Today’s song is “Wild Wild West.” It was written, fittingly, for the 1999 film with the same name. 

When a movie version of the popular 1960s TV action drama Wild Wild West hit the big screen, Will Smith had reached a career milestone. He had expanded his career as a recording artist by playing leading roles in Hollywood blockbusters. Indeed, Smith’s superstardom added to the successful portrayal of Captain James West, and he went on to star in several Hollywood movies. Smith made a video for “Wild Wild West” that promoted the movie and put him back in the spotlight as a rapper.

Smith was the rapper in the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince. They started cutting records in the 1980s when MTV almost single-handedly revolutionized the music industry using music videos. There were music videos before Smith started rapping, but his videos stood out because Smith is a natural at performing in front of an audience. His genuineness and ability to connect with fans helped him earn success as a rapper and positioned him as a founding performer for MTV.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s first two albums, Rock the House (1987) and He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper (1987), were commercial successes. In all, the group released five studio albums highlighted by strategic releases of singles that used the MTV video to hype the releases. The group broke up in 1998 as Smith went on to cut solo albums with great success.

Fun Facts:

• Will Smith was born September 25, 1968, in Philadelphia. 
• Will Smith has won numerous awards, including four Grammys.
• The film Wild Wild West made nearly $50 million on its opening weekend. However, moviegoers did not leave good reviews, and the film’s revenue dropped off quickly. 
• Will Smith described the movie as the one he most regrets working on. 
• He won two Emmys for his role as a producer for Veep.
• When Smith left the group, he took Jazzy Jeff with him to the TV show, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air

Lyrics 

(Alright man, fine)

(“Wa-wa”)

Uhh (doo-doo-doo-doo)

Wicki-wild wild (doo-doo-doo-doo-doo)

Wicki-wicki-wild

Wicki-wild

Wicki-wicki wild wild West

Jim West, desperado

Rough rider, no you don’t want nada

None of this, six-gunnin’ this, brother runnin’ this

Buffalo soldier, look, it’s like I told ya

Any damsel that’s in distress

Be outta that dress when she meet Jim West

Rough neck so go check the law and abide

Watch your step or flex and get a hole in your side

Swallow your pride, don’t let your lip react

You don’t wanna see my hand where my hip be at

With Artemus, from the start of this, runnin’ the game

James West, tamin’ the West, so remember the name

Now who ya gonna call?

Not the GB’s

Now who you gonna call?

J Dub and A.G

If you ever riff with either one of us

Break out, before you get bum-rushed, at the

Wild wild west (when I roll into the)

Wild wild west (when I stroll into the)

Wild wild west (when I bounce into the)

Wild wild west

We’re goin’ straight to the wild wild west (wild wild west, the wild wild west)

We’re goin’ straight to the wild wild west (wild wild west)

Now, now, now

Now once upon a time in the West

Mad man lost his damn mind in the West

Loveless, kidnap a dime, nothin’ less

Now I must, put his behind to the test (can you feel me?)

Then through the shadows, in the saddle, ready for battle

Bring all your boys in, here come the poison

Behind my back, all that riffin’ ya did

Front and center, now where your lip at kid?

Who dat is? A mean brother, bad for your health

Lookin’ damn good, though, if I could say it myself

Told me Loveless is a mad man, but I don’t fear that

He got mad weapons too? Ain’t tryna hear that

Tryin’ to bring down me, the champion?

When y’all clowns gon’ see that it can’t be done

Understand me, son, I’m the slickest they is

I’m the quickest they is (yeah)

Did I say I’m the slickest they is?

So if you barkin’ up the wrong tree, we comin’

Don’t be startin’ nothin’, me and my partner gonna

Test your chest, Loveless

Can’t stand the heat, then get out the wild, wild, West

We’re goin’ straight to the wild wild West (when I roll into the)

We’re goin’ straight (when I stroll into the)

To (when I bounce into the)

The wild wild west

We’re goin’ straight (straight) to (to)

The wild wild West (the wild wild West)

We’re goin’ straight (straight) to (to)

The wild wild West (the wild wild West)

(The wild wild West)

Yeah

Can you feel it? C’mon, c’mon

Yeah (breakdown)

Keep it moving, keep it moving (breakdown)

Ooh, yeah

To any outlaw tryin’ to draw, thinkin’ you’re bad

Any drawin’ on West, best with a pen and a pad

Don’t even think about it, six gun, weighin a ton

Ten paces and turn (one… two… three…), just for fun, son

Up ’til sundown, rollin’ around

See where the bad guys are to be found and make ’em lay down

They’re defenders of the West

Crushin’ all pretenders in the West

Don’t mess with us, ’cause we in the

Wild wild west (when I roll into the)

Wild wild west (when I stroll into the)

Wild wild west (when I bounce into the)

Wild wild west

We’re goin’ straight (straight) to (to)

The wild wild West (the wild wild West)

We’re goin’ straight (straight) to (to)

The wild wild West (the wild wild West)

We’re goin’ straight (straight) to (to)

The wild wild West (the wild wild West)

We’re goin’ straight (straight) to (to)

The wild wild West (the wild wild West)

Come on

The wild wild west (when I roll into the) come on

Wild wild west (when I stroll into the) we’re goin’ straight to (to)

The wild wild west (the wild wild west)

The wild wild west (whoo! Uhh)

The wild wild west (ha hah, ha hah)

The wild wild west (uhh)

The wild wild west (I done done it again y’all, done done it again)

The wild wild west (ha hah, ha hah)

The wild wild west (big Will, Dru Hill, uh)

The wild wild west (big Will, Dru Hill)

The wild wild west (ha hah, ha hah)

The wild wild west

The wild wild west (uhh)

The wild wild west (one time)

The wild wild west (uhh)

The wild wild west (bring in the heat, bring in the heat)

The wild wild west (what? Ha hah, ha hah)

The wild wild west (whoo, wild wild, wicki-wild)

The wild wild west (wick wild wild wild, wa-wicki wild wild)

The wild wild west (wickidy-wick wild wild wild)

The wild wild west

The wild wild west

The wild wild west (uhh, uhh)

The wild wild west (can’t stop the bumrush)

The wild wild…

The wild wild west