DJ Jazzy Jeff

About

Jeffrey Allen Townes (born January 22, 1965), better known by his stage name DJ Jazzy Jeff (or simply Jazz), is an American DJ, music producer and actor. He was one half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, along with Will Smith. He is credited, along with DJ Spinbad and DJ Cash Money, with popularizing the transformer scratch.

Townes was born on January 22, 1965, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Raised in the area, Townes developed a reputation and a following as a local school and block party DJ.
He was ten years old when he first became interested in being a DJ. He told author Paul Stenning, “At summer time block parties I wouldn’t be the one dancing, I sat where the DJ was set up, watching him. Even when I would go to other block parties in other neighborhoods I was still infatuated with the DJ. He was the guy that played music that everyone in the neighborhood loved. You might not have known his face, you might not have known his name but he was the guy that made everyone move.”
He took the stage name DJ Jazzy Jeff. He was one half of the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, along with Will Smith. The group received the first Grammy…