DJ JAZZY JEFF
DJ Jazzy Jeff (born Jeffrey Allen Townes) needs no introduction. For those who gathered in front of their TV screens on Monday nights in the early 1990s, Jazz, his character from the beloved The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, is a cultural staple. One could argue that without Jazzy Jeff there’s no Will Smith, and the show doesn’t become the classic it is today — 33 years after it aired.
Born and raised in Philly, the DJ, actor, and producer knew he was interested in DJ’ing as early as 10-years-old. In Success – By Those Who’ve Made It, he told author Paul Stenning, “At summertime block parties I wouldn’t be the one dancing, I sat where the DJ was set up, watching him. Even when I would go to other block parties in other neighborhoods I was still infatuated with the DJ. He was the guy that played music that everyone in the neighborhood loved. You might not have known his face; you might not have known his name, but he was the guy that made everyone move.”
From 1986 to 1994, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) were a hip-hop duo to be reckoned with. They made history as just the third rap group in recorded history to receive platinum certification. They won their first GRAMMY Award for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” But their most popular hit, “Summertime,” which also won them a GRAMMY, is the block party staple that spans generations, socioeconomic status, and ethnic backgrounds. It peaked at No. 4 on The Billboard Hot 100. Although the dynamic duo began their own separate ventures, they never officially broke up. They remain close friends and still perform together occasionally.
You can’t mention Philly household names without DJ Jazzy Jeff. As someone who’s been in the music industry and Hollywood for nearly four decades, you’d be wise to listen to what he has to say. He’s been married to his wife Lynette C. Jackson for 13 years, who also manages his career, and has four children.
In his own words, he’s got a story to tell.
First paycheck:
“I had a neighbor who worked for a trucking company, and they needed a DJ to do something, and I didn’t really own a lot of my own equipment. But they paid me a really nice sum of money for that show, and I was able to walk into a store and buy my equipment, to own myself.”
Engaging with fans:
“I’m pretty sure that so much of my life would be very different if we’d had social media back in the 80s or in the 90s. How much do you want people to have access? When you’re younger, you have a lot more tendency to let people all the way in, and especially when technology was a little bit different. I have never been Superman. I’ve never gone to a closet, changed into something I wasn’t, and came out. This is it, no matter what. And I like people to treat me like that. ‘What’s up?’ We good, shake hands. I’m not really loud, rowdy. So, I’m kind of like we can keep the energy even keel and we’re good, you know?”
His social media platform of choice:
“I like Instagram if I’m being 100 percent honest. I like Instagram; I hate that they changed the algorithm. I understand why they changed the algorithm, I just don’t like it. I got really, really comfortable using it as a tool. This is a way that I can get my message out of what I’m doing to all of the people who like who you are, which I thought was 100 percent fair. I don’t like the fact now that I have people that I follow or people that follow me say, ‘I haven’t seen anything from you in three weeks’ because the algorithm is guiding me away from them. Social media is an amazing tool. I don’t like the algorithms that steer you away from your fan.”
I like Instagram; I hate that they changed the algorithm. Social media is an amazing tool. I don’t like the algorithms that steer you away from your fan base.”
Best advice:
“Charlie [Mack] has probably given me the best nuggets that I’ve ever had. One day I was complaining about something, and he said, ‘If your career ended today, how could you be mad?’ And I kind of turned and looked at him angry. He said, ‘You’ve done more, seen more, and been more places than 99.9 percent of the people in the world.’ I looked at him and I said, ‘I will never be afraid to jump again, you’re 100 percent right.’”
Worst advice:
“Most of the bad advice that I’ve ever received came from people who are too afraid to do what you’re trying to do, and the only advice they can give you is don’t do it. ‘Don’t do it, you need to quit, it’ll never work.’ They start giving you averages and odds, anything that they can do to deter you away from their fear.”
Most of the bad advice that I’ve ever received came from people who are too afraid to do what you’re trying to do, and the only advice they can give you is don’t do it. ‘Don’t do it, you need to quit, it’ll never work.’ They start giving you averages and odds, anything that they can do to deter you away from their fear.”
His advice for creators:
“Trust in your gut, trust in your talent. Don’t ever let someone talk to you out of an idea unless they have a better one to replace it.”
Mixing business with pleasure:
“I’ve always been somebody that a conflict of interest is only a conflict of interest if it becomes one. It only becomes an issue when it becomes an issue. Just make sure it doesn’t become an issue. My wife has always had something to do with my career ever since we met. The pandemic hit and it just kind of became a thing. We were doing this as a team before, but now we’re really doing it as a team because we don’t have a team because everybody is locked in the house. You realize that this may be the best and smoothest that my life and career has gone. We don’t take our problems to bed.”
Overcoming recent challenges:
“[The pandemic] was the first time I felt like the entire industry just shut completely down. Normally, things might get a little rough in certain areas, but you have other areas that you can go to. There was no place on earth that you could go to escape what was happening. A lot of people took matters into their own hands and started creating content and I think it’s going to be one of the biggest creative booms. I equate it to — I had to get a fishing rod and a rifle, and I had to go get my food. I was used to someone getting my food for me. But once I grabbed the rifle and a fishing rod, I remember that’s how I got started. And that natural instinct kicked in.”
Balancing work and family:
“The irony is two years ago today I was on my deathbed. I was one of the first people that COVID hit. I realized that the past two years have probably been the greatest two years of my life. Everything kind of was put in place. I was doing 160 dates a year all around the globe. My kids were growing up super fast. I was missing a lot of that. I had a lot guilt. Not really spending the time that I really want to spend with my wife, and what [the pandemic] really did is just aligned everything.
I’ve never spent this much time with my family. I’ve never gotten this much work done. I wish we could have come to this realization without losing so many lives and going through so much carnage that we did. But from a realistic perspective, it was a reset that not only myself, but I think a lot of people needed.”