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31 分钟In January of 1988, the music industry was treating hip hop like a fad. But that was all about to change – along with the lives of two kids from Philly. Host Will Smith brings us straight into the most pivotal year in hip hop history. It started at the Battle for World Supremacy, the world’s largest DJ competition in NYC. Featured voices: Will Smith and Jazzy Jeff. You can binge all episodes of Class of '88 exclusively and ad-free by joining Audible or Wondery+ in the Wondery App. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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Ladies, ladies.
It's a show to begin.
To begin.
Back when I was a teenager, before hip hop ruled the world, there was a DJ competition called the Battle for World Supremacy.
Every year, the best DJs would cram into a hotel ballroom in Times Square to fight for the title of world champion.
In 1986, my guy, DJ Jazzy Jeff, made it into the lineup.
You know, so we mobbed up there Philly style to cheer him on.
He needed a little support.
It was in New York City and I was going against New York DJs.
We were treated so horribly because we weren't from New York.
But in order to prove yourself, you almost felt like you had to go to New York.
In those days, there were no Billboard rap charts, no rap awards at the Grammys.
Hip hop was mostly happening underground.
In two years, it would all be different.
But for now, if you wanted to make a name for yourself in hip hop, you had to go to New York.
And that's why we were there, to try to put DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince on the map.
And it's all of these high profile DJs.
You know, Dougie Fresh's DJ was in it, and, you know, it was all of these big DJs.
And that was definitely something I wasn't supposed to win.