Jeffrey Miree (born July 7, 1962), also known as MC Jazzy Jeff, is an American rapper and member of the

Funky 4 + 1 Funky 4 + 1 was an American hip hop group from The Bronx, New York, composed of Jazzy Jeff, Sha-Rock (b. Sharon Green), D.J. Breakout, Guy Williams, Keith Keith, The Voice of K.K., and Rodney Cee (Stone). The group originally started with K.K ...

who was active from 1979 to 2002. He is sometimes referred to as Original M.C. Jazzy Jeff, in order to indicate that he preceded

DJ Jazzy Jeff Jeffrey Allen Townes (born January 22, 1965), known professionally as DJ Jazzy Jeff (or simply Jazz), is an American DJ and producer. He was one half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, along with Will Smith. He is credited, ...

from Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince. Miree began his career in 1976 with hip hop group Funky 4 + 1. They were the first hip hop group to perform on national television (''

Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL'') is an American Late night television in the United States, late-night live television, live sketch comedy variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Michaels and Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC. The ...

'') performing their hit "That's the Joint" in 1981. After splitting up in 1983, MC Jazzy Jeff signed a solo deal with

Jive Records Jive Records (later stylized as JIVE Records) was a British-American independent record label founded by Clive Calder in 1981 as a subsidiary of the Zomba Group of Companies, Zomba Group. In the US, the label had offices in New York City and Chic ...

and recorded the album ''On Fire'' (1985). The track "King Heroin" became a moderate success. His second album, which was completed in 1987, was never released by the label. That same year Jive Records signed

Jeffrey Townes Jeffrey Allen Townes (born January 22, 1965), known professionally as DJ Jazzy Jeff (or simply Jazz), is an American DJ and producer. He was one half of the hip-hop duo DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince, along with Will Smith. He is credited, ...

and

Will Smith Willard Carroll Smith II (born September 25, 1968) is an American actor, rapper, and film producer. Known for his work in both Will Smith filmography, the screen and Will Smith discography, music industries, List of awards and nominations re ...

, better known then as

DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were an American hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, consisting of the rapper and actor Will Smith (the Fresh Prince) and the turntablist Jeff Townes (DJ Jazzy Jeff). Active from 1986 to 1994 an ...

. A year later, ''I'm the DJ, He's the Rapper'' – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's debut album – was on sale. In 1994, MC Jazzy Jeff sued Jive Records and he won a lawsuit over the rights over the name Jazzy Jeff.

Discography

* ''On Fire'' (Jive/Arista Records) (1985)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jazzy Jeff, MC 1962 births African-American male rappers 21st-century American male rappers 20th-century American male rappers Jive Records artists Living people Rappers from the Bronx East Coast hip-hop musicians 21st-century American rappers 21st-century American male musicians 21st-century African-American musicians 20th-century African-American musicians Funky 4 + 1 members