Quincy Jones' IG "Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" post

[TMC]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BY42ubAjMyX/

27 years ago today, a show that I was an Executive Producer for aired on mainstream TV, despite receiving pushback for it showcasing black culture. That show was the The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, & looking back now, it's evident that the influence of rap & hip-hop has gone far beyond the world of music...I'll never forget being asked to speak to 500+ advertisers about the show to assure them that a sitcom starring a rapper was NOT risky. I had to persuade the network's sponsors that they weren't dangerous (imagine Will & Jazzy being dangerous! Pleeeze...) And then on the day of my birthday in '90, we'd had a meeting at my home in LA, where we asked Will Smith, a rapper with no previous acting experience, to read a few pages of dialogue for about twenty NBC execs. Well, after 15 mins, we hired him. On the first day of shooting, Will didn't know where the camera was, but he learned fast & grew like an absolute weed! He's one of the most talented individuals out there, & the show proved to be a solid hit, running 150 shows over 6 years on air...As I always say, there's power in being underestimated, because if they overestimate you, they get in the way. If they underestimate you, they get out of the way...\(^o^)/ 📸: NBC

[MA]