Ever since the dawn of MTV and Friday Night Videos, the music video has significantly impacted musical tastes and pop culture. It might not be as extreme as when the Buggles declared that "Video Killed the Radio Star", but there is no arguing that the music video certainly could make or break a song's popularity. So this regular Flashback Video feature will serve to remember some of the music videos from the great '80s decade that made an impact on me in one way or another.
This issue we will cover "Parents Just Don't Understand" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince. This is the second single released from the duo's second studio album He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper in February of 1988. "Parents Just Don't Understand" was a huge crossover hit peaking at #12 on the Billboard Hot 100 pop charts in July of 1988 and helped that album earn triple-Platinum status. It went on to win the first-ever Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards. A great deal of that success was due to the fun and comical music video which received heavy air play on MTV.
The music video for "Parents Just Don't Understand" was directed by the late Scott Kalvert who had gotten his first break directing DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince's first hit video "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble". Kalvert would also work with the duo on videos for "A Nightmare on My Street" and "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" as well as their '90s hit "Boom! Shake the Room". In the '80s, Kalvert also directed music videos such as Taylor Dayne "Tell It To My Heart", Eric B. & Rakin "Follow the Leader", Samantha Fox "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)", Kool Moe Dee "Wild Wild West", Cyndi Lauper "I Drove All Night" and LL Cool J "I'm That Type of Guy" among many others in that decade as well as the '90s. Kalvert also directed the 1995 film The Basketball Diaries.
For this video, Kalvert used the same style from the "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" video again featuring a white graffiti-filled back drop for many of the scenes. It also should look familiar from the opening theme for the television series The Fresh Price of Bel-Air which Kalvert also was hired to film. I guess if it works, you might as get as much use out of it as you can. Here is the music video for "Parents Just Don't Understand" by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince...
This was one of the videos that helped secure Rap's crossover into mainstream music as well as gave Will Smith the opportunity to star in The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air beginning his hugely successful acting career.
Hope you enjoyed another trip back to the '80s thanks to Flashback Video!