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.
