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PLAYLIST: THE VERY BEST OF DJ JAZZY JEFF + THE FRESH PRINCE


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I got it in the mail the other day and I finally have time to write about it.  Playlist: The Very Best of DJ Jazzy Jeff + The Fresh Prince is a collection for the fans.  Many of you are underwhelmed because this collection is so similar to 2006's The Very Best of DJ Jazzy Jeff + The Fresh Prince, but I suggest you get over it and be happy that a widely released compilation is coming out in 2015, prior to their return.

First off, the songs are REMASTERED for 2015, and as you know, there is no better sound quality than what you can get on a modern CD.  Musically, it's more more rare offerings are the 1986 original version of "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" which was previously available on the 1986's original single release, 1986's Mr. Magic's Rap Attack Volume 2 (on CD), and 2006's The Very Best of JJ+FP. and the Hula Radio Remix of "The Things That U Do," and "Jazzy's Groove (Grover's Groove), which were previously only available on various cassette, vinyl and CD singles and the 2006 compilation.  For US fans, this is the first time the T.L.A.C Remix of "Lovely Daze" is being released (as it was previously only in singles released overseas.  It takes the original 1992 and tweaks it a bit for it's 1998 release on Jive's 1998 JJ+FP Greatest Hits. The highlight, of course, is the "Brand New Funk (Live At Nassau Coliseum)," which is the version they used for the video. This is the FIRST TIME it's being released on CD!!  Previously it was only available on the 1988 vinyl single.  While I converted it from vinyl to CD years ago, hearing it remastered on CD, blasting loud in my car for the first time, I may have peed myself a little bit.  At such a great/low price, y'all should stop complaining about the greatest hits package featuring the greatest hits that we've already heard and get this CD for that reason alone.  I do miss the presence of "The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff" and "I Wanna Rock."  Since "U Saw My Blinker" was only ever performed live and not a true video/single, I can live with it missing.

There's a nice briefing of their career in the notes, as well as the credits and chart positions. While I had looked at the chart position of their singles before, I never realized that And In This Corner...'s singles performed better than Rock The House's, even though many consider And In This Corner... to be their weakest performing album.  I also noticed for the first time that "A Touch of Jazz" positioned higher than "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble," which was interesting.

Lastly, another thing that makes this release great is the photography included. Some of it we've seen. Some of it we've seen on a rare occasion, and some we've never seen. Check the pix below...

As Playlist always does, they include the album or source that the song is from. They are always accurate when they do this. You'll notice the yellow sticker that comes on the plastic.  Check out that Rock The House pic on the back!  I've never seen it before!

Check the pick on the back of the insert.  The only time I've seen this Code Red pic before is when Jive flipped it and made it really blurry for the 1998 Greatest Hits insert and on the JJ+FP Greatest Hits Megamix CD and vinyl  promo pressing.

 

 

Edited by JumpinJack AJ
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Here's the brief write up on their career and impact.

I have a BMG magazine where JJ+FP's Code Red is featured and it has a pic from this photo shoot, but they are both standing.  I've never seen this one where they are both kneeling.

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thanks for posting aj, i'll order it online sometime over the summer!

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Yeah, they did a great job with the rare photos.  I feel this board needs to be embracing this release rather than role our eyes since most of it fairly common.  To each his own, I suppose.

I'll have to admit that only part of the reason I took the pictures with the CD over top the JJ+FP vinyl was because I thought it looked cool.  Half of it was because my desk was a little dusty and I didn't want to clean it.  lol

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  • 2 months later...

i just got my copy of this album in the mail from amazon today, had to show my support to JJFP

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  • 3 months later...

with all the talk of the JJFP comeback for 2016 i think we all should support this album, the classics deserve recognition!

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  • Hero1 unpinned this topic

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