a good theme song was an alert to stop what you were doing and get to the TV.

In the 1990s and early 2000s, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was the sitcom you had to watch. Will Smith as a fictionalized version of himself moving to the affluent home of the Banks in the Platinum Triangle of Los Angeles was the conceit behind the hilarious, whip-smart, and often thought-provoking series. Each episode opened with that iconic, groovy drum and bass line titled "Yo Home to Bel-Air", and you knew you were in for a good time. It's one of those themes that everyone could probably sing the lyrics to, and it didn't take long to think it up.

Will Smith And DJ Jazzy Jeff Wrote The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Theme Song

Series Co-Creator, Andy Borowitz, Thought A Rapper Should Produce The Theme Song

Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, who made up DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, were the minds behind The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song (via EW). The duo had previously produced "Parents Just Don't Understand", earning a Grammy for Best Rap Performance along the way. Smith got the role in The Fresh Prince while the pair were on tour, and they were immediately asked to come up with an idea for the theme song.

Andy Borowitz, the series co-creator and a satire writer for The New Yorker, said that the idea of the show was a hip-hop version of Beverly Hillbillies, and if that was the case, then letting actual hip-hop artists write the song was the only direction to go in.

The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air's Theme Was Written In About 15 Minutes

Smith Wrote The Lyrics And DJ Jazzy Jeff Produced The Beat

Borowitz recalled that the duo wrote the song almost overnight, and Jazzy Jeff amended that, saying, "We literally went into the studio and made the theme song in about 15 minutes." Jazzy Jeff said that Smith had often commented that the hardest part of coming up with a song is the concept, but with The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, they had a concept from the jump. All they needed to do was program some music. Smith wrote some lyrics quickly, and after making a rough mix, they sent it in to NBC.

DJ Jazzy Jeff plays Jazz in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will's friend, who often gets tossed out of the Banks' house by Philip (James Avery).

Borowitz recalled sitting behind his desk when Smith walked in and did the song in front of him, "And he just rapped it in front of me, and from that moment it really didn’t change at all." That song they came up with in around 15 minutes ended up becoming one of the most well-known sing-along songs ever. Jazzy Jeff, a professional DJ, said that he's asked to play it almost every time he performs. Smith and Jazzy Jeff performed at Philadelphia's Live Aid festival and had a million people singing along.

35 Years Later, The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air's Theme Song Remains One Of TV's Most Iconic

The Lyrics Are Still Memorable, And The Beat's Still Catchy

The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air theme song remains as relevant as ever, 35 years after the show premiered. Even for those who didn't grow up watching the show, the lyrics and beat are so iconic that just the first couple of seconds of the song have a transformational effect on a crowd. Play it at a party (for the greatest effect, a party of millennials), and watch everyone look around at one another in understanding and start rapping along with Smith. The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is Smith's show, so it fits that the song would be his, too.