creators than ever before in history, and Making Beats is the perfect opportunity for aspiring musicians.
Portrait of hip hop duo Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, late 1980s or 1990s. Pictured are DJ Jeff Townes (Jazzy Jeff) (left) and rapper Will Smith (the Fresh Prince). (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
If ever there was a teacher to have, Jeff is it. Early successes with Smith—like classics like He’s the DJ & I’m the Rapper and Homebase—etched them into Hip Hop history. This includes the pair receiving the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” However, DJ Jazzy Jeff’s extensive solo catalog shows his skills outside the famous duo. The megaproducer has worked with everyone from Eminem to Talib Kweli, and he has a passion for teaching emerging generations what he has learned in his journey.
In our interview with Jeff, his love for Hip Hop’s evolution is palpable. He revisited those early days of his career alongside Smith, working extra jobs just to afford studio time. The longtime best friends rose to fame side-by-side, winning awards and topping the charts. Even at the peak of the entertainment world, they still reflect on what they could have done with this generation’s resources.
“I think for me, I am more happy that I am still around and still relevant in this time, because I’ve been on the phone with Will. And we both have said, ‘Man, do you know how many albums we would have done? If we had it like this? We had to go into big studio and do all the rest of this.’ Man, if we could just sit somewhere and make what we wanted in my mind. If the sh*t that we made in my mom’s basement could be put out?!”
-DJ Jazzy Jeff to HNHH
Read more from our insightful (and fun) conversation with DJ Jazzy Jeff as he detailed his intimate Making Beats program, why the advice he would give artists 20 years ago differs today, and what it was like for him starring on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Additionally, Jeff gave us a few Boom-Bap Rap producer recommendations, shared why doing art for the love of it will always win, and explained why he’s the same Jeff from Philly all these years later (Fish Filets and all!).
This interview has been slightly edited for clarity.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 12: DJ Jazzy Jeff performs on stage during the 2019 Marian Anderson Award Honoring Kool & The Gang at The Kimmel Center on November 12, 2019 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images)
HNHH: It’s such a pleasure to meet you, the depth of DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s imprint on my childhood can’t even be explained. I’m an ’80s baby, so I remember purposefully scaring myself to “A Nightmare on My Street” every Halloween [laughs].
DJ Jazzy Jeff: Yes! Man, that’s what I’m talking about [laughs].
I’m excited to learn about how you’re encouraging creative generational wealth through your program. Tell us what Making Beats is all about.
Thank you! Well, the pandemic really kind of changed the focus for so many people. So, I decided to do a DJ course that was really, really successful. And my approach to it was—most of the courses that I have seen people do, they all start at level five. They all start kind of like, “Well, let me show you how to do this super-duper intricate scratch.” And I’m kind of like, “So, what about the people who want or need to learn about the equipment and the people who want to know about beats and bars and structure and all the rest of that?”
When I did the DJ course, I basically did it from level one to level five. Because one of the things that I realized is sometimes you don’t even know if you like something unless you try it. And you’re not going to like it if you try it at level five. So, when that was successful, the idea came about. Why don’t we do a production course?
So many people come into the studio and look at all of the buttons and all of the equipment. They’re so enamored, like, “Oh, my God, do you know how to use all of this?” And I’m like, it’s really not as intense as you think. Like, “Here’s one strip, this cuts it on and off, this turns it up and down. This is how you EQ it and all the rest of this. And it just so happens to be 36 of them.” When you explain it, it’s like, okay, I understand that. It’s not really rocket science.
HNHH: That’s crucial for today’s creatives, especially when people are teaching themselves how to do everything online. YouTube University helps people take matters into their own hands. But, the experience with any sort of mentor, teacher, veteran, or icon is totally different. Beatmaking and production have evolved exponentially from your beginning to now. What are some shifts you have seen on the production side of the culture?
Well, what it is, I have always been, always been, and always wanted to be as self-sufficient as possible. Not to say that you do it all. But, I don’t want it to be—I don’t want to be relying on anybody in any form. The music industry was absolutely not that. And that’s why I got really, really excited. You know, as time went on, social media and the internet kind of came became a place. I think what I’m more excited about is us having to get summer jobs to save up money to get a $ 1,500-a-day lockout in a studio to try to record two songs.
For $1,500, you can go to the Apple store and buy a computer that has a studio in it! It has a recording studio in it, it has a photography studio in it, and it has a video studio in it, right? So, I love the fact that what you get now, sometimes, is some of the most creative stuff you’ve ever heard because it’s somebody in their bedroom breaking all the rules. Like, that’s what I’m more excited about.
It’s kind of like, me, the way that I use a turntable is not the way a turntable was designed to be used. But you broke the rules and created a culture. So I’m all for when it comes down to creativity, that there’s zero rules. There’s zero rules, try everything because all that has to happen is people like it.
“I have always been, always been, and always wanted to be as self-sufficient as possible. Not to say that you do it all. But, I don’t want it to be—I don’t want to be relying on anybody in any form. The music industry was absolutely not that. And that’s why I got really, really excited.”
Are there any particular producers within this generation or beyond that you’ve been keeping an eye on? I love Boom-Bap Rap, so I try to stay tuned into artists’ adaptations of old-school sounds.
His approaches, it feels as if I’m visibly watching something happening sonically. Are there any producers in any generation that have caught and held your attention?
So, if you like Alchemist and you are a fan of Boom-Bap Rap, then you should take notice of the people that I’m going to tell you.
Okay.
Follow Vitamin D on Instagram, follow Soundtrakk on Instagram, follow Tall Black Guy on Instagram. The thing that I love is these guys are—they got some skin in the game. But I love the fact that they’re making sh*t and posting it on Instagram, and people are losing their minds. I’m like, “How great was that?” Like, we used to have to send out a beat tape. You can almost put a beat tape on Instagram. And one person—because if I get it, I’mma tag Questlove like, “Yo, you have to see [this]!” And then he’s gonna tag somebody else, and it just keeps going over and over and over. I’m like, yeah, there’s a ton of them. And what ended up happening is you’re gonna follow them. And then it’s going to lead you to other people.
I think for me, I am more happy that I am still around and still relevant in this time. Because I’ve been on the phone with Will, and we both have said, “Man, do you know how many albums we would have done? If we had it like this? We had to go into big studio and do all the rest of this.” Man, if we could just sit somewhere and make what we wanted in my mind. If the sh*t that we made in my mom’s basement could be put out?!
But, I’m happy to be around. I’m like, yo, I can sit and make a piece of music. And I can pretty much upload it today for people to hear, right? When we started out? You finish an album or finish the song, and they’re telling you, “Oh yeah, that sh*t ain’t coming out for six months.” I really feel like I’m living in The Jetsons.
[Laughs] For real! Even touching on Will Smith. I recently wrote an article on when he rapped “Just the Two of Us” with the video of that 10-year-old playing the bassline. That’s one of my favorite things about this generation of artists. Seeing producers—there’s one, I forgot his name. He’s on TikTok, he changes theme songs to specific neighborhoods and eras in Hip Hop. It’s nice to see a producer create something, a rapper can see it, spit a few bars in a split-screen, and now people all over the world are begging for it to be released.
Just a few more questions, I want to shift into advice. We often talk about generational wealth within the culture as primarily financial, but there are other ways to pass on relevant information that could aid one generation to the next. What advice do you have for this era of Hip Hop?
It’s weird because the advice that I would have given 20 years ago, ten years ago, is not the advice that I would give today. So, it’s wild when you have to kind of change the mentorship up, because it doesn’t really apply. Twenty years ago, I would have been like, “Man, make sure that you are completely different than everybody else, you want to stand out.” Ten years ago, I would have been like, “You got to make sure that your sh*t sounds exactly like everybody else,” if you’re following an industry standard. But if you are following your heart…because that’s the thing.
“If you want to try to make a bunch of money, then I’m going to give you a different set of advice than, ‘Hey, man, I just love music, and I’m just trying to get my stuff out.’”
I often ask people, “What do you what do you want out of this?” You know, and be honest. You can tell me if, “Hey, man, I just want to make a sh*tload of money.” If that’s the case, then just be honest because I can’t give you advice if I don’t know what your end goal is. If you want to try to make a bunch of money, then I’m going to give you a different set of advice than, “Hey, man, I just love music, and I’m just trying to get my stuff out.”
So, just trying to figure out the right thing to tell somebody. But the one thing that I always keep in mind is to do it for the love first. Do it because you love it. Don’t do it for a job, don’t do it for money. If you do it for the love, and you start making money at it, then that is just an extra bonus.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK–OCTOBER 18: Rap duo DJ Jazzy Jeff (aka Jeff Townes) And The Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith) appear in a portrait taken on October 18, 1989 in New York City. (Photo by Al Pereira/Getty Images/Michael Ochs Archives)
My wife always teases me because I will always use the analogy of a basketball court. I got a basketball court in my backyard, I love to go out, and I love to shoot. I’m not trying out for the Sixers. I just enjoy basketball, but this is the funny thing. If you give a kid a basketball hoop, and he’d started shooting, and he becomes good, that may lead him to go play for an AAU team. It may lead him to play for his high school team, which may lead him to a college scholarship or maybe even the pros. But none of it starts unless you love shooting in your backyard.
That reminds me of an interview I did a few years back with RZA. I asked him, selfishly, for advice on staying self-motivated when my art is also my career. He paused for a second and said, “Well, you have to determine your end goal, and only you can do that for yourself.”
Mmmhmmm, yes.
More or less, he said, “If the paycheck is the goal, then be honest about it with yourself and know that you will constantly chase that reward. However, if it’s not for the money, then figure out how to reconnect to the love, and live there.” Seriously changed my life [laughs].
That’s so good! And to add to that, it’s okay to do both. I tell people, I’m like, “Listen, I’m gonna give you real advice. I’m not gonna give you sh*t that you want to hear. Get a job to make money to pay for your love, until your love can pay for your loan.”
It’s as simple as that. Don’t go into this like, “My love has to take care of me.” That’s when you’re setting yourself up for downfall. Man, I got a job. I got a job to buy turntables to do somebody’s party for free. And then it spiraled into what it is now. But my initial thing was, “Hey, man, I got some equipment. I think I’m pretty good. I think I want to do this.” And the only way that I’m gonna be able to do it is I got to do Susie’s party up the street for free. So, people know you.
Next thing you know, it’s like, “Alright, Susie, listen, we killed it for the past two weeks. I need $20.” You know what I mean? But I worked a job until it passed me the baton and told me, “You know what, you might be able to pay your bills with this.”
This is my last question. I asked it to everyone just because I’m nosy. In celebrity culture, we know that a lot of it, if not all, is an illusion. And often, with people in your position, especially with the longevity of your career, fans often think that they know you, right? They’re familiar with your work and certain aspects of who you are. They hold memories that involve your art. But my question is, when that veil of celebrity and expectations are removed, what is something about the heart of you as a human being—not just DJ Jazzy Jeff, but just who you are, that you wish the world could see more of?
Oh, see, you spun me out at the end. For the simple fact that—and this goes even down to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I didn’t go in a phone booth and change into a character. I don’t know how to be anything other than me. Like, it was the craziest thing that someone would give me a script, I would say the lines and everybody would laugh. I would literally look in the mirror like, “I don’t f*cking get it! But you know what, I’m gonna go with it. I’m gonna go.” I never tried to be an actor. I never tried to be anything other than who I was because I don’t know how to do that.
So, I think where the spin-off comes is wanting people to know, because I’m kind of at the point of like, hey, man, I am who I am. I don’t care if you know or not. It’s not hard for me to wake up like I am. I’m a very caring person, I’m a very giving person. I got love for the world, I love animals. Man, I cook. I drink Kool-Aid. You know, I eat pork. Like, here’s the gambit. It ain’t gonna change. People who know me from 20 years ago are kind of like, “Well, that’s the same Jeff.”
You know, everybody knows I can make popcorn. I make the best popcorn on the planet. Everybody knows I make great Kool-Aid. And I don’t like college Kool-Aid—I don’t like Kool-Aid you can see through.
[Laughs]
I’ve never been one of those people that the more money or success that you got, you start changing who you are. I’m kind of like, “Hey, man, if I like Fish Filets and I only have $5, I like Fish Filets if I got $5 million.”
[Laughs] The fact that you mentioned Fish Filets is wild. It’s my favorite thing on the planet. My mom ate them while pregnant with me and now I can’t get enough.
[Laughs] I love it! I love it.
That’s all I have today. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the time.
Absolutely. This is great. And listen to some of those producers! You will really get a kick out of it.
Ever since the growing popularity of Lil Uzi Vert’s hit song “Just Wanna Rock,” there has been a conversation as to whether or no the song has replaced Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” as Philadelphia’s official anthem. While some believe “Just Wanna Rock” has taken that spot, others belive that it is still “Dreams and Nightmares.” To settle the debate, who better to ask than legendary DJ and producer, and Philly native, DJ Jazzy Jeff.
HipHopDX caught up to DJ Jazzy Jeff where he gave his pick.
“I don’t think you could ever go against Meek Mill’s ‘Dreams and Nightmares,’” Jeff stated. “Lil Uzi’s ‘Just Wanna Rock’ is a dope song. Everybody loves it, but ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ took the city by storm. It took every sports team by storm. So, it’s going to be ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ for me.”
The conversation was first ignited by DJ Drama who said that “Dreams and Nightmares” had been replaced by “Just Wanna Rock.”
“I think it’s fair to say that ‘Just Wanna Rock’ has replaced — with all due respect — ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ as the new anthem of Philadelphia,” Drama said. “The new anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles this year. I’m looking forward to hearing that song many, many times Super Bowl weekend.”
Philadelphia artists are being debated, and one of the city’s icons, DJ Jazzy Jeff, is weighing in. The Rap legend began his career alongside his best friend Will Smith, and soon, the pair were a staple in the mainstream. They were teased about their propensity to avoid violent or sexually explicit lyrics. Instead, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince—their full stage name—gave us classics like “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ But Trouble,” and “Summertime.”
Recently, fellow Philly artists Meek Mill and Lil Uzi Vert’s names have been entangled in a debate. Fans have discussed whether Uzi’s “Just Wanna Rock” or Meek’s “Dreams and Nightmares” is the anthem for the City of Brotherly Love. HipHopDX caught up with Jeff and wanted him to share his thoughts as a native.
It was DJ Drama who first ignited this conversation. He was stopped by a TMZ cameraperson and offered the hot take. “I think it’s fair to say that ‘Just Wanna Rock’ has replaced — with all due respect — ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ as the new anthem of Philadelphia,” he said. Of course, Uzi was one of Drama’s artists so there may be a bias. “The new anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles this year. I’m looking forward to hearing that song many, many times Super Bowl weekend.”
The comments prompted Meek and Uzi to react. The latter honored his peer, calling Meek “the big homie.” Uzi also acknowledged that it was far too early to compare his new track to Meek’s classic. “That song like been around for a very long time,” said Uzi. “And that song is still hitting exactly the same way. I’m just gonna have to see, you know, in a couple of years or a decade or whatever.” Only time will tell.
DJ Jazzy Jeff Picks His Choice
UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1980: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (aka Jeff Townes and Will Smith). (Photo by David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
“I don’t think you could ever go against Meek Mill’s ‘Dreams and Nightmares,’” said the music and television great. “Lil Uzi’s ‘Just Wanna Rock’ is a dope song. Everybody loves it, but ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ took the city by storm. It took every sports team by storm. So, it’s going to be ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ for me.”
