Summary
- Will Smith’s movie and TV songs, such as those from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” and “Men in Black,” have had a lasting impact on popular culture.
- Some of Smith’s movie and TV songs, like the end-credits remix of “Friend Like Me” in “Aladdin,” didn’t resonate as well with audiences, possibly due to the lack of a music video.
- Smith’s song “Wild Wild West” from the film of the same name was a commercial success despite the film’s failure, showcasing the power of music videos in popular culture.
Will Smith‘s music and acting career often joined together, with several of his most popular songs having been written specifically for a film or TV series he starred in. This added an extra layer of interest to these projects since audiences were given a sort of souvenir to remember Smith’s role by. Years later, songs from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Men in Black, Aladdin, and more continue to have a lasting impact on popular culture. For some titles, this impact was more lasting than others.
Smith first rose to fame thanks to his song “Girls Ain’t Nothing but Trouble” in 1987, and he and partner DJ Jazzy Jeff ultimately took their careers to the next level with the NBC television series The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which included a theme song in the pair’s instantly recognizable style. As Smith continued his music and acting career, his songs became known for their storytelling and plot elements, so it continued to make sense for the artist to come up with raps to go along with his movies. Ultimately, this led to several other non-music-related endeavors, but Smith’s movie and TV songs are still remembered as a staple of his career.
8 “Friend Like Me (End Title)”
Aladdin (2019)
Smith had the tough job of following up actor Robin Williams’ performance as Genie in the 2019 remake of Aladdin, which meant taking over each of the original film’s iconic songs. Though the versions seen throughout the film were more similar to the songs sung by Williams, the ending credits included a remix of “Friend Like Me” that was unmistakably in Smith’s style. Featuring DJ Khaled, the song sampled the hook from the original number and incorporated the lyrics, but most of the end-title remix was entirely original.
Though it’s certainly a fun song that showcased a lot of creativity from Smith and DJ Khaled, YouTube views suggest that audiences didn’t enjoy it as much as the other musical numbers from Aladdin. The 6.9 million views on the DisneyMusicVEVO account is pretty measly compared to Smith’s other songs, and this is likely because there is no music video or movie action to go along with it since Friend Like Me (End Title) was only meant to play over the end credits.
7 “Black Suits Comin’ (Nod Ya Head)”
Men In Black II (2002)
Men in Black was the first film to feature a song by Smith, so it only made sense that Men in Black 2 would do the same. The sequel brought Tommy Lee and Smith back together to fight the threats against planet Earth, but it didn’t perform quite as well as its predecessor at the box office. Still, Men in Black 2 was an overall success, embracing the cheesy sci-fi concepts with Smith’s quippy character and a fun new song, “Black Suits Comin’ (Nod Ya Head).”
Currently, on the official WillSmithVEVO account on YouTube, “Black Suits Comin'” has 14 million views, significantly lower than his other songs. It could be that this title had a very different sound than Smith’s more familiar style. The rock-and-roll feel emphasized the fresh idea of the sequel’s plot and the confidence of Smith’s character compared to that of the first film. Still, this theme song didn’t quite hit the way the original Men in Black soundtrack did, which is reflected in the song and video’s 6.3/10 rating on IMDb.
6 “Wild Wild West”
Wild Wild West (1999)
The 1999 film Wild Wild West was considered a commercial failure, barely managing a 16 percent critic score on Rotten Tomatoes. It only brought in $222 million at the global box office (via Box Office Mojo). With a budget of $170 million, this wasn’t enough to break even when considering additional costs. However, the ridiculousness that made Wild Wild West flop worked far better in the form of a music video.
As well as being released as part of the film’s soundtrack, “Wild Wild West” was the lead single on Smith’s studio album, Willennium, and it quickly became a number 1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100. It was even nominated for Best Rap Solo Performance at the 42nd Grammy Awards. This success is reflected in the song and music video’s 43 million views—though not Smith’s best, “Wild Wild West” is certainly memorable and still holds a place in popular culture today (even if the film doesn’t).
5 “Arabian Nights”
Aladdin (2019)
Aside from the end-credits remix of “Friend Like Me,” Smith’s songs in Aladdin were highly different from those he typically produced. As the song that kicked off the film and the first look at how Smith would handle taking over for Robin Williams, “Arabian Nights” needed to leave a significant impact, and it managed to do just that. The number went through a few lyric changes from Williams’ 1992 version, and the accompanying music took things up a notch with some dramatic percussion. Smith pulled this all together with an excellent vocal performance in a style many weren’t sure he could manage.
Though another of Smith’s songs that didn’t get an accompanying video on the DisneyMusicVEVO channel, “Arabian Nights” still managed 43 million views on YouTube, with 552 thousand likes and 17 thousand comments from users, with many praising Smith’s out-of-the-norm performance.
4 “Friend Like Me”
Aladdin (2019)
As Genie’s signature song in Aladdin, all eyes were on Smith for “Friend Like Me” in the 2019 live-action remake. Thankfully, he nailed it. The actor didn’t try too hard to duplicate Robin Williams’ performance, throwing in many of his trademark vocalizations throughout the song. There was no mistaking that this was a number by Smith, but a great deal of respect was shown to the original Genie as well. Ultimately, the remake of “Friend Like Me” was fresh, modern, and fun while remaining familiar and nostalgic.
The popularity of this Aladdin song is evident from the 123 million views on the DisneyMusicVEVO YouTube channel, as well as the 891 thousand likes from audiences. Overall, “Friend Like Me” is a significant part of why Smith’s performance as Genie has been so praised.
3 “Prince Ali”
Aladdin (2019)
“Friend Like Me” might have been fun, but it didn’t quite compare to Smith’s version of “Prince Ali” in the Aladdin remake. The clip for the former was done entirely with CGI since Genie was in his blue form while explaining the rules of the lamp to Aladdin, but “Prince Ali” felt like live theater at its finest. This energy is apparent in Smith’s performance. Dancers, drummers, and acrobats all paraded down the Aghraba set, which was constructed for filming by Aladdin‘s crew, and Smith led the way with all the pizzaz he could muster.
It’s no surprise that Smith’s version of “Prince Ali” has 207 million views on YouTube, with a whopping 1.3 million likes. Though (rightfully) lacking in any lines of traditional rap, Smith made the song unmistakably his own with his added touches and vocalizations. Perhaps the best part of “Prince Ali” is that the performer genuinely looked like he was having a great time.
2 “Men In Black”
Men In Black (1997)
Men in Black wasn’t Smith’s first blockbuster, but it is certainly one he will always be remembered for. The young actor joining forces with Tommy Lee was enough to draw audiences in, and neither actor let them down. The film was a critical success, hailed for its over-the-top yet well-balanced comedy and expertly managed special and practical effects. Smith himself was likable as the charismatic Agent J, but it was his song, “Men in Black,” that earned him formal accolades.
Though the “Men in Black” music video has fewer views than “Prince Ali” (136 million on the WillSmithMusicVEVO channel), the fact that this song earned Smith a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance in 1998 allows it to rank higher. The line “Here come the Men in Black, Galaxy Defender” is nearly as iconic as the “Ghost Busters” song, and the accompanying music video is the perfect mini tease for an already great film.
1 “The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air”
The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air (1990 – 1996)
Smith’s “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” might not have the most views on YouTube, and it may never have earned the actor a Grammy, but the song’s impact on popular culture cannot be overstated. It’s easily one of the most iconic TV theme songs of all time, with many knowing the tune and first couple of lines even if they never sat down to watch the show. It’s classic Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff—a significant part of why the duo rose to fame to begin with.
“The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” was unique in that it didn’t just introduce the characters of the NBC series, it told the entire beginning of the character’s story. Without the show, the song and music video tells a rather complete tale all its own, just as Smith’s previous songs like “Girl’s Ain’t Nothing but Trouble” and “Parents Just Don’t Understand” did. Ultimately, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air TV show and song worked together to make a more complete plot and established the sort of work that the talented Will Smith would be known for.
