DJ Jazzy Jeff

Though he'll probably forever be regarded as Will Smith's DJ, Jazzy Jeff is an influential hip-hop presence in his own right. Born Jeffrey Townes in West Philadelphia, Jazzy Jeff's partnership with Smith (aka The Fresh Prince) helped launch both of their careers in the mid-to-late 1980s. Tracks such as "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" became popular novelty hip-hop songs that featured bare bones beats and scratching heavily influenced by contemporaries such as Run-D.M.C. In the 1990s, however, the duo split as Smith's television and film career began to take off. Since then, Jazzy Jeff has remained committed to his music, working prolifically as a producer, remixer, party DJ and mixtape artist.