Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff Will Reunite For ‘A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop’ 32 Years After Becoming First Hip-Hop Duo To Perform At Awards Ceremony

Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff Will Reunite For ‘A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop’ 32 Years After Becoming First Hip-Hop Duo To Perform At Awards Ceremony

Fans of Will Smith and D.J. Jazzy Jeff will be happy to know that the old friends will soon be together again!

The hip-hop duo will reunite on November 8 at A Grammy Salute to 50 Years of Hip-Hop. Rap and hip-hop did not have their own category at the Grammys until the 1988 ceremony, presented on February 22, 1989. D.J. Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince made history that year with their pop hit “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” which was the first hip-hop recording to win a Grammy for best rap performance. However, the duo received no invitation to perform.

The following year, the pair further cemented their place in history by being the first hip-hop group to perform at the Grammy Awards on February 21, 1990. At the time, Will Smith said,

“We’d like to dedicate this performance to all the rappers last year that stood with us and helped us to earn the right to be on this stage tonight.”

During the 65th Grammy Awards on February 5, one of the highlights was an expanded version of the “50 Years of 50-Hop” segment, marking the beginning of a year-long celebration of hip-hop and highlighting the significance and supremacy of the genre.

Joe Lynch of Billboard said,

“While it’s an impossible task to sum up 50 years of any genre (much less one that fought for decades to get a modicum of mainstream respect and eventually became the dominant genre in American music), this electrifying medley brought to vivid life the charged personalities, thumping grooves, deft deliveries and unpredictable flourishes that make hip-hop a global force.”

The Grammy’s will mark one of Will Smith‘s first significant public appearance since he slapped Chris Rock at the 94th annual Academy Awards in March 2022.

At the time, Chris Rock made a joke comparing Smith‘s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, to G.I. Jane because of her shaved head due to alopecia. The joke, which Jada Pinkett Smith obviously wasn’t a fan of, prompted Smith to step onstage and smack Chris Rock across the face.

As a result, Smith was penalized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and prohibited from attending its events for 10 years.

However, the rapper turned actors appear to be in a much better space as he joins a lineup that includes Big Daddy Kane, DJ Quik, Jeezy, Three 6 Mafia, Queen Latifah, E-40, GloRilla, Gunna, Juvenile, Latto, MC Lyte, Spinderella, T.I., Too $hort, 2 Chainz, Bun B, Common, Jermaine Dupri, LL COOL J, Talib Kweli, The Lady Of Rage, Monie Love, Questlove, Rakim, and Uncle Luke.

Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. previously teased the upcoming special, saying,

“For five decades, Hip Hop has not only been a defining force in music, but a major influence on our culture. Its contributions to art, fashion, sport, politics, and society cannot be overstated. I’m so proud that we are honoring it in such a spectacular way on the Grammy stage. It is just the beginning of our year-long celebration of this essential genre of music.”

The special will be recorded on November 8 at the YouTube Theater in Inglewood, California, and will be broadcast on CBS on December 10 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. ET/PT. It will also be streamed live and on demand on Paramount+.

What are your thoughts on Will Smith and D.J. Jazzy Jeff reuniting? Let us know in the comments!

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