From their hilarious banter to their wild adventures, it’s safe to say that Will and Jazz’s relationship on the Fresh Prince was nothing short of legendary.
With his flamboyant fashion sense and knack for finding himself in bizarre situations, Jazz quickly became a fan favorite on the show. But how did it all begin? Well I’d like to take a minute, just sit right there and I’ll tell you how Will meet Jazz in a town called Bel-Air
How Did Will Meet Jazz On The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Jazz was first introduced in Season 1 Episode 2 of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Will’s only friend in Los Angeles however in this episode he only claims to have heard him play in the club and is hired as Ashley’s drum instructor.
Portrayed by DJ Jazzy Jeff, Jazz is an iconic part of the show and a fan-favorite character who is part of many funny moments that are still considered TV classics to this day.
Who is Jazz in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air?
Jazz is Will Smith’s best friend and musical partner. Just like in real life, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith collaborated in this show to bring smiles to the faces of people all around the world.
Jazz is known for his unique fashion style and sense of humor, especially with Uncle Phil, who was really annoyed by this young man. Even though he does not appear very frequently, Jazz is an amazing side character who has always managed to make his presence felt.
Jazz’s Most Iconic Moments in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
When making a sitcom series, it’s very important to have a character who will be remembered for years to come. Think of Barney in “How I Met Your Mother”, “Joey in Friends”, or Sheldon in “The Big Bang Theory”. In “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air”, Jazz is exactly that.
Jazz left his mark on the show with some moments that will never be forgotten. Scenes that are still equally funny after more than thirty years. The fans knew that his appearance always meant laughter and he brought that in several ways:
- By mocking Uncle Phil and being thrown out.
- By unsuccessfully trying to charm Hillary
- With his peculiar fashion style
- With him developing a great chemistry with the Banks family
- By his moments with Will (especially around girls)
There are a lot of other interactions and behaviors that can be listed, and they will only continue to prove one thing. And that’s how genuinely funny Jazz’s character was.
Jazz’s Famous Scene of Being Thrown Out
Jazz: Man, I’m starving. When do we eat here?
Uncle Phil: We eat here later. You eat here never.
Jazz: Looks like you eat here often.
You know what’s coming right? Exactly! Jazz is getting thrown out of the house.
This is one of my favorite jokes in the show and it makes me laugh every time I watch it. What’s more special about this scene is the moment when Jazz is being thrown out of the house.
That scene got very popular in the series and was used in many other episodes besides this one. Everyone was throwing Jazz out, from Uncle Phil to Geoffrey, Hillary, and Will. Once, Jazz even threw himself out to save Uncle Phil the trouble and energy.
Anyway, there is one interesting fact about this scene. If you watched the show you probably noticed how Jazz was always wearing the same shirt when getting thrown out. This was not due to the fact he didn’t have anything else to wear, of course. Jazz wore the same shirt every time he got thrown out because the producers of the show used the same shot for every episode.
On why this was the case, DJ Jazzy Jeff has revealed that doing that stunt was so exhausting to him. He said: “One day, we filmed maybe about 150 takes of me getting tossed out of the house on Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. I think they didn’t want to torture me anymore, so that’s the reason why they started using the same shot. And then that became a thing, that every time I walked into a scene and I had that shirt on, the audience kind of knew what was coming up.”
Jazz and Will Smith’s Friendship In Real Life
Before “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” was a thing, Jazz and Will Smith were already a dynamic duo known around the world. A couple of years before starting in one of the most famous sitcoms in the 90s, music fans danced to the moving tracks of a rap duo named “DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince”.
These two friends made funky, award-winning hip-hop music that was topping the charts at that time. Their most famous album “He’s The DJ, I’m The Rapper” was a huge success in 1988. It had quickly gone platinum and got the artists their first Grammy Nomination.
After the show started airing, this duo became even more famous and has continued to make hit songs. One of these songs was “Summertime”, a single that won the Grammy Award for “Best Rap Performance by Duo or Group” in 1991 and remained part of many summer playlists to this day.
Even though DJ Jazzy Jeff didn’t become a famous actor like his musical partner, he and Will both continued to be friends and collaborate on new music in the following years.
Final Thoughts On The Introduction Of Jazz On The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” is undoubtedly one of the greatest sitcoms made ever. It’s a sitcom whose huge popularity in the 90s remained the same throughout the years. A show that inspired other sitcoms and a show with moments and characters still relevant in the pop culture community.
A big reason for this popularity was one of the most legendary sitcom characters ever – Jazz. Portrayed by a musician with no acting experience, DJ Jazzy Jeff managed to play the role of Jazz perfectly and set the standards for what a great side character should look like.
Jazz has many unique scenes with jokes and interactions that will always be funny. I know that many fans, just like me, will never get tired of rewatching these scenes and enjoy them like it’s our first time watching the show.
