On this day in 1965, Jeffrey Townes, better known to Hip Hop and television fans as “Jazzy Jeff,” was born in Philadelphia, the City of Brotherly Love. Over the years, he has earned his reputation as one of the greatest DJs to ever grace a pair of Technics 1200s.
Best known as the DJ and musical partner of Will Smith, aka The Fresh Prince, Jazzy Jeff became famous for his extraordinary skills on the turntables, particularly his mastery of the “transformer” scratch, a technique that inspired countless DJs across generations.
Beyond his iconic collaborations with Will Smith, Jazzy Jeff has carved out an illustrious career as a producer. The two-time Grammy Award winner has worked with celebrated artists like Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild, The Roots, and Floetry, among others. His expertise even extended to film, contributing scratch overdubs for the 2015 biopic Straight Outta Compton.
Happy birthday to a true pioneer and innovator in Hip Hop culture. Salute to DJ Jazzy Jeff for his lasting contributions to the art of DJing and music production!
