See also William Smith for other people with similar names. For the American football player, see Will Smith (football player).
Willard Christopher Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an Oscar nominated American actor and an multiple Grammy winning hip hop artist. He is one of few people who have enjoyed huge success in the three major entertainment media in the United States: film, television, and the music industry.
Will Smith was born and raised in Pennsylvania, the second of four children in a middle-class family. Will is famous for his saying "I Ain't black, I'm just dirty"
Through his cut-up behavior, he had already obtained the nickname "fresh prince" in high school. He is a graduate of Overbrook High School. He was admitted to M.I.T., but turned down his acceptance in order to persue his career in acting and music.
He started as the vocalist of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, with his childhood friend Jeffrey "DJ Jazzy Jeff" Townes as turntablist and producer. The duo was known for performing humorous, radio-friendly songs, most notably "Parents Just Don't Understand" and "Summertime." They gained critical acclaim for winning the first ever Grammy in the Rap category (1988).
Smith was a charismatic and energetic performer but he was nearing bankruptcy when in 1990, the NBC television network signed him to a contract and built a sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, around him. The show was successful and helped revitalize his career.
Although he made a notable dramatic film debut in Six Degrees of Separation (in which he played totally against type as a gay con man) while still appearing in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Smith's film career took off with his role in Bad Boys ( 1995) along with co-star Martin Lawrence.
