“You know parents are the same no matter time nor place… So to you, all the kids across the land, there’s no need to argue, parents just don’t understand.”

The playful four-minute track “Parents Just Don’t Understand” highlights the difficulties of adolescence, such as teens being forced by their parents to buy geeky clothing or getting pulled over by the police after borrowing their mom’s car without permission. This song represented the youth generation of the time and gave them a new way to express themselves.

On this day, April 1, in 1989, the Philly rap duo, DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince made history and won the first rap Grammy for their song “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The song reached number 12 on the singles chart, went gold, and won an MTV Video Music Award for Best Rap Video. It represents an important period in rap history because it was the first time a “Best Rap Song” category was added to the Grammys. At first, the category was denied by producers, but after DJ Jazzy Jeff, Fresh Prince, LL Cool J, Salt-N-Pepa, and other nominees boycotted the show, the category was added.

DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince’s non-threatening image became their trademark and attracted many promoters. They used an authentic strategy to reach the youth with their relatable and accessible lyrics. Their PG-rated raps were often ridiculed because they were not aggressive or urban enough, especially compared to prevailing hip-hop. Nonetheless, their music is noted as the most infectious of the time.