Pretty Girls is Pretty Awful

[Jazzy Julie]

Ok I’m gonna lighten it up with a bit of positivity in here. It’s certainly far from my favourite of the new tracks but I don’t hate it like you guys.

ok so it’s a bit corny and it does leave Will open to be made fun of. But what’s new there, he’s been made fun of since 1988. The lyrics aren’t great, however, not every song needs to be deep.

I like the beat, it’s fun, silly and catchy. The video is a bit like his fresh Prince days. The song reminds me of”my humps” by the black eyed peas. People said it was cheesy but people loved it.

On another positive note. Will and Jeff are playing Wembley this Sunday with capital fm, it’s one of the biggest radio stations in the UK. They played the song this morning for millions of listeners. I would have preferred one of his better songs but telling so many people he has an album out might get some more fans aware of BOATS. 

[fan 4ever]

Looking forward to that Wembley show! Him and Jeff together will be fire. I bet Jeff’s involvement will make the newer songs sound even better. 

[Jazzy Julie]

It’s gonna be on itv on Sunday 22nd at 5.30pm if anyone in the UK is interested. Gotta wait a bit 

[Ale]

34 minutes ago, eagle1 said:

I think he was just being polite. JJ isn't in the credits and he hasn't specifically mentioned it on instagram outside of commenting fire emojis as he does on almost all of Will's new music. 

Yeah, maybe. But I just don't see the point of saying someone is on a song when the person actually isn't  

[Hero1]

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.

[Schnazz]

I can see why y’all are hating on this song, but I’m enjoying it just fine….  It’s not serious, doesn’t need to be. I can imagine why it’s awkward for a 50+ year old man to be singing “I like pretty girls” but I guess I’m just not putting to much thought into it, it’s just pop.

[JumpinJack AJ]

I suppose it's kind of true that it's not that serious.  I think that the song is just so disappointing that it kind of feels like the end of the world. 

 

With the Rave In The Wasteland being so understeamed and under purchased/under downloaded as a whole, it just doen't seem like this song is going to help give the new music a new life. Nothing from this era is even trending in his Spotify top 10. 

 

Will often gets called corny when it's not called for. With this song, it is. When we talk about fun songs from JJ+FP and Will, the music is still good. The lyrics are good. This doesn't compare that.  A few lyrics are okay, but quite a few of them are dumb...on purpose. Maybe because the masses are into dumb music. 

 

I doubt Jeff is involved with this. When he's done dance and house tracks, the music is sooooo much better than this. I think Will just reacted too quick ot the question in that interview. He'd probably credit Jeff in a more noticeable way if he was.  Speaking of which, was is Omar credited? I'm not tryng to be rude, but his vocals are just filler back-ups. 

 

With the pervous music releases, the feedback was all pretty good.  That's not the case with this.

 

[James C]

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.