Released: September 21, 1992
Songwriter: Quincy Jones DJ Jazzy Jeff Will Smith
Producer: Quincy Jones DJ Jazzy Jeff
[Verse 1]
Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air
[Verse 2]
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 got 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 gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket
I put my Walkman on and said "I might as well kick it"
First class, yo, this is bad
Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass
Is this what the people of Bel-Air living like?
Hmm, this might be all right
But wait, I hear they're prissy, bourgeois, 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
[Verse 3]
Well, uh
The plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude, looked like a cop, standing there with my name out
I ain't trying 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 "Nah, forget it, yo, Holmes, to Bel-Air!"
[Verse 4]
I pulled
Up to a house about seven or eight
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
Now this is a story all about how
My life got flipped turned upside down
And I'd like to take a minute, just sit right there
I'll tell you how I became the prince of a town called Bel-Air
[Verse 2]
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 got 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 gave me a kiss and then she gave me my ticket
I put my Walkman on and said "I might as well kick it"
First class, yo, this is bad
Drinking orange juice out of a champagne glass
Is this what the people of Bel-Air living like?
Hmm, this might be all right
But wait, I hear they're prissy, bourgeois, 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
[Verse 3]
Well, uh
The plane landed and when I came out
There was a dude, looked like a cop, standing there with my name out
I ain't trying 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 "Nah, forget it, yo, Holmes, to Bel-Air!"
[Verse 4]
I pulled
Up to a house about seven or eight
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
more tracks from the album
Greatest Hits
- Boom! Shake the Room
- I’m Looking For The One (To Be With Me)
- The Magnificent Jazzy Jeff
- Ring My Bell (Mr. Lee’s Radio Mix)
- Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble
- Megamix
- Lovely Daze
- Nightmare on My Street (Single Version)
- You Saw My Blinker
- Brand New Funk
- I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson
- Parents Just Don’t Understand
- A Touch of Jazz
From the albums
- Greatest Hits (2002)
- NOW That’s What I Call Old Skool [UK] (2017)
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince popular songs
- The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
- Summertime
- Parents Just Don’t Understand
- Boom! Shake the Room
- A Nightmare on My Street
- Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble
- You Saw My Blinker
- Brand New Funk
- I’m Looking For The One (To Be With Me)
- Can’t Wait to be With You
- Boom! Shake The Room (Street Remix)
- Ain’t No Place Like Home
- I Wanna Rock
- Scream
- Code Red
- Shadow Dreams
- Twinkle Twinkle (I’m Not A Star)
- Everything that Glitters (Ain’t Always Gold)
- Somethin’ Like Dis
- Numero Uno
- Jeff Waz on the Beat Box
- The Reverend
- The Girlie Had a Mustache
- Too Damn Hype