The rapper who played DJ Jazzy Jeff’s friend in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was Will Smith.
Smith starred as Will Smith, a fictionalized version of himself, in the NBC sitcom The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. The series premiered in 1990 and followed a street-smart teenager from West Philadelphia who moved in with wealthy relatives in Bel-Air, Los Angeles.
Before the show, Smith was already known as the rapper The Fresh Prince in the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince. Their music helped establish his friendly, humorous public image, while the sitcom made him an international television star.
A common mix-up is confusing Smith with Jeffrey Allen Townes, the DJ Jazzy Jeff behind the duo. Townes appeared as Jazz, the family’s eccentric friend, but Smith played the lead character and performed the show’s theme song.