DJ Jazzy Jeff - Peter Piper Routine

Following the incredible Mix Master Mike from last week, I decided to do a post about another amazing DJ from back in the day.  The Fresh Prince (Will Smith), was a phenom of raw talent which he honed into his acting career, but what ever happened to Jazzy Jeff?  Staying true to his name, DJ Jazzy Jeff continued on the music path and continues to DJ today.

To display his talents, Jazzy Jeff was invited to perform his 'Peter Piper' routine for the Serato channel.  In the video, Jazzy Jeff shows off the skills that helped launch the success of 'The Fresh Prince' and how he never lost them.

Currently, DJ Jazzy Jeff continues to tour and has a web series that goes behind the scenes during his shows around the world.

DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Brand New Funk

Everyone knows that Will Smith started as a rapper, but how many people have actually dug into his old 1980s tracks?  This of course doesn't apply to those who were around that era, but I was 3 years old he debuted as an artist.  Well, I decided a couple of years to rectify this, and picked up a compilation album from DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.  I still listen to this album a lot, and it stands as one of the best hip hop albums I have in my library.

I could have chosen a lot of songs from the duo to showcase for this post, including incredible tracks like "Summertime", "Parents Just Don't Understand", and "Girls are Nothing but Trouble".  Instead I chose "Brand New Funk" because it showcases the under-appreciated skills of DJ Jazzy Jeff.  It'd be easy to focus in on Will Smith, but DJ Jazzy Jeff is the real unsung hero of the duo.  It's clear that he wasn't going to be a big actor like his counterpart (as seen in his awkward cameos on the show), but he lived, and still lives for the music.  I absolutely love what the new electronic artists are doing, but I find it amazing watching someone like Jazzy Jeff mix tracks on the spot with turntables.  Considered to be a DJ's DJ, I was happy to see Jazzy Jeff is still happily touring and doing what he lives for.  Staying relevant, Jazzy Jeff even did all the scratching for the recently releaesd Dr. Dre movie "Straight Out of Compton".

I've always known that Will Smith began his career as a rapper, but like most I know him first and foremost as the actor in "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air".  The songs that I did know him from are from his resurgence as a rapper at the dawn of the Willenium, and from his various movie singles.  It was clear that his choice to rap clean was a great career choice that put him in the living rooms of white people everywhere, but it could not have worked without the charisma and talent to back it.  I've barely scratched the surface on 80s hip hop, but from what I've gone through, The Fresh Prince is easily a stand out among his peers.  It's no wonder that he got the boost that led him to where he is today.

It's impossible to look at these old videos without the oldschool vs newschool comment wars, which I find kind of silly.  Regardless, one thing is pretty clear: it is unlikely that we were ever hear the golden 80s hip hop sound again.  I hope that I leave myself some time later to explore the birth of the hip hop genre someday.

Method Man, Redman - Da Rockwilder

This song came out in 1999, over a decade and a half ago.  Back then, I was not the music kid by any stretch of the imagination but this song has always stuck with me.  Da Rockwilder has managed to sneak into so many of my rap playlists over the years and I have yet to get tired of it.  If the old adage is 'always leave them wanting more', this song is the very definition.  With a run time of less than 2 and a half minutes, this song is concentrated fire that I will almost always play again.

The Streets - Dry your eyes

Although the title is one particular song, I can not stress enough how well it fits in with the rest of the album.  The Streets is a UK hip hop group led by rapper Mike Skinner and they put out what I consider to be one of the best and cohesive albums I've ever heard.  The album 'A Grand Don't Come for Free' is an honest and visceral concept album that takes you on a heart-aching journey.  I first popped in the album a few years ago (much later than its release) on the way downtown to meet some friends for dinner.  From the first song I was transported into Mike's brain and was hooked on every word.  The album takes some very real twists and turns and gives you a picture of a very flawed yet sympathetic character.

The song Dry your Eyes was the hardest hitting to me, and it brought up old memories of my own break-ups.  It threw a curve ball at me and I was locked into a pensive mood for the rest of the night.  Even when I hear the song now, it captures the raw scrambled confusion and desperation at the moment when you breaking up.  The album culminates in a beautifully done song that gives a powerful message on expectations and life outlook.

Das Racist - Happy Rappy

This is a song I discovered when I asked around for hip hop suggestions a couple years back. My music-obsessed friend suggested I take a look at some underground artists and I got Das Racist's "Relax" album. The album was good, but this silly song stood out to me and I find myself tossing it onto random lists here and there.

To hear the song on youtube click here

To get a feel of the complexity of the song, you can get a rundown here