True or False: The theme to the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is the most widely known (and thus popular?) rap song of all-time

but the elusive "second verse" is not known by many at all.

only from a certain age demographic - I'd wager more people could sing Tone Loc's "Wild Thing" and/or "Funky Cold Medina" than a full verse of "Fresh Prince Theme"

It actually makes the shortened version way confusing; the second verse describes the taxicab's stench--thus the "Yo homes, smell you later," which confused me until I heard the extended version.

In West Philadelphia, born and raised
On the playground is where I spent most of my days
Chillin' out maxin' relaxin' all cool and all shootin' some b-ball outside of the school
when a couple of guys who were up to no good
started makin' trouble in my neighborhood
I got in one little fight and my mom scared and said,
"You're movin' with your auntie and uncle in Bel-Air!"

I begged and pleaded with her day after day
But she packed my suitcase and sent me on my way
She give me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket
Put my Walkman on and said I might as well kick it
First class, yo, this is bad
Drinkin' orange juice out of a champagne glass
Is this what the people of Bel-Air live like?
Hmmm...this might be all right!

But wait I hear they're prissy and all that
Is this the type of place that they should send this cool cat?
I don't think so I'll see when I get there
I hope they're prepared for the prince of Bel-Air

Well, uh, the plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude looked like a cop standin' there with my name out
I ain't tryin' to get arrested yet, I just got here
I sprang with the quickness like lightning disappeared

I whistled for a cab and when it came near
The license plate said "FRESH" and it had dice in the mirror
If anything I could say that this cab was rare
But I thought "man, forget it, yo, home to Bel-Air!"

I pulled up to the house about 7 or 8
And I yelled to the cabbie "Yo, holmes, smell ya later!"
Looked at my kingdom I was finally there
To sit on my throne as the Prince of Bel-Air!"

My name is Barney Rubble and I'm here to say
That I love Fruity Pebbles in a major way.

This song is just Parents Just Don't Understand pt II anyway, isn't it? I mean, same cadence, same storytelling, but slightly different story. The main difference between the two is QDIII's R&B keyboard production pretending it's Hip-Hop, unlike Jazzy Jeff's real Hip-Hop.

you say that like its a bad thing!!

"Ice Ice Baby"
"Baby Got Back"
"Nuthin' But a "G" Thang"
"Hypnotize"
"Lose Yourself"
"In Da Club"

but I agree, it is somewhat shocking the # of people I know that know all the words to this song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L5zXlKu2t8

so classic.

I don't know any of the words to this, but I know all of Newcleus "Jam On It" by heart.

So I think it's definitely a certain age demographic you're hitting...

Also, I'm really ignorant when it comes to hip-hop.

Actually I would agree, and that "age demographic" is not as well-confined as it might seem, as this was a family show broadcast and re-broadcast through syndication all over the world. I know it was probably the only rap song my parents understood.

And I thought about this on the Live 8 thingee where Will Smith performed, and that song got the biggest response of all during the entire transmission.

Kind regards,
Ess

Jimmy Fallon covers the "Fresh Prince" theme as Neil Young.

Genius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSkEi8R9fhI&feature=player_embedded#!

http://www.mcsweeneys.net/links/lists/10filson.html

"Birthed and reared in West Philadelphia, the days of my childhood and early youth were spent in the wildernesses just beyond our village, where my companions and I passed many an hour roaming free and frolicking, oftentimes playing ball sports in the proximity of the schoolhouse. I recall a certain occasion on which two wastrels came upon us, interrupted our pursuits, caused a general ruckus, and incited a fray. Upon my honour, had I not been bested by these mongrels, no doubt my loving mother would not have laid her heavy hand and decided my future in such an immovable manner as she then did. Her words, as I recollect, were 'Get thee to Bel Air forthwith, where you will live with your aunt and uncle in peace, and whence you will return only when you have become a man, noble as any other.' Alas! What choice had I, but to summon a cab and depart from that dear childhood home? How strange it was to see that the approaching buggy appeared to be painted with nonsensical lettering and festooned with the symbols of gambling and sin. Yet I disregarded it and considered it a rarity. 'To Bel Air, if you please' said I to the cabbie as together we heaved up my trunk. At perhaps seven or eight of the clock, after some hours of evening travel, the buggy came to a halt at the entrance of a grand house. After bidding the driver farewell, I regarded my new lodgings. Here would I be educated. Here would I learn my place in the family. Here would I reign, in a sense, as the new prince of Bel Air."

skips over the mysterious yet crucial "yo homes, smell ya later!"

HAPPY 1000000th INTERNET FORWARD OF RAP LYRICS HACKILY REWRITTEN INTO STILTED ACADEMIC AND/OR LITERARY PARLANCE

*confetti*

welcome back whiney!!!

*confetti*

Glad to be of service Whiney!

The DJ who was playing before Kelis at Glastonbury played this and pretty much the entire tent full of 1000-odd people rapped along.

It's surely the rap song that the most number of white people can rap along to.

I bet "Paul Revere" is in the top 5, though.

Dude, I saw the Beastie Boys at Bonnaroo and literally not one person around me knew the fucking words to Paul Revere, so don't conflate "white people" with "kkvgz's friends in junior high school"

pretty sure it would go

"Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme"
"Bust A Move"
"Humpty Dance"
"Baby Got Back"
"It Takes Two"

My mom knows most of the words to "Baby Got Back." It is creepy as shit!

Thanks for checking my head.

<3

I remember thinking YEARS after I had been watching the show..."wait, he took the cab from Philly to Los Angeles?? Wha?"

Haha I realised this LAST WEEK, I think my grasp on US geography was kind limited at age 10.

pretty sure it would go

"Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme"
"Bust A Move"
"Humpty Dance"
"Baby Got Back"
"It Takes Two"

You forgot Jump Around, which is in at #2, in Britain at least.

Oh wait, is "Just a Friend" rap?

"Huzzah! There it is."

rap lyrics of ned raggett

Reading the lyrics upthread for the first time and I aaalways thought that he said "my life got twistered upside down" I like that better.

Also in one season or maybe just a few eps of the show they had the full song in the intro and I remember him doing a double take of a bootylicious flight attendant while drinking orange juice in a champagne glass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZ1NA7Mgzgw&feature=related
oh, I guess she was more boobylicious

rap lyrics of ned raggett

Dear oh dear.

http://gawker.com/5976205/this-is-what-the-fresh-prince-theme-song-sounds-like-after-you-run-it-through-every-language-in-google-translate

not popular enough, apparently: http://www.spin.com/articles/fresh-prince-theme-song-school-lockdown-voicemail-pennsylvania?utm_source=spintwitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=spintwitter

James Mann, acting police chief in Ambridge, said Clawson was interviewed by police and he told them he meant no harm and that his message was just him imitating Will Smith’s rap intro to the show that ran on NBC from 1990-96 and now is rerun on ABC Family. All six seasons also are out on DVD.

direct quote, i hope

that is... amazing.

pretty sure it would go

"Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air theme"
"Bust A Move"
"Humpty Dance"
"Baby Got Back"
"It Takes Two"

"U Can't Touch This" is probably the only other song that could truly fight for 1st place. those other 4 are good choices but I would be more surprised if someone was unable to identify "Stop hammertime"

yo Holmes, smell ya later!

RIP, Holmes

it's sad, he smelled