Jeff talks about Tim! Our TIM!

[Ale]

DJ Jazzy Jeff understands

DJ Jazzy Jeff is best known for his role as Will Smith’s lovable sidekick on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and behind the scenes, the pair was just as close. Twenty-five years later, he’s surprised to find himself still working as a full-time DJ. This Friday, he’ll share a bill with Miami’s DJ Irie at the W Fort Lauderdale hotel. He called City Link from his home in Philadelphia to discuss how he became Smith’s BFF, his bond with DJ AM and what happened to the wild wardrobe he wore on TV in the ’90s.

Do you remember the first record you ever bought?
No, but it was probably something from one of my brothers or sisters. We used to listen to a lot of classic funk and soul. There was a store in Philadelphia that had a sale: three 45s for $1.50. You would go down the list and pick your favorite 45s until you got them all.

How did you meet Will Smith?
I didn’t grow up with him, but in the early ’80s, instead of everybody wanting to be in a band, everybody wanted to be a DJ. There was an aspiring rapper on every street. We’d have these big parties in the neighborhood and at the YMCA, and Will was just in another rap group in the neighborhood. We knew of each other but we weren’t formally introduced. You kind of knew all the guys from mixtapes or seeing them at parties. Someone asked me to do a party on his street, and the guy I used to have emcee for me was sick that night. When I got there, Will came down and it was the mutual, “Hey, how’s it going?” He asked, “Do you mind if I get on the mike?” I said, “No,” and it was just a really huge bond and a lot of chemistry that night. We had a ball, so the next night, I had another party, and he gave me his number. It was a partnership that kind of just formed without even saying anything. We had a good time and I felt like he read my mind and I read his, and it just kept going on and on and on.

Did you get on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air together?
No. When we started, his goal was to be on television. At 16, he was saying, “I wanna do TV and music.” We used to joke I could do the music for the TV show. So that’s why even until today, we still look at each other and he’ll say, “Do you believe this?” The only people that really understand what he’s talking about is him and I. To kind of will it into existence is still mind blowing to both of us.

Do you ever catch reruns of the show?
Sometimes. But I’ve always gone through a weird little thing where it’s so hard for me to watch them. I don’t know why. It’s funny because my oldest son could never watch The Fresh Princewith me in the room. It was just something that was weird to him. He’d say, “I can’t watch you here and right next to me at the same time.” Every once in a while, I’ll watch it and chuckle remembering the behind the scenes and what went into filming those. But I’ve never really sat down and just watched.

You used to wear some wild clothes. Did you keep any of the clothes you wore on the show?
I tried to keep as many of the clothes as I humanly, possibly could. It was funny because I had a little scheme going. I never relocated to the West Coast, so I commuted when I did the show. My flight out was always a Friday-night-red-eye flight right after we finished taping. As soon as I finished my last scene, I’d race to the car and leave. A lot of times, I never had a chance to change my clothes, which was by design because I wanted to keep some of the clothes. They really had some cool clothes.

Are you working on a new album?
I just finished a new album with a young lady from Toronto named Ayah. We’re going to try to put it out later this year. She’s an R&B artist. I’m doing the music production.

Have you DJ’ed with Irie before?
Oh, yeah. A bunch of times in Miami and Vegas.

Have you ever battled one another?
Oh, no, no. I’m so far from that. Now, I just want to get up there and make sure everybody has a good time.

What was it like working with the late DJ AM, and do you have a favorite memory of him?
One of them was in Miami at Mansion. We did a show there that was incredible. It was probably the first time him and I played together. We played two records a piece at the same time and we’d go back and forth and do routines together. People really, really loved it. It was during Winter Music Conference and it was a packed house. I actually have a live recording of that set. It kind of started the whole ball rolling that we would do that a lot. [Losing him] was really bad. It sucked.

Do you plan to release the recording?
I got it from someone who sent it to me on the Internet. The Internet is a very interesting place because it allows shows and recordings to never die. Someone is always posting somewhere to keep the memory out there. It’s amazing to see pictures and videos from stuff Will and I did early on that we lost. People have found it and posted it on the Internet, and we’re sitting there saying, “Oh, my God, thank you.” We have an unofficial DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince Web site a guy from Australia started. It was so funny when I found it. He had the best accounting of everything Will and I had done together and separately.

Will you ever do more acting?
Possibly. I’ve been hounding Will for a part in Men in Black 3. Almost every movie he has made, he’s asked me to come to the set and do something, and I hadn’t. So I think when I told him I wanted to do something in Men in Black 3, he didn’t believe me. They started shooting in December and took a break and they’re supposed to start shooting again later this month.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/citylink/music/sfl-dj-jazzy-jeff-understands-20110317,0,1852320.story

-----

Awesome. Someone must be proud!

[DevilsJim89]

Gotta love it!!

Tim is the man, he's done so much for everyone here, doesn't get enough credit for all his time and efforts he's committed to maintaining this site. Look at this site, its worldwide.

[MissAshley]

that's cool. you're famous now Tim, lol.

[Da Brakes]

Thats fantastic! Hats off to you Tim!

[Jazzy Julie]

haha great shout out to Tim!!!

Remember when AJ found dont fight the feeling and Jeff said he'd never heard of it lol.

[VIsqo]

Lol, congrats Tim!!! and this was a really good interview. But Jazz almost always wore the same clothes in the show, lol

[DevilsJim89]

haha great shout out to Tim!!!Remember when AJ found dont fight the feeling and Jeff said he'd never heard of it lol.

I remember that! By the way, "Dont Fight the Feeling" was probably better off being unreleased....that track is HORRIBLE! Its almost like a weird version of Boom Shake the Room....terrible!!!!!!

[fan 4ever]

You gotta love it! That's great!

[bigted]

Haha, well deserved Tim!