Known more for their sitcom reruns in the middle of the day or their 90's-era rap records that get some spins on those "best of" the decade shows, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince weren't exactly current hip-hop commodities before this past weekend. However, after their appearance at this year's Livewire Music Festival in Blackpool, in Northwestern England, they might soon find themselves part of the conversation again. Jeff Townes, the birth name of the man controlling the vinyl, and Will Smith rocked the stage with what was more than just a quick cash grab - by all fan accounts, it was proof that these two elder statesmen could still turn up and rock the crowd in a big way.
Performing to a crowd of at least 20,000, The Telegraph reports that the festival spot was a rousing not just for the men on stage, but for members of their families that came through to see them flex those musical muscles. Smith's 24-year-old son Trey, who has been called the inspiration for the rapper/actor's take on the classic song "Just the Two of Us," was in the crowd on Sunday night to see him perform. "It's incredible," he said "Looking at my dad up there he's obviously loving it!" Playing their first show together in almost 12 years, it's plain to see that time hasn't corroded any of the chemistry or the skills that both these gentlemen bring to the table. Based on the Twitter reaction, their run through many well-known classics like "Miami," "Boom! Shake The Room" and others was well worth the price of admission.
This latest reunion of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince comes with an added wrinkle: they played something we haven't heard yet. Under the presumed title of "Get Lit," the unreleased track has a distinct EDM flavor to it, but Smith still has enough room to get his bars in without feeling smothering by the instrumental composition. You can check out a video clip from that part of the performance below.
The two came together in Blackpool two decades after the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air kickstarted Smith's acting career. Townes also appeared on the show several times as the music teacher Jazz. They also won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance for their 1988 song "Parents Just Don't Understand."