Comments on: So Tell My Mother That I Never Made a Whack Jam

So Tell My Mother That I Never Made a Whack Jam

WCityMike — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:11:37 -0800

The music video to "Boom! Shake the Room," by D.J. Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (SLYT).

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:11:52 -0800

When you combine the filmstrip projected onto the giant backdrop and Smith's, um, er, dancing, well, this was just too bizarrely cracktastic not to pass along to my fellow Mefites.

By: Halloween Jack

Halloween Jack — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:16:00 -0800

That Fresh Prince fellow does have a way about him. He should consider a career in the movies.

By: msali

msali — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:24:17 -0800

Wow, I never realized how much they were imitating (poorly) Public Enemy in that video.

By: Cool Papa Bell

Cool Papa Bell — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:30:24 -0800

"Would you people just shut the hell up with the ''Fresh Prince'' already! He's a two-bit TV actor who won't be around any longer than it takes for the ink to dry on the pages of the worthless rags you jerk-offs write for!"

By: Senor Cardgage

Senor Cardgage — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:33:33 -0800

What ya need to do, is download Jeff's free new mixtape (with Mick Boogie) It is the absolute perfect compliment to the summer heat.... TRACKLIST: Summertime Intro Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness (Live Version) Kool & The Gang: Summer Madness Quincy Jones: Summer In The City Ahmad: Back In The Day Ice Cube: It Was A Good Day Roy Ayers f/ Mary J Blige: Everybody Loves The Sunshine Pharcyde: Passin' Me By (Ffej Remix) Jay-Z f/ Babyface: Sunshine Ramsey Lewis: Sun Goddess A Tribe Called Quest: Find A Way (Ffej String Edit) 12: Bush Babies f/ Mos Def: The Love Song Jodeci: Get On Up The Commodores: High On Sunshine J Dilla f/ Dwele : Think Twice Erick Sermon f/ Marvin Gaye: Music (Mick's Marvapella Edit) Bernard Wright: Who Do You Love LL Cool J: Loungin' A Tribe Called Quest: Hot Sex Main Source: Live At The BBQ Nuyorican Soul: Nautilus Pharcyde & Sublime: Summertime Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff: Summertime Remix Michael Jackson: I Can't Help It De La Soul: Breakdawn Musiq: Just Friends Carl Thomas: Summer Rain Faze-O: Riding High Dionne Warwick: Walk On By Skee-Lo: I Wish Black Moon: Who Got The Props Frankie Beverly and Maze: Before I Let Go Nu Shooz: I Can't Wait Montell Jordan: This Is How We Do It 35: The Roots f/ George Benson: Breezin' 36: Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff: Time To Chill Biggie: Can't You See James Brown: The Payback En Vogue: My Lovin' Bobby McFerrin: Sunshine Of My Life Fifth Dimension: Let The Sun Shine In Mos Def: Sunshine Nine: Whatcha Want Otis Redding: Sittin' On The Dock 2Pac: I Get Around (Mick's String Edit) Zapp: Computer Love (Terry's Mirage On The Water Mix) Seals And Croft: Summer Breeze Jay-Z: Dear Summer Weldon Irvine: Morning Sunrise

By: Joe Beese

Joe Beese — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:38:48 -0800

That Fresh Prince fellow does have a way about him. He should consider a career in the movies. In Independence Day, when Vivica Fox told him, "You're not as cute as you think you are", and he replied, "Yes, I am", you could tell immediately that he was going to be a big star. Charisma like that is a gift from God. Or Xenu - who he seems to be tighter with these days.

By: Mayor Curley

Mayor Curley — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:44:27 -0800

When is the end of the Willenium?

By: substars

substars — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:48:41 -0800

Code Red may well be the best profanity-free rap record of the 90's.

By: The Winsome Parker Lewis

The Winsome Parker Lewis — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:50:52 -0800

I finally figured out what I love about Will Smith. I'm sick of seeing celebrities start out strong and then crash and burn in alcoholic/drug-addicted/angry-racist/relationship-destroying/corporate-shilling/tabloid-chasing oblivion. It's kind of refreshing to see somebody start with a modest TV career and then blossom into an accomplished actor with heart. Will Smith is the anti-Hollywood, he's aging like a fine wine. Totally the exception to the rule. I can only hope he stays on this trajectory. I feel the same way about Leo DiCaprio.

By: drjimmy11

drjimmy11 — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 14:53:04 -0800

Wow. I'm not too much of a snob for Fresh Prince/Jazzy Jeff rap as a whole- they did some solid, fun stuff. But this... this is the least convincing display of toughness this side of "Pumps and a Bump" by Gangsta Hammer. The rapping isn't that far off, either. it's just his face- you can always kind of see the smirk just below the surface.

By: BeerFilter

BeerFilter — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:08:48 -0800

For me the Willennium ended before it even began. Big ups to tha DJ tho.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:10:14 -0800

The Winsome Parker Lewis: he's aging like a fine wine Can't say I'm quite as comfortable with some of the things he's doing, although it'd be premature to ring the five-alarm bell.

By: The Winsome Parker Lewis

The Winsome Parker Lewis — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:19:23 -0800

WCityMike: Woah, I had no idea Will Smith was caught up in that stuff. Guess that explains Joe Beese's Xenu comment. It's a shame, he's really come into his own as a dramatic actor and a respectable bloke in most ways. How does something as laughably heinous as Scientology continue to sucker people into it? (Especially rich and famous people, who seem central to its political "agenda," but I don't want to get into conspiracy theories here...)

By: pyrex

pyrex — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:35:45 -0800

Something about Smith irks me, but I can never put my finger on it. When the Scientology stuff happened I thought "man, isn't he smarter than that?" - bet you $5 one day he's revealed to be a replicant.

By: shmegegge

shmegegge — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:38:07 -0800

Code Red may well be the best profanity-free rap record of the 90's. I know those words, but that sentence makes no sense.

By: BeerFilter

BeerFilter — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:50:20 -0800

Thanks to WCityMike for this post, but Senior Cardgage just bust my shit open.

By: ob

ob — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:51:01 -0800

Huh. Looking at that I just realised that the keyboard sample under the chorus is from "Funky Worm" by the wonderful Ohio Players.

By: Senor Cardgage

Senor Cardgage — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:55:15 -0800

Thanks to WCityMike for this post, but Senior Cardgage just bust my shit open. Srsly man. You'll love it. It came out a week ago and Ive been playing it an avg of 2 to 3 times a day. It's just perfectly built.

By: Jofus

Jofus — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:16:40 -0800

/me checks his shit Hey! Senor Cardgage has just bust mine open too!

By: Fiasco da Gama

Fiasco da Gama — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:25:01 -0800

Looks like I picked the wrong day to quit closed shit-busting. Mine's wide open now too. It is the absolute perfect compliment to the summer heat.... Hell down here, I've only just stopped wearing lined gloves, a hat and a scarf. That's going straight to the top of my download queue.

By: symbioid

symbioid — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:28:34 -0800

Thanks for the reminder, Cardgage, a friend posted the link a couple days ago while I was atg work, but I forgot to download it when I got home -- that shall be remedied. I will always have fondness for Jazzy and the Prince. 1-900-909-JEFF! LOL. (I also tried calling Philly for "Jeff Townes" in 1988, and I got a number with a voice that sounded a bit like his, and I left this nerdy 6th grade fanboy message. I like to think it was him. I tried Will Smith, but uh... Smith? Yeah... Just a little too common. I tried that number not long after and it was changed! And I couldn't get "Jeff Townes" number from the assistance after that). Also remember running in gym class they let me pop in He's the DJ, and my friend loved the line "Your runnin' round like a chicken with your head cut off..."

By: madajb

madajb — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:51:11 -0800

There was a link the other day about the secret language long-time couples develop. Watching this video reminded me that a surprising number of the ones in my marriage are Fresh Prince-isms. I like to think it has more to do with his way with a turn of phrase than my white-bread musical tastes.

By: bwg

bwg — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 17:40:08 -0800

I prefer Will Smith as an actor than a rapper. Most of his music is catchy at first but then quickly becomes grating. I've only managed to keep two of his tracks on my iPod. But I can see his potential to be like Denzel Washington in staying power.

By: fuse theorem

fuse theorem — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:04:03 -0800

When is the end of the Willenium? Not likely at least until the big screen Barack Obama biopic is made in a few years. Will Smith has a guaranteed lock on that role. You know he's already practicing BO's special speech cadence and mannerisms in the bathroom mirror. (And my money's on Kerry Washington to play Mrs. O.)

By: madajb

madajb — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:05:15 -0800

But I can see his potential to be like Denzel Washington in staying power. But hopefully not as typecast, though I must admit, I did enjoy most of Will Smith's July 4 movies and he essentially plays the same character in all of those.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 18:50:18 -0800

/me checks his shit I believe we have all been told.

By: Rock Steady

Rock Steady — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 19:30:17 -0800

I love the verse where he st-st-starts to stutter. Thanks for this.

By: sleslie

sleslie — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:02:29 -0800

Will Smith, I've been to those Asian Karaoke rooms where they're just one rooms and you're not on a stage in front of strangers. These Asian Karaoke rooms are conducive to trying out songs that you'd normally be to embarrassed to try out. Like rap songs, for example. Will Smith, I can report that you have mad skills. It's impossible to keep up with you. Amongst rap artists that make it across the Pacific ocean, your skills are unapproachable. People who aren't Will Smith, try singing 'Guilty Conscience' and contrast that with 'Wild Wild West'. "Huh? Will WigittyFuckin' Smith? I can do the NWA / Dre rhymes but the fricken mecha-spider lines trip me up? WTF."

By: dhartung

dhartung — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:05:41 -0800

I can only hope he stays on this trajectory. I'm not sure I'd trust his math skills with rocketry.

By: LeLiLo

LeLiLo — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 21:41:43 -0800

I'm not sure I'd trust his math skills... He also was insane to think he could beat Mike Tyson.

By: thecjm

thecjm — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:02:10 -0800

I recall the cassette single for this track was made out of translucent red plastic. So cool!

By: brevator

brevator — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:11:54 -0800

He also was insane to think he could beat Mike Tyson well, in his defense, when he met Ali, he told him he's the greatest.

By: little light-giver

little light-giver — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:48:31 -0800

Dang, is it just me or has he not aged a day?

By: billyfleetwood

billyfleetwood — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:01:47 -0800

Senor cardgage's link seems to be dead. I blame xenu.

By: mochek

mochek — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 02:41:08 -0800

He's just like Doogie Howser - he will always look like he is fourteen - with a barely there moustache and beard.

By: DigDoug

DigDoug — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:33:39 -0800

That mixtape download link is dead. Damn you copyright cartel! There goes my day, listening to the same old dreck I've listened to a thousand times.

By: pracowity

pracowity — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 04:53:52 -0800

That one dude looks like that one dude.

By: coiled

coiled — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 06:07:49 -0800

For those whose shit has yet to be bust open: the filename is DJ Jazzy Jeff & Mick Boogie.zip

By: antifuse

antifuse — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:15:45 -0800

I am still embarrassed to tell people how much I enjoyed his "Lost and Found" album from 2005. But that shit is just straight up entertaining!

By: Senor Cardgage

Senor Cardgage — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 10:56:12 -0800

Everyone be shooooshy! Dead link problem: solved

By: fiercekitten

fiercekitten — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:14:55 -0800

I <3 you, Senor Cardgage.

By: rhizome

rhizome — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:13:26 -0800

"...in response to the way that i was kickin' it." Don't anybody say Prince doesn't go the extra mile in his rhymes. Visually they might be mocking PE, but the sound to me is pure LL.

By: WCityMike

WCityMike — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 19:08:13 -0800

rhizome: "...in response to the way that i was kickin' it." Don't anybody say Prince doesn't go the extra mile in his rhymes. Visually they might be mocking PE, but the sound to me is pure LL. I'm embarrassed to admit that i didn't realized this video was in and of itself an act of parody. Is that what you're saying? (I agree re: the sound, BTW.)

By: rhizome

rhizome — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:43:09 -0800

I don't know what else JJ&FP were doing at this time, so it's hard to say whether they're explicitly parodying LL and PE due to the prevalence of conscious rap and the political upswings of hip-hop in the early 90s. But I think the video exists as a parody whether intentional or not. It may just be that they're mocking their own clean image by co-opting more vital strains of the music at that time. "Trying to sell out," basically.