Before Hollywood, Before the Grammys, et. al., there was DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, a new rap group out of Philadelphia, who signed to then-indie rap label Jive Records (currently home to such uber-pop stars like Britney Spears, NSYNC, Aaron Carter, etc.).
This is a MUST for hip hop fans of Will Smith-- The first album that he and Jazzy Jeff recorded, it hit shelves in 1987, after the underground single "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" made the duo ghetto celebrities in Philly and the mid 80's East Coast rap scene--
Jeff's ear for funky beats and breaks is apparent, as is Will's talent for comedic storytelling and capable battle-rhymes. Also featured is their frequent stage collaborator, Ready Rock C the beatbox.  Listen to him beat-box the "Sanford & Son" theme on the title cut..
the best cuts are "Girls..." which ingeniously sampled the theme song to "I dream of Jeannie", and back then sample costs didn't break your album budget; "The Magnificent...", where the Prince rhymes about his partner's turntable wizardry; "Just One of those days", where the Prince describes a string of bad-luck days; "A touch of Jazz", one of rap's first instrumental DJ showcases; "Guys ain't nothing but trouble", the "answer" record to "Girls..", featuring currently MIA lady rhymer Ice Creem Tee.
Much ado has been made about the duo's pop success overwhelming their dedication to hip-hop aesthetics, but this album is definitely a keeper.
Before Hollywood, Before the Grammys, et. al. , there was DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, a new rap group out of Philadelphia, who signed to then-indie rap label Jive Records (currently home to such uber-pop stars like Britney Spears, NSYNC, Aaron Carter, etc. ). This is a MUST for hip hop fans of Will Smith-- The first album that he and Jazzy Jeff recorded, it hit shelves in 1987, after the underground single "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" made the duo ghetto celebrities in Philly and the mid 80's East Coast rap scene--
Jeff's ear for funky beats and breaks is apparent, as is Will's talent for comedic storytelling and capable battle-rhymes. Also featured is their frequent stage collaborator, Ready Rock C the beatbox. Listen to him beat-box the "Sanford & Son" theme on the title cut.. the best cuts are "Girls... " which ingeniously sampled the theme song to "I dream of Jeannie", and back then sample costs didn't break your album budget; "The Magnificent... ", where the Prince rhymes about his partner's turntable wizardry; "Just One of those days", where the Prince describes a string of bad-luck days; "A touch of Jazz", one of rap's first instrumental DJ showcases; "Guys ain't nothing but trouble", the "answer" record to "Girls.. ", featuring currently MIA lady rhymer Ice Creem Tee. Much ado has been made about the duo's pop success overwhelming their dedication to hip-hop aesthetics, but this album is definitely a keeper.