The Album

"Greatest Hits" is a compilation album of the best recordings by Will Smith during his career from 1987 to the year that this was released, in 2002. Will released a normal album earlier on in the year and a few track from it managed t slip onto this, so at the time it included all of his greats (and to be honest, I hated his last album 'Lost and Found").

The Artist

Will Smith is a pop rapper from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and found fame as part of a duo with DJ Jazzy Jeff in the late 1980s. As his career progressed he became an actor and starred in the "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", before taking lead role in films such as "Independence Day", "Men In Black" and more recently, "I Am Legend". Will Smith differed from many Hip Hop acts because he wasn't interested in any lyrics about money, cars and girls, he's more about have clean fun. he currently stands as he leading figure in pop rap, a sub-genre which will have no profanities and can be understood by the mainstream audience.

Tracklistings

1. "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" (Remix)

Album From: "Rock the House"
Year: 1987
Length: 4:53

We are kicked off in a big way with the pair's debut single, breaking them into the music world in a big way. Although this debut didn't make as big an impact as others or many of the records which they went on to make, it was needed to get to boost them into the limelight.

The title pretty much tells what the whole record is about, so I shouldn't have to explain it. The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff showed us how their style was slightly different to most Hip hop of their time and this allowed them to move on where others couldn't.

** Four Stars**

2. "Parents Just Don't Understand"

Album From: "He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper"
Year: 1988
Length: 5:35

Here is a great display of how rap was 'back in the day' you know, before any Hip Hop artists had money, and they rapped about things close to them, here is something quite originally, but something which everyone can relate to. The only reason why I didn't like it too much was because it hasn't been something which has been played any time between it's original release and now, unlike many of his other records.

The Fresh Prince raps about many teenage issues which we are all aware of, and makes the situations sound funny when you hear about how parents don't comprehend the importance of some things which they may not understand, such as reputation amongst peers.

**Four Stars**

3. "A Nightmare on My Street"

Album From: "He's The DJ, I'm The Rapper"
Year: 1987
Length: 4:56

No offense to the pair, but this track is terrible. It probably would have been more relevant at the time, but now Freddy Krueger has no place in society, so i cannot relate to this track at all. I didn't find it funny and I didn't really like the music, but if you were there at the time then you may like to here this throwback record.

**One Star**

4. "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air"

Album From: -
Year: 1990
Length: 1:50

Everyone knows this on, it's the theme tune to his hit nineties TV show, "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air", so I'm sure I don't have to explain, it's a classic.

**Five Stars**

5. "Summertime"

Album From: "Homebase"
Year: 1991
Length: 3:57

Directly following on from the preceding record, her is yet another classic from the pair, but this one is more personal to me as it is extremely nostalgic and reminds me of family barbecues in the nineties, no worries just fun in the sun.

This one is all about just relaxing, because that's all what Summer is about, so DJ Jazzy Jeff gives us a slow winding beat, "Summer Madness" by Kool & the Gang, which allows you to settle down and the Fresh Prince just tells you how to make the best of this time where everyone seems to be in a fun mood.

**Five Stars**

6. "Just Cruisin'"

Album From: "Big Willie Style"
Year: 1997
Length: 3:59

This is a track found on his debut solo album, and didn't really see too much publicity. It's not that special as a track, but I liked it. It is a very calm track which as you probably gathered from the title, is just about relaxing and just taking time to get to know yourself.

I felt that this track fitted in well, but I would have been able to live without it, I think that it would have been better to leave it out and put in something with popularity already to fill this stop in the LP, because I think this is the reason for the album.

**Three Stars**

7. "1,000 Kisses" (feat. Jada)

Album From: "Born To Reign"
Year: 2002
Length: 4:17

This is quite a funky song as it takes on the sample from Luther Vandross' "Never Too Much" and takes other aspects of the classic into this pop rap version. I felt that he was very successful in making this transition.

Will talks about how he has no problem translating his love for his woman into this, "1000 Kisses", I felt that it was very inventive and something quite different for him and I prise him for doing so. I can't say it's a favourite of mine, but I liked it.

**Four Stars**

8. "Men in Black"

Album From: "Big Willie Style"
Year: 1997
Length: 3:47

Most will know this track as it is one of his most famous tracks. This came from the soundtrack to one of his most famous roles as J in Men In Black.

This track can be likened to "Wild Wild West" in the following album as it is a song which shares a title from a movie he stars in. The idea for the song was initially shunned however to turned out to be a success with the video as it gained a Grammy award in 1997.

**Five Stars**

9. "Gettin' Jiggy Wit It"

Album From: "Big Willie Style"
Year: 1997
Length: 3:47

This bares many similarities to "Freakin' It" from the next album he released. i feel this way because it is obviously a pop rap track with a lot of appeal to many different audiences. It one which anybody can dance to and most will enjoy it.

This one managed to reach #1 in America and it stayed in this position for 3 weeks. I also topped the rap charts, something impossible now because that is dominated by gangsta-orientated activity, unlike Will Smith's style.

**Five Stars**

10 "Miami"

Album From: "Big Willie Style"
Year: 1997
Length: 3:17

Its obvious what this is about, Miami. It's a big party track and encorporates many styles which the Florida city is known for. This includes salsa, which comes about in the breakdown.

Nate Dogg comes for the chorus of this tune, he suits this very well as his style is very smooth. Here he goes away from the more street version if rap to accompany Will Smith.

**Five Stars**

11. "Freakin' It"

Album From:
Year: "Willenium"
Length: 3:59

This is what Big Willy was all about at the time. He brought us with straight Hip Hop, it was perfect to dance and so it had appeal for everyone. He brought dance moves along with it so it helped it even more.

This followed on very well from the last track as it is a great one for the clubs as the preceding tune. This highlights the time when he stood as a leading Hip hop musician, despite the fact he was so different from most others at the time.

**Five Stars**

12. "Will 2K" (feat. K-Ci)

Album From: "Willenium"
Year: 1999
Length: 3:54

This was a great song for the Mill- Yo excuse me, Willennium. It was a track which went back in time to each decade to celebrate when we get to the changover to 2000. K-Ci helped Will in his efforts for this which was the first and biggest party of the century or possibly Millenium.

This is a big party anthem and should be used everytime people go back to this time when everyone was excited all the time to see what was in store for us.

**Five Stars**

13. "Wild Wild West"

Album From: "Willenium"
Year: 1999
Length: 4:05

This was the soundtrack for a film which this artist starred in, in 1999, "Wild Wild West". Humourously at the beginning of this track Will is heard to ask his son Jaden, then only 18 months old, which song to put on the album next and he clearly says this one.

The track samples Stevie Wonder's "I Wish", and he actually appeared in the video for it playing the keyboard for th track. This track allowed the lead singer of Du Hill to break free, this was Sisqó. One of the members of the group actually quit on set for the vider, as he decided to go in pursuit of a solo career in gospel. Sisqó took advantage of this loss and decided he should also do so, but in the world of R&B.

I can't say that I agree that the hook or vocals make me think of the Wild West, but as an entire package, it does work. I enjoyed this a lot.

**Five Stars**

14. "Nod Ya Head" (Remix)

Album From: "Born to Reign"
Year: 2002
Length: 3:44

This is the remix to the soundtrack of the second 'Men In Black' film, "Black Suits Comin'", I feel that it was a very strong record, but it was forgotten too easily, so as soon as I hear this I was excited to hear a much more exciting arrangement with identical lyrics.

Will raps under persona of Jay in the film with lots of lyrics connected to the film, but he also shows this by rapping in a much more in-you-face manner, which he isn't really known for. This shows how he has lots of sides to his raps.

**Four Stars**

15. "Just the Two of Us"

This is not a cover of the original Bill Withers song. It was simply inspired by it, so only the chorus is what makes the tracks so similar. Will first came out with this track after writing out the lyrics for a children's book, later he translated this into a rap track just by adding the beat.

This track is an emotive one a Will tells us the story of what happened after the birth of his son, Trey, he is the lesser known son of the artist as he was born to a mother who is no longer associated with Will. He goes into detail about his hopes and aspirations for his son, and says he will always be there for him.

**Five Stars**

What's Missing

As this is taking all of the best songs throughout the career of Will Smith I believe that "Boom Shake The Room" should be on here, it is one of my favourite tracks by him and DJ Jazzy Jeff, but I can understand that it wasn't included because it would be more suited to a compilation of the best tracks from the duo rather than just Will. Apart from this I can't really see any space for any tracks from Will as a solo artist , so this LP has been done well.

Conclusion

In conclusion, this is a good album and includes everything that you would expect from the album with a few little extras. There is room for improvement, but what's good in the LP far out-weighs the rest of the compilation. Will Smith's career as a musician is shown in the best way as his success are highlighted and some less popular gems are brought to light.