Feature
JAZZY JEFF: THE DIRTY DOZEN
1. WHICH PRODUCER WOULD YOU SAY, IF ANY, IS BETTER THAN YOU?
There’s probably a million that are better than me. I’m more of a fan of producers and DJs. I mean, Premier - I’m such a big fan of his! Pete Rock and Jermaine Dupri, Ninth Wonder. I don’t look at myself like I look at those guys.
2. YOUR HOUSE IS ON FIRE, WHICH VINYL WOULD YOU SAVE?
Wow! I have a lot of original Bob James stuff; “The Red Clay†album and the original Incredible Bongo Band album would be amongst the first I’d dig out. Tough question.
3. WHICH IS THE ONE TRACK YOU WISH YOU HAD PRODUCED?
“The Way They Reminisce Over You†by Pete Rock and CL Smooth.
4. TELL US SOMETHING PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU?
It’s quite possible that I might be one of the silliest people on the planet.
5. MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT ON STAGE?
Me and Will (Smith) did a show one time and I fell outside the venue right beforehand and I had all this dirt and dust in my hair and a whole bunch of leaves and I ran on stage and started doing the show. But Will didn’t tell me that I had all this stuff in my hair and the entire crowd was laughing at me.
6. BIGGEST PEOPLE TURN OFF TRAIT FOR YOU?
Anyone being negative. I like people that look at the glass as being half full rather than half empty. I try always to be an optimist.
7. WHICH QUESTION DO YOU HATE BEING ASKED IN INTERVIEWS?
(Laughs)Well, not so much in interviews but although I understand it, a lot of the time the public will come up to me and say, ‘Hey Jeff, where’s Will? How is he?’ I’m like, ‘I don’t have the Will-o-meter to tell you that’.
8. MOST SIGNIFICANT CELEB YOU HAVE MET & WHY?
Nelson Mandela. Just because of what he went through. I love stories of strength. It always makes me think, no matter how bad things get for me, I always think of someone who’s had it a lot worse and that kinda puts my own problems into perspective.
9. HOW MUCH IS YOUR RECORD COLLECTION WORTH?
A million dollars! And much more to me.
10. YOU'RE INVISIBLE FOR THE DAY - WHAT WOULD YOU DO?
(Laughs) I would probably sneak into some studio sessions of some people that I would wanna slap the living daylights out of and have them wonder how the hell they’re getting slapped. I’ve always wanted to do that! I guess a lot of other people have too. Then there are some things I’d do that you don’t wanna know about!
11. BEST ADVICE YOU WERE GIVEN & FROM WHOM??
Kenny Gamble. I was complaining to him about me not being happy in the business and he looked at me and said, ‘do you know what that’s called?’
I said ‘what?’ and he said, ‘success!’ I looked at him with a really puzzling look and he said: ‘who the hell told you that success would be easy?’ I never ever forgot that! That was a really big turning point in my life because it made me unafraid of hard work.
12. WHO WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SEE BATTLE RAP?
Will against anyone! When we surfaced Will was a very fierce battle emcee and he still has that competitive nature in him and I would really love to see that come out again.
A new Jazzy Jeff album is expected soon out through BBE.
Words Joanna Chaundy
