Will Smith was born and raised in West Philadelphia. He spent most of his days in a playground, training basketball and relaxing all cool. Career-wise, he started as the vocalist of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer. The duo was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime." They gained critical acclaim for winning the first ever Grammy in the Rap category (1988).
Smith was a charismatic and energetic performer but he was nearing bankruptcy when in 1990, the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him. The show was successful and helped revitalize his career
Although he made a notable dramatic film debut in Six Degrees of Separation (in which he played totally against type as a gay con man) while still appearing in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith's film career took off with his role in Bad Boys (1995) along with co-star Martin Lawrence.
After The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ended in 1996, Smith began a successful solo music career while simultaneously starring in a series of films. The first two films were hugely successful summer blockbusters: Independence Day (1996), in which he played a fearless and confident fighter pilot, and Men in Black (1997), where he played the comic and confident Agent J against Tommy Lee Jones's deadpan Agent K. Smith's acting in Men in Black won critical praise. The two films established Smith's commercial reputation as a bankable star whose appeal across age, race, and gender lines could "open" a film at the box office. Because his movies usually open during the July 4th weekend, many people have come to call a July 4th weekend in which Will Smith stars in a movie "Big Willie Weekend."
Lead roles in Enemy of the State, Wild Wild West, Ali, Men in Black II Bad Boys II and "I, Robot" then followed. He also starred in 2005's Hitch. (Like Smith, Hitch co-star Kevin James starred in a sitcom named for royalty, The King of Queens.) His 2006 role is that of Chris Gardner in the "inspired by a true story", "The Pursuit of Happyness" was nominated for, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role" an Oscar in 2007. Smith's son Jaden also stars in the movie.(Jaden Smith as of 2010 lately played the lead role of Dre Parker in the 2010 remake of "The Karate Kid".) Will Smith's latest acting role was "Seven Pounds" in 2008 where he played Ben Thomas an IRS agent. Since then he's been producing movies that include, "The Karate Kid"(2010), "The Human Contract"(2009), and "Lakeview Terrace"(2008)
Smith was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of the boxer Muhammad Ali in Ali.
Smith also released a string of hit singles, often associated with his most recent film, throughout the late 1990s. The most notable of these were his #1 hit theme song "Men in Black," the #1 hit "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It" (which made jiggy a catchphrase for a while in 1998), and "Just the Two of Us," an affecting message to his young son. His first two solo albums went platinum, but his third, on Columbia Records, was a sales disappointment compared to his past efforts, and after a quick Greatest Hits release that was almost not advertised at all, he was dropped by the label. He signed a recording contract with Interscope Records and released the successful Lost and Found in 2005. The album was propelled solely on the smash hit single, "Switch," which appealed to the mainstream media ala "Summertime." The single stayed atop the charts for months and returned Smith to the forefront of Hip Hop.
Also, on February 6, 2005 he appeared in the Super Bowl XXX.
On July 2, 2005, Smith served as host for the Live 8 concert in his native Philadelphia before an enormous crowd, and later performed a set with DJ Jazzy Jeff.
Smith married actress Sharee Zampino in 1992. They had a son, Willard Christopher III, also known as "Trey", but divorced in 1995. Smith married actress Jada Pinkett in 1997. Together they have two children: Jaden Christopher Syre (born 1998) and Willow Camille Reign (born 2000). Along with his brother, Harry Smith, he owns Treyball Development Inc., a Beverly Hills-based company named after his first son. He has been consistently listed in Fortune Magazine's "Richest 40" list of the forty wealthiest Americans under the age of 40.
Will Smith has been criticized for his lip service to his home town of Philadelphia, PA. Several of his songs talk about parts of Philadelphia and the surrounding areas. While he has spoken over the years about how much he loves the city and how much he wants to give back, none of his proposed ventures in the city of Philadelphia have ever been developed. He has proposed opening a restaurant, several upscale bars, and a community center in Philadelphia which have never seen development.
Pump Me Up
Will Smith Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up
Haha
Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince back together
Now Jeff look go ahead and warm that thing up boy
Warm that thing up
Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up
What
Look I know its been a minute since we did this thing
But I want you to go ahead you get ready
Cause we gonna tear this place down
Jazzy blaze
Comin with it
Say what say what
Strike the flame up
Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up
Right haha
Now Jeff do that thing where you snatch it back
Pump Me Up
Wooh haha DJ Jazzy Jeff
Look boy you know we don't miss a step when we do this thing
Now give me that quick scratch quick scratch
Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up
Uh Now Jeff everywhere I go everybody ask me
"Look you and Jeff, Jeff still cutting, Jeff still do his thing"
Now you got to show these folks how you put your thing down right
Now you got to show these folks how you put your thing down Jazzy
Now go ahead
Now I'm a give you a minute I'm gonna ease on back
I'm gonna let you do your thing
Say what
Say What Say What
Woo Woo
Jeff do the echo scratch
Echo
Again Echo
(Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up)
Jazzy Jeff yall
Jazzy Jeff yall
Jeff ol skool transformer transformer
Now boy you no you got ta let me get a taste of this thing
Nu skool style
Blend the old with the new
A little bit of this a little bit of that
Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince coming back at ya
A-ight now Jeff now come on let me do my thing
Gimme a scratch toss it let me do my thang
What What What
Back shaking the dust off
Knocking the rust off
Your highnesses
Philly's finesess
Back for the addict
The fanatic
The hype fan
Just me and Jeff tables and a mic stand
For those that wasn't down from the start
And don't realise the cuttin is a workin of art
Musical monet
All day to get down to yo
Let em know what DJ Jeff Townes do
This Dj he gets down mixing records
Round the block
Back in philly man the album was late
Gratitude instead a attitude for making ya wait
Time to retaliate against the players that hate
I was giving you time to get the last one straight
Brothers always screaming about keeping it real
Don't get no realer than the mic with your boy on the wheels
True dat yall can run but you cant escape he like a
Man with a super S on his cape
High supremacy
Based on chemistry
No need for sensing me
Your hennisee
Top dogs from the hood
Popping back to the hood
I hate to brag but damn I'm good
Yo Jeff it's been a minute since me and you ripped
But some of the ol diehards might have thinked that you flipped
I heard some guy implied that you lost your cut
How you respond to that Jeff
Ha what?
What's a rapper if his cuts don't fit?
Nuthin
And what's a DJ if his cuts don't hit Jeff?
Nuthin
Now whats a party if the crowd don't flip?
Nuthin
Well we can do it all baby
We can do it all baby
We can do it all baby
Just like this
like this (what)
Jazzy Jeff blaze
Like this
The lyrics to Will Smith's song Pump Me Up are a call for Jazzy Jeff to warm up the turntables and deliver some old school scratching skills to pump up the crowd. The song is an example of the classic hip hop genre, where the DJ's skills were just as important as the MC's. Will Smith's lyrics are mostly in praise of Jazzy Jeff's skills, as he calls for Jeff to show the world how he puts his thing down. The song ends with a call for old and new school styles to be blended, suggesting that Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith can do it all.
The use of 'Pump Me Up' in the title and chorus of the song is a reference to the importance of energy in hip hop performances. The use of 'Pump Pump Pump' emphasizes this energy, which is delivered by Jazzy Jeff's beats and scratching skills. The use of 'echo scratch' and 'quick scratch' are both examples of classic DJ techniques, which are celebrated in the song. The references to 'high supremacy' and 'top dogs from the hood' show the competitive nature of hip hop at the time, with Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith keen to show that they are still at the top of their game.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo Jeff baby lets keep it ol' skool
Will Smith is asking Jazzy Jeff to play some classic old-school music
Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up
Will Smith wants Jazzy Jeff to pump up the volume and get everyone excited
Now Jeff look go ahead and warm that thing up boy
Will Smith is urging Jazzy Jeff to start with some warm-up music to get the crowd ready
Look I know its been a minute since we did this thing
Will Smith acknowledges that it has been a while since he and Jazzy Jeff performed together
Comin with it
Will Smith is getting ready to perform and bring his A-game
Strike the flame up
Will Smith wants Jazzy Jeff to ignite the crowd with his music
Now Jeff do that thing where you snatch it back
Will Smith wants Jazzy Jeff to perform a particular music technique, where he pulls the record back and forth quickly
Now give me that quick scratch quick scratch
Will Smith wants Jazzy Jeff to perform some quick scratching on the turntables
Now you got to show these folks how you put your thing down Jazzy
Will Smith wants Jazzy Jeff to showcase his DJ talents to the audience
I'm gonna let you do your thing
Will Smith is giving Jazzy Jeff the spotlight to perform and show his skills
(Pump Pump Pump Pump Me Up)
Will Smith wants Jazzy Jeff to continue pumping up the volume and getting the crowd excited
Jeff ol skool transformer transformer
Will Smith is praising Jazzy Jeff and his old-school DJ style
Nu skool style
Will Smith is suggesting that they mix old and new styles of music together
Your highnesses, Philly's finesess
Will Smith is referring to himself and Jazzy Jeff as hip-hop royalty and some of the best from Philadelphia
For those that wasn't down from the start
Will Smith is addressing those who may not know him and Jazzy Jeff from their early days in the music industry
And don't realise the cuttin is a workin of art
Will Smith wants people to recognize that DJing and music production is a true artistic skill and craft
Musical monet
Will Smith is referencing Claude Monet, a famous painter, to imply that music and art are both creative forms of expression
Back in philly man the album was late
Will Smith is reminiscing about the early days of his career when they faced challenges and had to work hard to succeed
I hate to brag but damn I'm good
Will Smith is confident in his abilities as a performer and DJ
What's a rapper if his cuts don't fit? Nuthin
Will Smith is emphasizing the importance of the DJ in hip-hop music
Now whats a party if the crowd don't flip?
Will Smith believes that the success of a party depends on the energy and excitement of the crowd
Well we can do it all baby, Just like this
Will Smith is telling Jazzy Jeff that they can perform any kind of music and make the crowd go wild
Jazzy Jeff blaze, Like this
Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff are ready to bring the heat and perform their music with energy and excitement
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WILLIAM GRIFFIN, EMMET NIXON, ROBERT REED, JAMES AVERY, TONY FISHER, ERIC BARRIER, DOUG DAVIS, WILLARD C SMITH, J SPICER, RICK WALTERS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind