DJ Jazzy Jeff......................................William Kunstler DJ Jazzy Jeff Birth name Jeffrey Allen Townes Born January 22, 1965 (age 48) Origin Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Genres Hip hop, R&B Occupations Record producer, DJ, turntablist Years active 1985–Present Associated acts DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, Will Smith Website djjazzyjeff Notable instruments Turntables Jeffrey Allen Townes[1] (born January 22, 1965), also known as DJ Jazzy Jeff or simply Jazz, is an American hip hop and R&B disc jockey, record producer, turntablist and actor who is best known for his early career with Will Smith as DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.[2] Contents [hide] 1 Biography 1.1 Early life and career beginnings 1.2 Acting 1.3 Music 2 Discography 2.1 Solo work as DJ Jazzy Jeff 2.2 As DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince 2.3 Miscellaneous 3 Personal life 4 References 5 External links Biography[edit] Early life and career beginnings[edit] Jeffrey Allen Townes was born on January 22, 1965, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[3] Jeffrey was raised in a home by his mother and father. Once Townes grew up, he developed a reputation and a following as a school and block party DJ. He took the stage name DJ Jazzy Jeff and was one half of the hip hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince along with Will Smith. He also won the world DJ championship in the 1986 New Music Seminar DJ Battle. Acting[edit] When Smith branched out into television with the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Jazzy Jeff played a recurring character named Jazz, Smiths best friend on the show. In the early seasons the two characters always greeted each other with their signature handshake (swinging mid-five, point-back, snap with both characters saying Pssh!). His trademark includes being physically ejected from the house by Uncle Phil (James Avery). Music[edit] 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 Award ever presented in 1989 for Parents Just Dont Understand. One of the first records Jazzy Jeff ever appeared on was with The Korner Boyz (Street Artz Records) Bust The Move and The Soga of Roxanne) Which featured legendary Philly Rapper / MC Parry P and Grand Tone. The Instrumental was called Jazzy Jeff Scratch (1985). DJ Jazzy Jeff along with DJ Cash Money is credited with making the transform scratch famous.[citation needed] 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 a music partner, they are still friends, and occasionally work together. Some songs by Smith were produced by Townes (including Here He Comes), and he has performed on some songs by Smith such as So Fresh and Potnas. In addition, he appeared in several of Smiths music videos such as Will2K and Freakin It. On some occasions, he made an appearances with Smith at live concerts, producing DJ scratches. On July 2, 2005, DJ Jazzy Jeff performed with Smith at the Live 8 concert in Philadelphia. Moreover, Smith acknowledges him in his music such as Comin To The Stage from the album Lost & Found and Potnas in his album Willennium. His 2007 release The Return of the Magnificent featured numerous collaborations with old school and new school artists including CL Smooth, Big Daddy Kane, Pos from De La Soul, Method Man, Peedi Peedi (a remake of Brand New Funk), Rhymefest, and Raheem DeVaughn. In 2007, he appeared with Rhymefest in a video[4] directed by Konee Rok, in which he makes music in his home recording studio with Rhymefest. In 2008, Townes performed with Smith at the premier of the latters 2008 film Hancock. In 2009, he made a mixtape titled Hes the King...Im the DJ in honor of the late entertainer Michael Jackson. Townes was featured in the video game DJ Hero as a playable character. He also has some original mixes in the game. Since 2011, DJ Jazzy Jeff is working alongside Pittsburgh-rapper Mac Miller on his mixtape 92 Til Infinity which Townes will be hosting. Discography[edit] Solo work as DJ Jazzy Jeff[edit] Unreleased album from Sony Records (1998) One cut in Battle of DJs The Magnificent (2002) Soulheaven Presents Jazzy Jeff in the House (2004) Hip-Hop Forever II Rapster Records (2004) The Soul Mixtape Groovin Records USA (2005) Hip-Hop Forever III BBE Records (2006) The Return of The Magnificent EP (2007) The Return of the Magnificent (2007) #55 US (Gold) The Return of Hip Hop EP (2007) Hes The King, Im The DJ (Mixtape) (2009) As DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince[edit] Rock the House (1987) #83 US (Gold); #97 UK Hes the DJ, Im the Rapper (1988) #4 US (3x Platinum); #68 UK And in This Corner… (1989) #39 US (Gold) Homebase (1991) #12 US (Platinum); #69 UK Code Red (1993) #64 US (Gold); #50 UK Greatest Hits (1998) #144 US, #20 UK Before The Willennium (1999) The Very Best of D.J. Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (2006)[1] Miscellaneous[edit] 1991: Deep, Deep, Trouble with Bart Simpson; and the remixes from The Simpsons Sing the Blues 1997: Jazzy Jeffs Theme; from the album Nuyorican Soul 1998: When To Stand Up featuring Eminem 1998: I Dont 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: Watch Me by Little Brother (scratches); from the album The Minstrel Show 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: NY Weather Report by Talib Kweli (scratches); from the album Eardrum 2007: Made a cameo appearance in Jill Scotts music video A Long Walk 2008: Get Busy by The Roots (scratches); from the album Rising Down 2008: Bring It Back by Rhymefest (producer); from the album El Che 2009: Prince in Training by MaC Renegade Hosted by DJ Jazzy Jeff 2009: Stay This Way (Jazzy Jeff Remix) by Peter Bjorn and John featuring Big Pooh, Chaundon, and Phil Nash from the mixtape Re-Living Thing with Mick Boogie 2012: 92 Til Infinity with Mac Miller 2012: Girl of My Life by Mint Condition (scratches); from the album Music @ the Speed of Life. Personal life[edit] DJ Jazzy Jeff attended John Bartram High School in Philadelphia, where he is enshrined in the schools Wall of Fame.[citation needed]. Townes has resided in Wilmington, Delaware since 2004. [5] References[edit] ^ Jump up to: a b Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 159. ISBN 1-904994-10-5. Jump up ^ DJ Jazzy Jeff; Wilder, Chris (2013-3-26). DJ Jazzy Jeff on the 25th Anniversary of Hes the DJ, Im the Rapper. Philadelphia Weekly. Jump up ^ Kellman, Andy. DJ Jazzy Jeff. Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-01-13. Jump up ^ DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Fest Jump up ^ Draper, Dominick (19 July 2013). DJ Jazzy Jeff spins (and lives) in the Diamond State. The News-Journal (Wilmington)..
Posted on: Sat, 23 Nov 2013 09:57:57 +0000
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