ABSTRACT
Philadelphia native Will Smith (aka the Fresh Prince) first found fame as a comical poprapper along with partner D.J. Jazzy Jeff (Jeffrey A. Townes). The duo’s crossover success enabled Smith to become the first rap artist to make the transition to television success, a result of his landing the title role in the sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which ran six seasons on NBC. A string of film roles (e.g., Bad Boys, Independence Day, Men in Black, Wild, Wild West, Ali) followed, which in turn have propelled Smith back to the top of the charts as a solo act.
