Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince song)

"Summertime" is a song by American hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, released in May 1991 as the lead single from their fourth studio album, Homebase (1991). The song was produced by Chicago-based producers Hula and K. Fingers, and it won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group at the 1992 Grammy Awards. It spent a week at number #1 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Chart,^[1] as well as reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100 (their highest charting single on the latter). It also became the duo's first single to enter the top ten of the UK Singles Chart, peaking at #8.

"Summertime"
Single by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
from the album Homebase
Released	May 20, 1991
Recorded	1990
Genre	Hip hop
Length	4:30 (album version) 3:57 (single edit)
Label	Jive RCA
Songwriter(s)	Will Smith, Jeffrey A. Townes, Robert Bell, Ronald Bell, George "Funky" Brown, Robert "Spike" Mickens, Lamar Hula Mahone, Craig Simpkins, Charles Smith, Alton Taylor, Dennis "D.T." Thomas, Richard Westfield
Producer(s)	K. Fingers (Craig Simpkins), Hula (Lamar Hula Mahone), Roland Edison
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince singles chronology
"Yo Home To Bel Air" (1991) "Summertime" (1991) "Ring My Bell" (1991)
Music video
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince - Summertime on YouTube

Background and composition

After Will Smith completed recording for the tracks produced by Hula & Fingers in Chicago for the Homebase album and was headed back to Philadelphia, the producers handed Smith the tape that would become "Summertime". Due to a delay in his flight back home, Smith wrote the entire song in one sitting and decided to record it in Chicago. Due to his voice being worn out from a previous night out, he recorded his song in a lower tone than his usual, unknowingly bringing out a style similar to rapper Rakim, whom Smith admired as one of his favorite rappers at the time.^[2] The song's instrumentation samples "Summer Madness" by Kool & the Gang, particularly the rising F# octaves played on an ARP 2600 synthesizer.

Critical reception

Steve Huey from AllMusic said that "Summertime" was "a warm, breezy reminiscence about growing up in Philadelphia and attending barbecues where the whole community showed up to see and be seen." He added, "It had all the good vibes of a typical Fresh Prince number, but it was clearly a more mature effort, and that's Homebase in a nutshell."^[3] Larry Flick from Billboard magazine wrote, "Pop/rap duo returns with this steamy hip-hop jam that is sure to quickly heat up radio airwaves thanks to its catchy chorus and clever wordplay."^[4] James Bernard from Entertainment Weekly described the song as "absolutely uplifting".^[5] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times viewed it as a "strange cut", saying it's "just a laundry list of summer-is-fun cliches."^[6] David Quantick from NME wrote that the duo "have created a song that is the epitome of pleasantness and, unlike The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, doesn't have any icky 'token children' in it."^[7] Another editor, Stephen Dalton, named it one of the best songs of the album, declaring it as "smoochy" and "a straight steal from Kool and the Gang".^[8]

A reviewer from People magazine noted that "the musical backing is more sophisticated", viewing it as "a smooth Gershwin via Kool & the Gang version".^[9] Rolling Stone magazine ranked it number nine in its 2013 "Best Summer Songs of All Time", saying, "Over a funky laid back beat, a young Will Smith does a fantastic Rakim impression over a sample of Kool & the Gang's "Summer Madness" and drops a sweet ode to hanging out and driving around his native Philly: "Honking at the honey in front of you with the light eyes/ She turn around to see what you beeping at/ It's like the summer's a natural aphrodisiac." It's still hip-hop's finest summer celebration."^[10]

Track listing

* 12" vinyl (US) "Summertime" (Single Edit) – 3:57 "Summertime" (Extended Club Mix) – 5:42 "Summertime" (D.J. Jazzy Jeff's Mix) – 5:37 "Summertime" (Extended Bass Mix) – 5:33 "Summertime" (Street Reclub Mix) – 6:03 "Summertime" (D.J. Jazzy Jeff's Instrumental) – 5:47 12" vinyl (UK) "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Mix) – 5:37 "Summertime" (LP Version) – 4:30 "Summertime" (Instrumental) – 4:30 "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" (Shorter Single Edit) – 3:58 CD single "Summertime" (Single Edit) – 3:57 "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Mix) – 5:37 "Summertime" (Street Club Remix) – 6:06 "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" (Shorter Single Edit) – 3:58 US CD single "Summertime" (Single Edit) – 3:57 "Summertime" (LP Version) – 4:30 "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Mix) – 5:37 "Summertime" (Extended Club Mix) – 5:43 "Summertime" (Extended Bass Mix) – 5:36 "Summertime" (Street Club Remix) – 6:06 "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Instrumental) – 5:50 "Summertime" (Instrumental) – 4:30

Summertime '98 CD single / 12" vinyl "Summertime '98" (SoulPower Radio Mix) – 4:12 "Summertime '98" (SoulPower Hip Hop Mix) – 4:40 "Summertime '98" (SoulPower Instrumental) – 4:16 "Summertime" (Original Version) – 4:31 Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff's 2007 Remixes)^[11] "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Still Summertime Remix) (Radio Edit) – "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's SoleFul Remix) "Summertime" (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Still Summertime Remix) "Summertime" (Original 1991 Album Version)

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)^[12] 52 Canada Top Singles (RPM)^[13] 29 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)^[14] 6 Europe (European Dance Radio)^[15] 6 Germany (Official German Charts)^[16] 12 Ireland (IRMA)^[17] 14 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)^[18] 20 Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[19] 12 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[20] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[21] 17 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[22] 11 UK Singles (OCC)^[23] 8 UK Dance (OCC)^[24] 13 UK Dance (Music Week)^[25] 1 US Billboard Hot 100^[26] 4 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)^[27] 1 US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)^[28] 1 Chart (1994) Peak position UK Dance (Music Week)^[29] 13 UK Club Chart (Music Week)^[30] 69 Chart (2012) Peak position UK Singles (OCC)^[31] 50 Chart (2013) Peak position UK Singles (OCC)^[31] 36

Year-end charts Chart (1991) Position Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)^[32] 48 Germany (Official German Charts)^[33] 84 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[34] 33 UK Singles (OCC)^[35] 83 US Billboard Hot 100^[36] 38

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)^[37]	Platinum	600,000^‡
United States (RIAA)^[38]	Platinum	1,000,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ^‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Film adaptation

On September 22, 2021, Smith's production company Westbrook Studios and Davis Entertainment will co-produce the film adaptation with Peter Saji directing from his screenplay for Screen Gems.^[39]

See also

• List of number-one R&B singles of 1991 (U.S.)

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 161.
2. BrotherlyLo❤️eSessions with Charlie Mack ft Snoop Dogg discussing Will Smith & DJ Jazzy Jeff, retrieved 2022-04-06
3. Huey, Steve. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince – Homebase". AllMusic. Retrieved November 7, 2020.
4. Flick, Larry (May 25, 1991). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. p. 67. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
5. Bernard, James (July 26, 1991). "Homebase". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
6. Dennis Hunt (1991). "DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince – Homebase". Los Angeles Times – via Milwaukee Journal. (August 11, 1991).
7. Quantick, David (June 29, 1991). "Singles". NME. p. 18. Retrieved April 29, 2023.
8. Dalton, Stephen (September 21, 1991). "Long Play". NME. p. 36. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
9. "Picks and Pans Review: Homebase". People. September 2, 1991. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
10. "Best Summer Songs of All Time". Rolling Stone. 20 May 2020.
11. "DJ Jazzy Jeff And The Fresh Prince* - Summertime (DJ Jazzy Jeff's Remixes)". Discogs.
12. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
13. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 1612." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
14. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 1614." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
15. "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music & Media. September 28, 1991. p. 13. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
16. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
17. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Summertime". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
18. "Nederlandse Top 40 – DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40.
19. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
20. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime". Top 40 Singles.
21. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime". Singles Top 100.
22. "DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince – Summertime". Swiss Singles Chart.
23. "DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company.
24. "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company.
25. "Top 60 Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. August 3, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved September 27, 2020.
26. "DJ Jazzy Jeff the Fresh Prince Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
27. "DJ Jazzy Jeff the Fresh Prince Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard.
28. "DJ Jazzy Jeff the Fresh Prince Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard.
29. "Dance Singles" (PDF). Music Week. August 6, 1994. p. 22. Retrieved April 26, 2021.
30. "The RM Club Chart" (PDF). Music Week, in Record Mirror (Dance Update Supplemental Insert). July 23, 1994. p. 6. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
31. "Official Charts > Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince". The Official UK Charts Company. Retrieved August 5, 2017.
32. "RPM Dance Tracks of 1991". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
33. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
34. "End of Year Charts 1991". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved April 30, 2020.
35. "1991 Top 100 Singles". Music Week. January 11, 1992. p. 20.
36. Nielsen Business Media, Inc (December 21, 1991). "1991 The Year in Music & Video: Top Pop Singles". Billboard. Vol. 103, no. 51. p. YE-14. {{cite magazine}}: |last1= has generic name (help)
37. "British single certifications – DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Summertime". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
38. "American single certifications – DJ Jazzy Jeff & Fresh Prince – Summertime". Recording Industry Association of America.
39. Grobar, Matt (September 22, 2021). "'Summertime': Will Smith Song In Works As Screen Gems Musical Feature From Westbrook Studios & Davis Entertainment". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 22, 2022.