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Based on a True Story is out now! Will Smith's first album in 20 years ×
Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince Forum

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Showing content with the highest reputation on 06/14/2025 in all areas

  1. The new song is cool and I’m glad Will is having fun with the music again, but I was thinking of something…he constantly talks about wanting to be respected as an artist. He wants his name in the same breath as Dre, Jay, Rakim, LL, Slick Rick, etc…but if he wants that we need some real hip hop. He needs to dig back deep to his roots. We know he’s capable of spitting bars. We need more tracks like Tantrum. These days it’s hard to sell and it’s even harder to get a hit like Jiggy…I feel like that’s kinda what he’s shooting for with a summer anthem like this but at the end of the day he has a chance to really do something to cement his name in hip hop. Not that that isn’t already in stone, but to really show out and prove himself in a rap game that’s currently lacking. You look at Nas, LL, Dre, Snoop…these old heads are still spittin and still getting respect. I really hope these next 2 seasons have some real stuff. Just my two cents. If this is what he wants and he’s just having fun then I support it.
    2 points
  2. Here’s my take: What Die-Hard Will Smith Fans Are Really Hoping For… The biggest issue long-time fans like me have with Will Smith’s recent music isn’t just about the lyrics or delivery, it’s about the vibe. Lately, we’ve seen a nostalgic resurgence of old-school hip hop legends returning to the sound that made them great. LL Cool J, Ice Cube, Snoop, they’ve all dropped new music that pays homage to their roots. The production feels familiar, the flows feel old school, and it’s clear they’re not trying to chase trends, they’re owning their legacy. That’s what many of us hoped Will would do too. Instead, there’s a sense that he’s still trying to stay current. And while there’s nothing wrong with evolving, what’s missing from his newer material is the magic formula that made his music so iconic in the first place: a hooky chorus and Jeff’s beats. If you go back and listen to the four DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince albums, then Big Willie Style, and Willennium, there’s a consistent thread, disco and funk-inspired samples that gave the music bounce, soul, and fun, into a old school hip hop vibe. Think about it: “Men In Black” flipped Forget Me Nots “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It” borrowed He’s the Greatest Dancer “Wild Wild West” leaned on I Wish by Stevie Wonder It’s that sampling style, rich, funky, and upbeat, that gave Will Smith’s music its joyful, timeless energy. DJ Jazzy Jeff’s production wasn’t just about laying down a beat, it was about crafting a full-on party in a song. This paired with Will’s playful, clean and charismatic delivery, meant the result was something truly unique in hip hop. That’s why the recent material feels off. Will isn’t lacking things to say, in fact, with everything he’s experienced personally and professionally, he has more stories than ever. But instead of channeling those stories through the style that made him a household name, he’s been trying to fit into the modern mold… and in the process, losing some of that original spark. For me, this trend started way back with Born To Reign, and with exception of Switch, Perhaps a few others, Lost and Found wasn’t that great either. 20 years on, and Wills really lost sense of what got him the first rap Grammy. Take Willennium, tracks like “Freakin’ It,” “Will 2k” and “So Fresh” were big, bold, and full of personality. The hooks stuck in your head for days. The beats were polished but still playful. That sound had identity, it was unmistakably him. What fans want, or at least, what I want, is a return to the chemistry that only Will and Jeff had. The back and forth energy, the jazzy cuts, the disco samples. Even if the subject matter is more mature now, the sound doesn’t have to lose its joy. There’s nothing wrong with growing older in hip hop. In fact, when you do it on your own terms, like so many of Will’s peers have, it only strengthens your legacy. And maybe, just maybe, it’s not too late for Will to give us one more album that feels like it was dug out of the vaults from the Homebase - Big Willie Style era. Because let’s be honest, no one else ever did that blend of fun, funky, clean hip hop quite like DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. And if there’s one thing the fans would get jiggy with, it’s that.
    1 point
  3. I don’t mind Will doing fun songs, I actually think it’s a good idea. But compare Getting Jiggy Wit It to this. There’s just no comparison. How bad Wills raps are is really disappointing. I feel like the stuff when he was going to make his comeback maybe 6 years ago was way better.
    1 point
  4. You’re not really stating facts, you’re stating your opinion which is fine. I’m not gonna get into an argument about our different opinions, everyone is entitled to their own. Let’s get back on topic.
    1 point
  5. You do come off hard with the negativity man. It’s always great to see new members join this board but when your first posts are like this it sends out the wrong vibe, you know? I respect your opinion, this song is not for everyone. I think it’s okay. He has done worse songs in my humble opinion. “I Can’t Stop”, “Willow Is A Player” and “First Love” come to mind. I guess he’s just having fun and doing his own thing. It just sucks for us, real hip hop heads, that he isn’t making the songs we would like him to do. I enjoyed his last album when it dropped but I don’t listen to a lot. We need Jeff to be more involved with the music and the tour. He makes the best songs when Jeff is involved!
    1 point
  6. If you aren’t a fan anymore why create a new account and spend your time to come here and hate on a guys personal life? do you really have nothing better to do? If you aren’t a fan anymore that’s totally fine and you’re right, but it just seems like a waste of yours and everyone’s time. also why in the world would you create a new account and call it analf00034?
    1 point
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