In 1985, under The stage name "The Fresh Prince", Will Smith and producer DJ Jazzy Jeff formed the rap group DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.
In 1986, the group released their first single "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble" on Word Up Records. The song attracted Russell Simmons, who helped the group sign to JIVE Records.
In 1987, the group released their first studio album, Rock the House, which featured ten rap songs, including "Girls Ain't Nothing but Trouble".
In 1988, the group released their second studio album, He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper, which sold more than 2.5 million copies. The album's title track, "Parents Just Don't Understand," sold more than 500,000 copies and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, with Will Smith winning the 31st Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance.
in 1989, the group released their third studio album, And in This Corner... The album earned the group a nomination for Best Rap Performance at the 33rd Grammy Awards, and the track "I don't Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" earned Will Smith a nomination for Best Rap Performance at the 32nd Grammy Awards.
In 1990, Will Smith moved to television due to financial problems; Later, he guest-starred on the ABC comedy series ABC Afterschool Special; That same year, he gained more attention when his sitcom, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, which he starred in and produced, aired on NBC. In 1991, with the release of the group's studio album Homebase, the track "Summertime" reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100 and won the group the 34th Grammy Award for Best Rap Duo or Group.
In 1992, Will Smith appeared in his first film, As Time Goes By, which grossed only $400,000, and Will Smith was paid only $50,000; In The same year, the song "Higher Baby" was released with DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, and was included in the Barcelona Olympic Song collection Barcelona Gold.
In 1993, she starred in the comedy film "Made in America" directed by Richard Benjamin. In October, the group released the studio album "Code Red"; In December, the art-house film Six Degrees of Separation, co-starring Stockart Janning, was released, starring Will Smith as Paul the liar.
The 1995 action film "Jedi Men," directed by Michael Bay and starring Will Smith as the sleek, dashing Mike Lowry, made $140 million at the global box office.
In July 1996, the sci-fi film Independence Day, co-starring Bill Pullman and Jeff Goldblum and starring Will Smith as Steve, a brave and combative Air Force pilot, was released and grossed $817 million worldwide. Will Smith won the award for Best Kiss (with Vivica Fox) at the 6th MTV Movie Awards and the award for Favorite Sci-Fi Actor at the 4th Blockbuster Superstar Awards.
1997 DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince disbanded and Will Smith released his first solo studio album, "Big Willie Style," which sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. It won Favorite Pop Rock Album and Favorite Soul R&B Album at the 26th American Music Awards. In July, the science fiction action film "Men in Black" starring Tommy Lee Jones was released, and Will Smith played the agent J with a strong sense of responsibility and good strategy, and knew how to react to changes. The global box office of the film was nearly 600 million dollars. in addition, Will Smith sang the theme song "Men in Black" for the film, which won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Film Song Video, and Will Smith won the 40th Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for the song. In the same year, he partnered with Ken Stovitz to form Overbrook Entertainment.
In January 1998, he released the pop rap solo single "Gettin' Jiggy wit It", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video, and won Will Smith the 41st Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance. In September, he won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video for his single "Just the Two of Us". In November, the action film Public Enemies, co-starring Gene Hackman and starring Will Smith as Robert, a career lawyer caught up in a murder case he cannot escape, was released and grossed $250 million worldwide.
In January 1999, he won the Most Popular Soul R&B Male Artist Award at the 26th American Music Awards. In February, she won the Artist of the Year award at the 30th National Association of Colored People Awards. In June, with Kevin Kline, Salma Hayek co-starring in the sci-fi comedy western "Drag Race" released, Will Smith as the personality witty, romantic federal agent James West, his film soundtrack won the 27th American Music Awards favorite soundtrack award; In September, he won the MTV Video Music Award for Best Male Video for his single "Miami". In November, she released her second solo album Willennium.
In 2000, he co-starred with Matt Damon and Charlize Theron in the sports inspirational film "Return to Glory", playing the mysterious black caddie Bug Vance; In January, he won the Best Pop Rock Male Artist Award at the 27th American Music Awards.
In 2001, he co-starred with Jimi Foxx in the biographical film "Ali", playing the American boxing champion Muhammad Ali, with which he won the MTV Movie Award for Best Actor, and was shortlisted for the 74th Academy Award for Best Actor and the 59th American Film and Television Golden Globe Award for Best Drama Actor.
In June 2002, he released his third studio album Born to Reign. July saw the release of the sci-fi comedy Men in Black 2, starring Tommy Lee Jones, which grossed $441 million at the global box office and featured the theme song "Black Suits Comin' (Nod Ya Head)" by Will Smith; In the same year, he was executive producer of the action film Show Time, starring Robert De Niro and Eddie Murphy.
