4 and a half stars out of 5
Their commercial breakthrough contains their #12 hit, "Parents Just Don't Understand," and other good-time raps.
-- Dan Heilman
Q Magazine
He's The D.J., I'm The Rapper
DJ Jazzy Jeff/The Fresh PrinceA double album at the price of a single is usually a good idea, but here it scores a bit of an own goal. Sides C and D are devoted to DJ Jazzy Jeff living up to his name creating some unusually musical sculptures from records most DJs wouldn't consider—ie they're not James Brown or Led Zeppelin, but show a leaning towards jazz funk and softer soul. Not that he neglects the beat, putting down some particularly bone-crunching rhythms. All of this only serves to show up the rap dominated sides. The Fresh Prince is neither forceful, inventive nor stylistically unique, and never sounds better than hopelessly out of his depth in such a devastating barrage of sound. Still, at its low retail price you can afford to ignore exactly half of it.
- Lloyd Bradley
My rating:
