Trivia / DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

• Breakup Breakout: While Jazzy Jeff is still a highly respected and sought after hip hop producer and DJ, Fresh Prince undeniably came out of the group as the top dog.
• Missing Episode: Ultimately subverted. "Nightmare on My Street" had a Music Video in 1988, but as part of the settlement with New Line Cinema it was withdrawn, and the master tapes were thought to have been destroyed. 30 years after the single's release, pigs flew, and the original video was leaked online, and was eventually released legally on Jazzy Jeff's Vevo account.
• The Pete Best: Ready Rock C, who left the group due to creative issues. He would (unsuccessfully) sue Will for unpaid royalties in 1999.
• Pop-Culture Urban Legends: It's often claimed that Rakim ghostwrote the lyrics of "Summertime", due to Will Smith's new flow sounding very similar to his. Rakim repeatedly denied writing Smith's verses, but jokingly said Smith still owed him money for using his flow. Smith, for his part, admitted to mimicking Rakim's flow, but confirmed Rakim had nothing to do with the songwriting.
• What Could Have Been:
  • Will and Jeff were the first choices for the lead roles of House Party. Kid 'N Play were cast instead when they turned it down. Interestingly enough, Will's sitcom deal that lead to The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was originally for Kid 'N Play — who rejected it after NBC cancelled their Saturday morning cartoon.
  • Will and Jeff were tapped by Questlove to reunite for the 50th anniversary hip-hop showcase at the 2023 Grammys. Unfortunately, Will was forced to bail at the last minute due to scheduling conflicts with Bad Boys 4, but Jeff still participated in the celebration.

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