Will Smith ‘hated’ Quincy Jones’ authentic ‘Contemporary Prince’ theme music

Now it is a story all about…how Will Smith hated Quincy Jones‘ authentic theme music for The Contemporary Prince of Bel-Air.

On the most recent episode of Vice’s docuseries Black Comedy in America, Smith recalled how the now-iconic Contemporary Prince theme was virtually misplaced to time and a “piece of s—” Jones tune.

“So Quincy introduced a theme music,” Smith mentioned, noting the legendary producer — who died Nov. 3 at age 91 — wrote one of many different nice TV themes of all time, for Sanford and Son. Regardless of this being Quincy Effing Jones, the mastermind behind Thriller and numerous different masterworks, Smith “hated it.”

The younger rapper turned actor felt like he could not inform Jones that he hated his theme music, it being Quincy Effing Jones. Not solely that, Jones was an govt producer on the present and performed a big half in getting the present, and Smith, to air. So Smith turned to his longtime collaborator DJ Jazzy Jeff.

The 2 labored out a demo of their very own theme, a rap telling the premise of the present, in Jeff’s resort room after which Smith took it to Jones. With out revealing his personal emotions in regards to the 28-time Grammy winner’s tune, Smith supplied to play what he and Jeff had give you.

“I performed it for him and he listened,” Smith recalled. “He mentioned, ‘That is good. Mine’s a bit of s—.'” In keeping with Smith, Jones’ authentic theme sounded outdated and Jones fortunately agreed that Smith’s much more recent (pun supposed) model ought to run over the opening credit.

Jones had been one in all The Contemporary Prince‘s and Smith’s earliest champions, utilizing his personal party to rearrange an impromptu audition for Smith in entrance of then–NBC head Brandon Tartikoff.

“I mentioned, ‘Quincy, I do not know act, I am not an actor. Simply give me two weeks, let me discover an appearing coach and let me work on it, after which let’s simply arrange a correct audition,'” Smith recalled throughout Max’s 2020 Contemporary Prince reunion particular. “He says, ‘This is the deal: Proper now, everyone who must say sure for this present is sitting out in that lounge ready for you.’ And I used to be like, ‘Give me 10 minutes.'”

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When Jones died final month, Smith joined the refrain of mates, colleagues, collaborators, and admirers paying tribute to a nationwide treasure.

“Quincy Jones is the true definition of a Mentor, a Father and a Buddy,” Smith wrote on Instagram. “He pointed me towards the best elements of myself. He defended me. He nurtured me. He inspired me. He impressed me. He checked me when he wanted to. He let me use his wings till mine have been robust sufficient to fly.”