DJ Jazzy Jeff - The Return of the Magnificent (album review)

DJ Jazzy Jeff
The Return of the Magnificent
BBE Records

Most recognized for his role as the pesky neighbor on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and for his music with Will Smith in the ‘80’s, people might be quick to assume DJ Jazzy Jeff hasn’t been up to a whole lot lately. But they’d be wrong.

Following up 2002’s critically-acclaimed yet commercially-ignored The Magnificent, Jazzy Jeff makes his return to prove he is worthy of his title.

With a new featured artist on every track, from the old school to newer generation rappers, The Return of the Magnificent is a wonderfully rounded album that should appeal to older generation hip-hop heads as well as younger ones looking for something a bit different than the mainstream stuff. Hip-hop originators such as Big Daddy Kane, CL Smooth and Twone Gabz all show love to Jeff’s beats and prove they are as profound on the mic today as they were in the ‘80’s. Jeff’s often laidback, soft beats are perfect for guys like Pros of De La Soul or Kel Spencer on his track “The Definition”, which happens to be among the most outstanding, with a beautiful piano beat and a lesson on how to be an MC. More currently successful MC’s such as Method Man, Peedi Peedi, Rhymefest and Toronto’s Kardinal Offishall have their own tracks as well and prove Jazzy Jeff can still produce upbeat party tracks just as well as the softer, jazzier tunes.

For people who claim they know what hip-hop is in 2007: This is hip-hop in its purest form. Jeff proves he truly is a magnificent DJ, as he frantically scratches on pretty well each track over his classic yet currently relevant beats. And his selection of MC’s to join him on this album is superb, with an assortment of some amazing lyricists of both past and present.