History
When he was growing up, he found that listening to his parents was unbearable. He got a job as a newspaper boy at age 7 to support his family. Once he grew up, he developed a reputation and following as a school and block party DJ extraordinaire, Jazzy Jeff was the feature of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. As a duo, they had several gold and platinum-selling albums and singles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, earning them the first rap Grammy ever presented in 1989 for Parents Just Don't Understand. When Smith branched out into television with the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Jazzy Jeff played a recurring character named "Jazz", Smith's best friend on the show. The two characters always greeted each other with their signature handshake (swinging mid-five, point-back/snap with both characters saying "Pssh!").
Jazz' trademarks include being physically ejected from the house by Uncle Phil (James Avery), screaming as he went flying out the front door. This was referenced in the song "N.Y, N.Y." by Lloyd Banks from his second album Rotten Apple, with the lyric "I throw a bitch out the crib like Jazzy Jeff". [1]
DJ Jazzy Jeff is not to be confused with Jeffrey Myree from the earlier hip hop group Funky Four Plus One, which in fact filed and won a lawsuit over the name Jazzy Jeff against Jeff Townes and Jive records when they signed DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. After DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince broke up, Townes went on to become a prominent R&B, soul, and neo soul record producer, establishing the A Touch of Jazz production company in his native Philadelphia. Among the artists that Jazzy Jeff has helped develop are Jill Scott and Musiq. Even though he separated from Will Smith as music partners, they are still best friends and still occasionally work together. Some songs by Will Smith were produced by Jeff Townes (Ex. Here He Comes), and he has performed on some songs by Will Smith such as "So Fresh" and "Potnas". In addition, he appears in several of Smith's music videos such as "Will2K", "Freakin' It", and "Party Starter". On some occasions, he makes appearances with Smith on live concerts, producing DJ scratches.
He, along with DJ Cash Money, is credited with making the transform scratch famous.
On July 2, 2005, DJ Jazzy Jeff performed with Will Smith at the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia. In the past, Will has performed on concerts with DJ Jazzy Jeff for the scratches. Moreover, Will acknowledges him in his music like "Comin' To The Stage" from the album Lost & Found or "Potnas" in his album Willennium.
His 2007 release TROTM (The Return of the Magnificent) is a classic work which returns to the roots of hip-hop with a neo-soul mixture included. This album featured numerous collaborations with old school and new school artists including CL Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Pos from De La Soul, Method Man, Peedi Crakk (a remake of Brand New Funk), Rhymefest, and Raheem DeVaughn.
In 2007, he appeared with Rhymefest in the video DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Fest directed by Konee Rok, in which he makes music in his home recording studio with Rhymefest and they reveal that they are working on an album together called "I'm the DJ, I'm the Rapper".
Discography
Solo work as DJ Jazzy Jeff
* Unreleased album from Sony Records (1998)
* One cut in Battle of DJs
* The Magnificent (2002)
* Soulheaven Presents Jazzy Jeff in the House (2004)
* The Soul Mixtape Groovin' Records USA (2005)
* Hip-Hop Forever II Rapster Records (2004)
* Hip-Hop Forever III BBE Records (2006)
* The Return of The Magnificent EP (2007)
* The Return of the Magnificent (2007)
* The Return of Hip Hop EP (2007)
As DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
* Rock the House (1987) #83 US (Gold)
* He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper (1988) #4 US (3x Platinum)
* And in This Corner⦠(1989) #39 US (Gold)
* Homebase (1991) #12 US (Platinum)
* Code Red (1993) #64 US (Gold)
* Greatest Hits (1998) #144 US, #20 UK
* Before The Willennium (1999)
* The Very Best of D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (2006)
Miscellaneous
* 1991 - Deep, Deep, Trouble with Bart Simpson and the remixes; from The Simpsons Sing the Blues
* 1997 - Jazzy Jeff's Theme; from the album Nuyorican Soul
* 1998 - "When To Stand Up" featuring Eminem
* 1998 - I Don't Know by Slum Village (scratches); from the album Fantastic, Vol. 2
* 1999 - The Next Movement by The Roots (scratches); from the album Things Fall Apart
* 2004 - Mirrorball (DJ Jazzy Jeff Full Sole Remix) by Everything But The Girl; from Adapt or Die: 10 Years of Remixes
* 2005 - Papa Was A Rollin' Stone (DJ Jazzy Jeff & Pete Kuzma Solefull Mix) by the Temptations; from Motown Remixed.
* 2005 - Lost & Found by Will Smith; produced intro song Here He Comes and several DJ scratches on several tracks
* 2005 - The Minstrel Show by Little Brother; Scratches on the song Watch Me.
* 2006 - Feel It (Jazzy Jeff Soulful Remix) by the Black Eyed Peas; from Renegotiations: The Remixes
* 2006 - Night in Tunisia (DJ Jazzy Jeff Remix) by Duke Jordan
* 2007 - Ear Drum by Talib Kweli; Scratches on song NY Weather Report.
* 2008 - Get Busy by The Roots (scratches); from the album Rising Down.
Charmed Life
DJ Jazzy Jeff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Manhattan South Bend Albany Brooklyn - where you coming from?
Africa Port-Au-Prince Knoxville Anvan
Manhattan South Bend Albany Brooklyn - where you coming from?
Africa Port-Au-Prince Knoxville Anvan
Manhattan South Bend Albany Brooklyn - where you coming from?
Africa Port-Au-Prince Knoxville Anvan
Manhattan South Bend Albany Brooklyn - where you coming from?
Manhattan South Bend Albany Brooklyn - where you coming from?
Africa Port-Au-Prince Knoxville Anvan
Manhattan South Bend Albany Brooklyn - where you coming from?
[Fading in]
Brooklyn, New York to wherever you at
This is autobiographical taking you back
I live a charmed life
We going back in the years
Imagining if my whole world what
Where you coming from
Brooklyn, New York to wherever you at
This is autobiographical taking you back
I live a charmed life
We going back in the years
Imagine if my whole world
I been around the sun twenty-five times
And I still find new ways to recognize shine
It's like light gets better with age
The way a song sounds better on stage
And rhyme books get better with each page
What before the first bar was written
A first verse was spittin
Before label execs was bullshittin
Way back when Aunty Leann Aunt Mimi and Aunt Jackie was babysitting
Before food was bitten, consumed through a nipple
I'm talking about when times were simple
To make a long story short it goes
Port-au-Prince Knoxville Anvan love and the city that never sleeps
From thought to finish I was born just a couple of weeks late
Stayed home longer just to make sure everything was on straight
All systems go cut the umbilical cord
From old earth to new earth Manhattan to turf
For what its worth my mum held me down one deep
Pops was absentee but minds you don't sleep
It took her feelings to raise me lean taught me how to read
By the time I went to school I was in high speed
Ready willing and able jackie taught me how to add with
Dried up black eyed peas on the kitchen table
And coming home to a mothers love and good care
Never wanted it was always enough
But when it came to education its like she had one rule
There's no such thing as too much school
Not to mention lean taught me how to play the piano and then
Every summer I was out in south ben
Grandpops a bartender at a country club
Me and my cousins from grand rapid was living it up
Me and granny watching ??? football golden blue
She said you can't beat the team and them be 's too
Some say I got my sense of humour from her
And I learned patience from making models in the basement
Brookyn, new york to wherever you at
This is autobiographical taking you back
With no time for refrains I barely got enough time to explain
How hip hop captivated my brain
My mama raised me on soul and beethoven
Sports clubs from private school put me up on soft rock
That was cool but I left Z100 and WGLJ
To find bliss with real s and kiss
Video music rocks showed my what time it is
Wrote my first rhymes as corey but j-live was sparked
Making pause mix demos with my main man mark
Playing ball in the park, there was other heads too
I was the herb of the crew, then I learned what to do
Got my way from school started battling fools
G nice my friendly rival at the lunch table
He started spark at a dark with damian and I date
I was down for a bit but that was just a DJ
Starting spinning in the PJs with satcho and them
Back and forth from the tables to the pad and the pen
Then I had to do a bit upstate but wait
I wasn't incarcerated but college educated
As soon the Albany I was a full time student part time emcee
At the time raw shack was the place to be
Living on judge Clark
Started building with gods
16 man squad
By the time knowledge was 120 we was just 5 deep
I went from Mecca to Albany a student and landed in medina as a teacher
I had this rhyme reacher
We recognized what what's happening
I'm making records and I'm winning
But that's another story and it's only the beginning
Brooklyn, New York to wherever you at
This is autobiographical taking you back
Not my whole entire life but just a slice of the pie
A few pieces of the who what when where's and whys
The lyrics of DJ Jazzy Jeff's song A Charmed Life are autobiographical, and they take the listener back in time with Jeff and show them the places he has been, the people he has met, and the lessons he has learned that have ultimately helped shape his life. In the beginning, he repeats various places - Africa, Port-Au-Prince, Knoxville, Anvan, Manhattan, South Bend, Albany, Brooklyn - asking where the listener is coming from. The song then fades in, and Jeff talks about living a charmed life and going back in time to imagine what his life has been like. He mentions going around the sun 25 times, recognizing the shine, and how light gets better with age, just like how a song sounds better on a live stage.
Jeff also discusses how he got better rhymes with each page of his rhyme book and how his family members, like Aunty Leann, Aunt Mimi, and Aunt Jackie, played important roles in raising him. He also mentions how education was always a top priority in his family and how important music has been throughout his life. Jeff explains how he began writing music as Corey and then started making mixtapes with his friend Mark, eventually evolving into a full-time emcee.
Throughout the song, Jeff shares various experiences, like playing ball in the park, battling other emcees, and building with gods. He also reflects on how his mother raised him on soul and Beethoven, but he eventually found his way to hip hop music, which captivated his brain. Jeff's lyrics show that he owes a lot to the people who have helped him along the way, and he acknowledges that his story is just a slice of the pie.
Line by Line Meaning
Africa Port-Au-Prince Knoxville Anvan
Asking where the listener comes from by listing different locations
Brooklyn, New York to wherever you at
Acknowledging his own origin and inviting the listener to join him on a trip down memory lane
This is autobiographical taking you back
Explaining that the song will be a personal account of his life
I live a charmed life
Describing his life as fortunate and full of blessings
We going back in the years
Referring to the upcoming reminiscences of his past experiences
Imagine if my whole world what
Expressing curiosity about how different his life would be if certain events had not taken place
I been around the sun twenty-five times
Stating his age in a poetic manner
And I still find new ways to recognize shine
Implying that he continues to discover ways to appreciate and enjoy life
It's like light gets better with age
Comparing life to light, suggesting that it gets better as time passes
The way a song sounds better on stage
Using music as a metaphor for how things can improve over time
And rhyme books get better with each page
Drawing a comparison between literature and life, where improvement comes with experience
What before the first bar was written
Reflecting on a time when his talent had not yet been translated into a tangible product
A first verse was spittin
Observing that a pivotal moment in his career came when he began developing his rhyming abilities
Before label execs was bullshittin
Reminiscing about a time before he had to deal with music industry executives and their agendas
Way back when Aunty Leann Aunt Mimi and Aunt Jackie was babysitting
Recalling the maternal figures who helped raise him in his early years
Before food was bitten, consumed through a nipple
Describing the early stages of life when he was an infant and his mother breastfed him
I'm talking about when times were simple
Nostalgically evoking a time of innocence and naivete
To make a long story short it goes
Transitioning into a summary of his life story
Port-au-Prince Knoxville Anvan love and the city that never sleeps
Listing some of the places that have been significant in his life
From thought to finish I was born just a couple of weeks late
Highlighting a minor detail in his birth story
Stayed home longer just to make sure everything was on straight
Explaining that he needed extra time before leaving the hospital as a newborn
All systems go cut the umbilical cord
Metaphorically marking the beginning of his independent life
From old earth to new earth Manhattan to turf
Referencing the different geographical locations he has lived in
For what its worth my mum held me down one deep
Expressing gratitude for his mother's unwavering support
Pops was absentee but minds you don't sleep
Acknowledging the absence of his father in his life, but stressing the importance of his mother's presence
It took her feelings to raise me lean taught me how to read
Praising his mother for her emotional investment in her son's upbringing, and acknowledging the role his grandmother played in his education
By the time I went to school I was in high speed
Implying that he was academically advanced even before starting school
Ready willing and able jackie taught me how to add with
Continuing to name relatives who had positive impacts on his life: in this case, his aunt Jackie helped teach him math
Dried up black eyed peas on the kitchen table
Recalling a detail of his childhood home life
And coming home to a mothers love and good care
Describing the warmth and security he felt being raised by his mother
Never wanted it was always enough
Summarizing that while he did not have an excess of material possessions growing up, he was content with what he had
But when it came to education its like she had one rule
Observing that his mother prioritized his education
There's no such thing as too much school
Stating his mother's opinion that education is invaluable
Not to mention lean taught me how to play the piano and then
Continuing to cite his grandmother's positive influence on his life, specifically musically this time
Every summer I was out in south ben
Reference to spending his summers in a particular location
Grandpops a bartender at a country club
Mentioning another relative and occupation for context
Me and my cousins from grand rapid was living it up
Sharing happy memories of time spent with family members
Me and granny watching ??? football golden blue
Describing a moment with his grandmother, probably watching a football game, where they were rooting for the team in gold and blue
She said you can't beat the team and them be 's too
Quoting something his grandmother said, that may have been a relevant cliche at the time
Some say I got my sense of humour from her
Attribute a familial trait to one of his relatives
And I learned patience from making models in the basement
Appreciating how hobbies and activities he did with loved ones helped shape his character
With no time for refrains I barely got enough time to explain
Stressing the urgency and brevity of his story
How hip hop captivated my brain
Describing an important turning point in his life
My mama raised me on soul and beethoven
Pointing to his mother's musical taste as foundational to his own love of music
Sports clubs from private school put me up on soft rock
Noting how his exposure to different types of music expanded beyond what he'd been introduced to by his mother
That was cool but I left Z100 and WGLJ
Mentioning some radio stations he listened to, before going on to discover other music
To find bliss with real s and kiss
Referencing two specific musical artists whose music resonated with him
Video music rocks showed my what time it is
Giving credit to a music television program for opening his eyes to new music
Wrote my first rhymes as corey but j-live was sparked
Describing his early experiences with writing and performing hip hop music
Making pause mix demos with my main man mark
Noting that he collaborated with a friend in producing cassette tape demo recordings
Playing ball in the park, there was other heads too
Mentioning a shared activity that he engaged in with other guys in his community
I was the herb of the crew, then I learned what to do
Acknowledging that at first he wasn't good at basketball, but that he eventually improved
Got my way from school started battling fools
Transitioning from discussing basketball to freestyling rap battles he had in school
G nice my friendly rival at the lunch table
Mentioning someone with whom he had a good-natured competitive relationship
He started spark at a dark with damian and I date
Adding more detail about a specific battle he participated in
I was down for a bit but that was just a DJ
Reflecting on a time when he wasn't sure he was going to make it as a rapper
Starting spinning in the PJs with satcho and them
Sharing an anecdote about spinning records for a crowd of listeners
Back and forth from the tables to the pad and the pen
Describing his hustle and work ethic, as he worked on both his DJ skills and his rap lyrics
Then I had to do a bit upstate but wait
Referencing a past period of his life that was not easy, but making it sound like a brief pause in his story
I wasn't incarcerated but college educated
Explaining that he had to go to school upstate, rather than being in prison, despite the similar slang use of the phrase 'do a bit'
As soon the Albany I was a full time student part time emcee
Recounting that he was studying at Albany University while pursuing his love of music
At the time raw shack was the place to be
Naming a popular local venue
Living on judge Clark
Describing where he lived at the time
Started building with gods
Referring to his connections with the Five Percent Nation
16 man squad
Describing the size of his collective at that point in his career
By the time knowledge was 120 we was just 5 deep
Commenting on how many members were left after some attrition
I went from Mecca to Albany a student and landed in medina as a teacher
Referencing the transformation his life had undergone over time, using place names that signify transitions and progressions
I had this rhyme reacher
Asserting that he had honed his craft enough to feel confident in his skills
We recognized what what's happening
Noting the awareness and success that he and his peers were feeling at the time
I'm making records and I'm winning
Celebrating the progress he's made in his music career
But that's another story and it's only the beginning
Acknowledging that there is much more to his story, and that he has much more music to create
Not my whole entire life but just a slice of the pie
Concluding the song by reiterating that this was just a glimpse into his past, not the whole thing
Lyrics Β© Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: J CADET, PATRICK MC LAIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind