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.
I'm All That
DJ Jazzy Jeff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Extra, extra read all about Fresh Prince is back
You wonder how it
Happen
I wasn't rappin'
For a long time
But now I'm back with a strong rhyme
I'll sign my name on it, then I get richer
Like LL said don't call it a comeback
And face the fact Jack
I'm all that
(I know ya gonna dig this)
Here I am in the flesh
(Who is)
I'm the funky, funky, funky fresh
Rhyme authority
Rhythm console
Hip-hop liaison
Rap Ambassador
Do the daring, the king of the cut
Prince of poetry and all that stuff
Sexy, sexy, making the honey's yell
Girlies passin' out, ah well
Back from the dead, like Jason
People thought I was over, they were erasin'
Me and Jeff's names out of the hit list
But ah, ah, ah not so quick
Comin' back at cha
Can't go back at cha
Catch this fast ball I'm throwin' at y'all
Wake up and smell the coffee, I'm back now
Thanks for keeping my girl warm for me, pal
The man with the cape, the crown in the center
Out for a while, but wisely kept up
Pen and paper, so when I had my
Opportunity, to rap
I set my goals and then I shot for
What I do best, funny, to hell with hardcore
Voice on radio, face on TV
Spankin' new funky rhymes on a CD
Out to attack
The whack
Full contact
It's gonna be a long night go get a knapsack
I gotta getta make ya face the fact
That I'm the best rapper on wax
I'm all that
(Get wicked)
Get up, get down, get funky, get loose
I'm the best show and I got proof
In the past there was always that kid doubted
But now I'm back and there's no doubt about it
The writing is on the wall
(Come on)
Gimme ya mic and a stage and I'm a rip it, rip it, up y'all
'Cause I can flow
Is there another rapper in the world, like me? Hell no!
No one's like me
Others try to bite me
Bad deba deba bad mike me
Someone like me somewhere
To just not hear
Where the hell they at?
Who cares?
'Cause your got the ace in the hole
The simple lover brother
Numero uno
The rapper with soul
Comin' out a little on the new tip
For those of you that thought I couldn't do this
Yo well consider it done
It's the same got the parents
just don't understand the same one
people said that I couldn't rap
ha ha ha well you can stop that
'Cause I'm a rapper and a half
and in the past I chose to make people laugh
and I was criticized for that
some called me soft, some called me wack
I gotta admit y'all I felt bad
(Who'd ya call)
so as usual I called my Dad
He's sort of a fifty-one year old Casanova
He said son, "Yo, come on over."
He sat me down and he told me this
Son when your all that, you're gonna get dissed
He put his arms around me and he said son
I was all that when I was young
So pump that point on
And set my sights on
Making a record that people thought was the high joint
Philly, born and raised
I've been
Gone for days
I can't wait to get back
With my new track
Rhyme like lava
Voice like a volcano
I rhyme through your radio
Words like draedo
A Porsche not eleven and I don't stall Jack
(Yo)
We all that
The lyrics of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's song "I'm All That" are about the return of the Fresh Prince and his confident proclamation that he is still the best rapper around. He acknowledges that he stopped rapping for a while but has made a comeback with better rhymes than ever before. DJ Jazzy Jeff provides the funky, fresh beats in the background while the Fresh Prince switches from a thoughtful tone to a playful one throughout the song. He mentions how people thought he was finished, but he proved them wrong.
The Fresh Prince also touches on the fact that he was criticized for his humorous style of rapping, which was seen as soft and wack. However, he chose to make people laugh, and for that, he was criticized. He even admits that he felt bad and called his dad, who reminded him that when you're "all that," people will try to diss you. Nevertheless, he encouraged his son to keep going, despite the haters.
Overall, "I'm All That" is a confident and braggadocious song that celebrates the Fresh Prince's comeback and reminds everyone that he is still the king of rhymes.
Line by Line Meaning
Spill the beans on the table I always say
I'm an open book, ready to share all the great stuff that's been going on with me.
Extra, extra read all about Fresh Prince is back
The news is out and I'm making a comeback.
You wonder how it
I bet you're curious about my return.
Happen
Well, it's been a while since I last rapped.
I wasn't rappin'
But now I'm ready to spit some fresh rhymes once again.
For a long time
I've been away for quite some time.
But now I'm back with a strong rhyme
But I'm back and more skilled than ever.
Look, near the camera, snap my picture
Take a photo, frame it and put it on your wall.
I'll sign my name on it, then I get richer
I'll sign it for you, I'm that cool... and yeah, I might become richer too.
Like LL said don't call it a comeback
But don't get it twisted, I'm not a newbie.
And face the fact Jack
You gotta accept that I'm still the king.
I'm all that
(I know ya gonna dig this)
I'm oozing with confidence and I know you'll love it.
Here I am in the flesh
I'm here in person and ready to rock.
(Who is)
In case you've forgotten who I am.
I'm the funky, funky, funky fresh
Rhyme authority
I'm the one with the freshest rhymes.
Rhythm console
Hip-hop liaison
Rap Ambassador
I'm basically the one who knows how to build a beat and spit dope lyrics.
Do the daring, the king of the cut
Prince of poetry and all that stuff
I'm not just good, I'm amazing at what I do.
Sexy, sexy, making the honey's yell
Girlies passin' out, ah well
My rhymes are so hot that they make the ladies scream and pass out.
Back from the dead, like Jason
I've been out of the scene for a while, but now I'm back in action.
People thought I was over, they were erasin'
People may have forgotten about me, but they're in for a surprise.
Me and Jeff's names out of the hit list
But ah, ah, ah not so quick
We may have been off the radar for a bit, but we're not forgotten.
Comin' back at cha
Can't go back at cha
I'm back and better than ever, you can't ignore me.
Catch this fast ball I'm throwin' at y'all
My rhymes are fast and furious, get ready to catch.
Wake up and smell the coffee, I'm back now
Pay attention, I'm back and killing it.
Thanks for keeping my girl warm for me, pal
Thanks for all the love and support while I was away.
The man with the cape, the crown in the center
I'm the king of this rap game.
Out for a while, but wisely kept up
I may have been away, but I kept working hard.
Pen and paper, so when I had my
Opportunity, to rap
I set my goals and then I shot for
I've been writing my rhymes all along, just waiting for the right moment to showcase them.
What I do best, funny, to hell with hardcore
I shine the most when I'm making people laugh, not always being hardcore.
Voice on radio, face on TV
You can hear me on the radio and see me on TV.
Spankin' new funky rhymes on a CD
My new rhymes are fresh and ready to be heard on a CD.
Out to attack
The whack
Full contact
I'm here to attack all the whack rhymes and take over the rap game.
It's gonna be a long night go get a knapsack
Get ready for a long night, grab your knapsacks.
I gotta getta make ya face the fact
That I'm the best rapper on wax
I'm all that
I'm confident that I'm the best rapper around, and I know you agree.
(Get wicked)
Get ready for some craziness.
Get up, get down, get funky, get loose
Get up and dance, let's have some fun.
I'm the best show and I got proof
I'm the best in the game and I've got the receipts to prove it.
In the past there was always that kid doubted
But now I'm back and there's no doubt about it
People may have doubted me before, but now I'm back and better than ever.
The writing is on the wall
(Come on)
It's clear as day that I'm the best.
Gimme ya mic and a stage and I'm a rip it, rip it, up y'all
Just give me a mic and a stage and I'll kill it.
'Cause I can flow
Is there another rapper in the world, like me? Hell no!
No one's like me
Others try to bite me
Bad deba deba bad mike me
Someone like me somewhere
My flow is one of a kind, and no one can compare. Others may try to copy me, but they can never be me.
To just not hear
Where the hell they at?
Who cares?
Everyone else just pales in comparison to me.
'Cause your got the ace in the hole
The simple lover brother
Numero uno
The rapper with soul
I'm the best around, I've got the talent, the heart, and the soul.
Comin' out a little on the new tip
For those of you that thought I couldn't do this
Yo well consider it done
I'm coming out with a new style that some may not have expected, but I'm killing it anyway.
It's the same got the parents
just don't understand the same one
people said that I couldn't rap
I'm just like I always was, my parents don't get it, and some people said I couldn't rap.
ha ha ha well you can stop that
'Cause I'm a rapper and a half
and in the past I chose to make people laugh
Well, they were wrong and I proved them otherwise. I've always been a great rapper, but I also love making people laugh.
and I was criticized for that
some called me soft, some called me wack
I gotta admit y'all I felt bad
I may have been criticized for my style, but I must admit that it hurt.
(Who'd ya call)
so as usual I called my Dad
He's sort of a fifty-one year old Casanova
He said son, "Yo, come on over."
So I called my most trusted advisor, my dad. He's a bit of a ladies' man, and he told me to come over.
He sat me down and he told me this
Son when your all that, you're gonna get dissed
He put his arms around me and he said son
I was all that when I was young
He gave me some fatherly advice, that I'll get criticized when I'm on top, and reminded me that he was once there too.
So pump that point on
And set my sights on
Making a record that people thought was the high joint
So I took his advice and set my sights on making a record that would impress everyone.
Philly, born and raised
I've been
Gone for days
I can't wait to get back
With my new track
I'm from Philly and I've been gone for too long. I can't wait to come back with my new music.
Rhyme like lava
Voice like a volcano
My rhymes are flowing like lava and my voice is full of passion.
I rhyme through your radio
Words like draedo
My rhymes will come through your radio and hit you hard.
A Porsche not eleven and I don't stall Jack
(Yo)
We all that
My flow doesn't hold back and I'm not slowing down. We are all that in the game.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICK JAMES, WILLARD C SMITH, JEFFREY TOWNES
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind