
DJ Jazzy Jeff
Awards & Honours
3
Awards Won
1
Honours
1
Rankings
5
Covers
3
Records
Jazzy Jeff's place in hip-hop history is secured by his technical innovations and his role in breaking rap into the mainstream. He and Will Smith won the first-ever Grammy for rap, a historic moment that validated the genre at the highest level. His transformer scratch technique is taught in DJ schools worldwide. In 2021, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as part of the duo, a rare honor that places him among music's immortals. His solo albums are considered essential listening for turntablists, and his DMC championship win proved his skills still rival the best. He is consistently ranked among the greatest DJs of all time by publications like Rolling Stone and VH1.

Awards
Honours & Distinctions
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Inducted as a member of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince.
Rankings & Lists
50 Greatest Hip Hop Artists
Magazine Covers
DJ Times
2002-03
The Magnificent Return
Scratch Magazine
2004-06
The Transformer
Scratch Magazine
2007-09
Champion
Billboard
1988-07
Fresh Prince & Jazzy Jeff: Hip-Hop's New Kings
Billboard
1991-08
Summertime and the Livin' Is Easy
Records & Feats
First Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance
Won the inaugural Grammy for Best Rap Performance in 1989 for 'Parents Just Don't Understand', a landmark moment for hip-hop at the mainstream awards.
Popularized the Transformer Scratch
Widely credited with popularizing the transformer scratch, a complex turntable technique that became a cornerstone of modern DJing.
First Platinum-Selling Hip-Hop Album
He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper (1987) became the first platinum-selling hip-hop album, selling over 2.5 million copies.