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KevTastic

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  4. Gettin' Jiggy at 31

    in Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince

    Posted

    Hi guys, i just wrote a blog about my JJFP fan story and what this forthcoming tour means to me.  If you have 5 minutes please take a look.

    https://www.tumblr.com/blog/kevtastic84

     

    Gettin’ Jiggy at 31 years young

    Early 1998, Hip Hop was ruling the world and a 13 year old working class family lad was beginning to spend his hard earned paperboy wages on CD’s and Cassettes (I rocked a walkman).  The Fresh Prince of Bel Air was constantly on my square TV, and a track popped up on a chart compilation tape i had bought.  This track was Will Smith’s Gettin’ Jiggy Wit it.
    What was it about this track that got me hooked? The rhyme’s were fun, the flow was slick, the sample and cuts worked perfectly, the chorus is annoyingly catchy. It was the perfect pop rap track.  Will’s music and movie career were both huge, he was everywhere.
    The internet was starting to get some real steam and i began to look into Will’s career more and more.  It was then that i realized older hits Boom shake the room and summertime i remembered as a kid were by him and and a man called Jazzy Jeff.  As a family we’d be tuned into the UK Top 40 every sunday afternoon.
    Around this time Jazzy Jeff ad Fresh Prince’s greatest hits was released. Jive records clearly cashing in on Will’s resurgence in music, and who can blame them.  I had that disc on repeat even more than Big Willie Style.  The tracks were the gateway i needed as a young teen to explore and study Hip Hop music and culture, educating myself from the old school up.  But whatever i explored, it was these five JJ+FP studio albums that found their way back into the CD player time and time again.  Jeff’s samples and cutting, Prince’s stories that you couldn’t help but memorize, their obvious ability to add their live chemistry onto record.  It was infectious stuff.  I would be force feedling school friends mixtapes of the duo’s stuff, if they wanted it or not.
    Will being such a huge movie star, and often prioritzing that above music made me doubt ever getting to see him perform live. Not through lack of trying.  I attended the movie premieres of Hitch and Hancock in London in hope of rumours of him performing live claimed to be true.  As i began to follow in my sisters footsteps (A modest heavy metal star in her day) and begin a love affair with Rock and alternative music. I questioned Hip Hop stars passion for performing live.  Whilst in my late teens and throughout my 20s i have seen dozens of my favourite bands tour regularly. I didn’t understand why rappers didn’t push themselves to the same limits. A lot of people i know who love Hip Hop music have never seen their fave artists perform live and seem content in that just being normal.  As a varied music lover I almost find it odd that when a new abum drops, that a artist doesn’t follow it up with a tour for at least promotional purposes.
    In 2002 i joined a Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince fan site ran by an Australian named Tim, who has become a good friend of mine over the years.   I have met many like minded fans and we have built a great community over the high and low points of the duo’s post millenium career.
    Around 2004 i noticed Jeff was touring a lot.  But it wasn’t until early 2006 that i decided to attend a show in Leeds where an old friend was at University.  Tim from the JJFP site asked me to get in touch with Jeff’s tour manager at the time via myspace. (remember when that ruled your life?) He said i could possibly meet Jeff at the show.   I didn’t expect too much, however when we get to the show Jeff’s crew give me and my friend the VIP treatment.  Getting to witness Jeff’s killer Hip Hop set sidestage washing it all down with free beer was at the time one of the best nights of my life.
    Since that inaugral night in 2006 i have been lucky enough to attend over a dozen shows.  Initially with the slept on talent of Mad Skillz, and more recently the young, hungry and humble Dayne Jordan filling the Master of Ceremonies duties. Each time getting to hang out with Jeff.  Here is a superstar DJ who has allowed fans the chance to befriend him.  He never had to do that, and I can’t stress how honoured some of us over at jazzyjefffreshprince.com are to have been put in this situation.
    Jeff has opened my eyes and ears to so many different styles of music i would have otherwise ignored.  He can give you a straight Hip Hop set like no other, but just as easily throw in some house, soul and funk that will leave your feet sore.
    As longtime supporters of Will’s career we as fans often get frustrated with his commitment to music, but understand the workload he has had to juggle. Will admits that he has never done a proper full on tour with Jeff. Occasionally we as fans would find out afterwards that the duo have performed together at a movie wrap up party, or whatever. It’s been a gruelling task to stay optimistic that we would ever see them perform live together. Jeff has always told us it could happen, and Will wants to. But with Will not taking music seriously for the past 10 years even the most hopeful of fans had given up.  
    A 31 year old Man wakes up one morning, still a regular visitor to said JJFP fan site. He sees Will has returned with a verse on a Columbian dance track. The site is buzzing. Nobody expected this.
    Soon after Will is interviewed by music journeyman Zane Lowe. Will drops a bomb shell about being focused on music and……..Touring with Jazzy Jeff next summer.  This 31 year old is shot back to a teenager instantly. The idea of me being able to be there in a crowd rapping along to one of my all time favourite artists and seeing Jeff back him up on the wheels is still something that hasn’t quite hit me fully. Something i had written off ever happening a decade ago, will happen and i will be there amongst friends and fellow fans. I don’t think Will is aware just how much demand there has been for this over the years. 
    I happen to be seeing Jeff live again this very evening. Words of excitement are due to be shared.  He has been a driving force in Will’s ear that this is something that can be very special for a lot of people. Me being one of them.

     
     

  9. Will has recorded 30 tracks, none with Jazzy Jeff

    in Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince

    Posted

    I wouldn't worry too much. Will has only had time in between filming and stuff to be able to write and record. I doubt any beats for his raps are final versions. Nothing stopping any producer jumping on it. I do hope him and Jeff can get together for a while.  Will wants to work with young talent, but to be honest a 50 year old Jeff who travels the world playing to young audiences everywhere is more in the know about current dope sounds than any sucker off the street. Will is smart, he just needs a sit down with Jeff.  That will hopefully be happening soon.  Nothing stopping Will sending Jeff some raps that Jeff can play around with whilst on tour.

  22. Bomba Estéreo, Will Smith - Fiesta (Remix)[Cover Audio]

    in Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince

    Posted

    To be honest this is a clever way to get back into the public eye. If this doesn't become a hit it doesn't matter, if it does then great. But it paves the way for Will to come back with his own stuff and this song can never be classed as a flop. He's testing the water.  The Zane Lowe interview will be big. A lot of questions will be answered. I met Zane Lowe once, he was a big JJFP fan back in the day. He signed something for me saying "See you Live at The Union Square" hehe.

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