On this day in Hip Hop history, the rapper turned actor Will Smith along with DJ Jazzy Jeff released their second LP, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. This was the first double album in Hip Hop in its original vinyl state and is certified platinum by the RIAA.
It can be said that without this album, Will Smith would not be where he is today. The success this album provided for Smith gave him the exposure to take his talents from music to the screen. This was also a breakthrough album for the career of DJ Jazzy Jeff. Critics and consumers alike cited Jeff as the more musically inclined of the duo, although Smith was the obvious crowd favorite and frontman. Jeff’s ability on the turntables and the boards allowed him to be the unsung hero of the album and gain a lot of respect in the Hip Hop community.
The album received positive reviews from critics of countless publications. The Source even selected this album as one of the 100 Best Rap Albums list in 1998. The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart and #5 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart. Overseas it peaked at #68 on the UK Album chart. The album’s most popular single, “Parents Just Don’t Understand” won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989.
On this date in 1987, Philly’s most celebrated Hip Hop duo released their first album.
Famed rapper and actor Will Smith, also known as “The Fresh Prince” and his hilarious on-and-off-screen partner Jeff Townes aka DJ Jazzy Jeff, dropped their first project on the Jive/RCA imprint.
As two of the pioneers of Philly Hip Hop, Dj Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were the first artists from the “City of Brotherly Love” to perform at the coveted Union Square, which prompted the live title track. They were there during a time when if you were wack, not only did you get booed, but the Brooklyn kids would end up leaving the Square with something you came there with. “Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble” was a storytelling anthem that was only rivaled by the likes of the great Slick Rick. This ten-track LP was just the tip of the iceberg of what this dynamic duo had in store for them in their future.
Salute to Jazzy Jeff, Will Smith and Ready Rock C for this classic piece of Hip Hop history!
The Grammy’s are continuing their 2023 celebration the 50th anniversary of hip-hop. All year many of the institutions that represent the genre and participants in its rise to fame have been paying tribute to its history. Even the Grammys themselves made a flashy tribute to rap earlier this year. During the 2023 Grammys, they gathered decades of hip-hop royalty together for a major performance celebrating the history of the genre.
Now, they have another tribute to the genre coming later this year and there’s once again a ton of talent involved. Headlining the group is Will Smith, returning to his Fresh Prince moniker to reunite with DJ Jazzy Jeff. The duo have a storied history with the Grammys being the first rap act to ever win an award from the academy and then the very next year becoming the first rap act to perform at the show. They’re included in a roster of performers also highlighted by Cypress Hill, E-40, GloRilla, Gunna, Jeezy, Latto, T.I., 2 Chainz, YG, Common, Talib Kweli, and many many more. Check out the full roster of performers below.
The massive Hip-Hop 50th anniversary special is being taped next week. Fans can watch it when it airs on CBS next month on December 10 at 8:30. The reunification comes during a turbulent time for Smith who hasn’t had much public profile since his notorious Oscars slap last year.
Smith has also been dealing with some of the public fallout from his wife Jada Pinkett Smith’s new memoir. To promote the book she did a series of bombshell interviews revealing details about her and Will’s relationship and her history with 2pac. In one interview she describer her and Will’s relationship as living entirely separate lives. What do you think of The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff reuniting for a Grammys hip-hop tribute? Let us know in the comment section below.
It’s hard to believe that DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s Code Red album has turned 30. Very few duos in hip-hop’s history have been able to make their mark and impact on the hip-hop culture like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. 2023 marks 30 years since the duo released their final album, Code Red. We’re looking back at the album’s success and the evolution of their working relationship up to that point.
The Grammy Award-Winning Sound
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)
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince found early success with light-hearted, humorous, and profanity-free songs in the mid-80s. One of the highlights of their careers included their groundbreaking victory at the 1989 Grammy Awards. They clinched the first-ever Grammy for Best Rap Performance with their hit single “Parents Just Don’t Understand” (1988). This incredible win put hip-hop on the mainstream map and soon other acts would follow. DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince’s most iconic and successful track became “Summertime” (1991). The track serves as an anthem for warm, carefree months. The song not only peaked at number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 but it secured them their second Grammy.
Marking the end of an era, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince released Code Red on October 12, 1993. This album followed the triumph of 1991’s Homebase but it was perceived as a commercial disappointment in comparison. As their fifth and final album, it received mixed reviews from critics and fans. Some argue that it waters down their signature style on tracks like “Twinkle Twinkle (I’m Not a Star).”
The album reached its highest position at #64 on the Billboard 200 chart and climbed to #39 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. On January 14, 1994, the Recording Industry Association of America awarded the album with a gold certification. Four singles supported the project, beginning with “Boom! Shake the Room.” This was followed by “I’m Looking for the One (To Be With Me),” “I Wanna Rock,” and “Can’t Wait To Be With You.”
Despite his longstanding reluctance to delve into gangsta rap, The Fresh Prince ultimately embraced a grittier style on Code Red. While the album owes much of its success to the skillful production, The Fresh Prince’s undeniable charm is still apparent. However, the album fell short of leaving a lasting impression on many fans. One of the album’s less convincing moments occurs in “Twinkle Twinkle (I’m Not A Star),” where Will Smith attempts to present himself as an everyday civilian and not a celebrity. He recounts an incident at a movie theater, where he’s watching Jurassic Park. He finds himself approached by an overly enthusiastic fan seeking an autograph, much to the dismay of her date.
Smith’s attempt to appear as a down-to-earth guy, despite his celebrity status, ultimately feels contrived. His effort on this track underscores the challenge of shedding his larger-than-life image. In hindsight, Code Red remains an overlooked chapter in the evolving careers of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. While it may not earn the status of a classic, the album offers valuable insights into the duo’s artistic development and foreshadows Smith’s aspirations for future success. As listeners revisit this record, they can uncover the nuanced journey of a legendary artist and actor who was on the cusp of reaching superstardom.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince: Influence And Legacy
Code Red stands as a pivotal moment in the career of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. It not only showcased their willingness to evolve and experiment with their music but also marked the end of an era as a group. Following this release, both artists embarked on their individual journeys, with Will Smith ascending to superstardom as both an actor and a solo artist. Code Red remains a significant milestone in their legacy, capturing the essence of their music and setting the stage for the remarkable solo careers that were to follow.
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.
On this day in Hip Hop history, the rapper turned actor Will Smith along with DJ Jazzy Jeff released their second LP, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. This was the first double album in Hip Hop in its original vinyl state and is certified platinum by the RIAA.
It can be said that without this album, Will Smith would not be where he is today. The success this album provided for Smith gave him the exposure to take his talents from music to the screen. This was also a breakthrough album for the career of DJ Jazzy Jeff. Critics and consumers alike cited Jeff as the more musically inclined of the duo, although Smith was the obvious crowd favorite and frontman. Jeff’s ability on the turntables and the boards allowed him to be the unsung hero of the album and gain a lot of respect in the Hip Hop community.
The album received positive reviews from critics of countless publications. The Source even selected this album as one of the 100 Best Rap Albums list in 1998. The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart and #5 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart. Overseas it peaked at #68 on the UK Album chart. The album’s most popular single, “Parents Just Don’t Understand” won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989.
On this day in Hip Hop history, the rapper turned actor Will Smith along with DJ Jazzy Jeff released their second LP, He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. This was the first double album in Hip Hop in its original vinyl state and is certified platinum by the RIAA.
It can be said that without this album, Will Smith would not be where he is today. The success this album provided for Smith gave him the exposure to take his talents from music to the screen. This was also a breakthrough album for the career of DJ Jazzy Jeff. Critics and consumers alike cited Jeff as the more musically inclined of the duo, although Smith was the obvious crowd favorite and frontman. Jeff’s ability on the turntables and the boards allowed him to be the unsung hero of the album and gain a lot of respect in the Hip Hop community.
The album received positive reviews from critics of countless publications. The Source even selected this album as one of the 100 Best Rap Albums list in 1998. The album peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200 chart and #5 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop chart. Overseas it peaked at #68 on the UK Album chart. The album’s most popular single, “Parents Just Don’t Understand” won the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989.
