10 Cheesiest Music Videos Of The 80s
5. Parents Just Don't Understand - DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince
When talking about the early genesis of MTV, it took hip hop a hot second to be taken seriously. Compared to the more lavish productions coming from the genres of pop and hair metal, the idea of the golden age of hip hop couldn't help but be treated as a joke in some circles (I mean, just look at the Beastie Boys' early videos). Run-DMC managed to make it to the other side alright...so did Public Enemy...but not so much for the Fresh Prince.
Granted, it might be a little bit harder to divorce Will Smith's early rap career from his turn as an actor on the Fresh Prince of Bel Air and in blockbusters to this day. Then again, he does have some pretty decent bars across Parents Just Don't Understand, albeit with some of the most neon-colored things to ever grace a hip hop video.
This isn't even the same kind of kitsch you would get from an In Living Colour set either, with most of these random textiles feeling like they're more suited to a kid's TV show than an actual lyrical tour de force. Kudos to them for at least trying to appeal to the younger demographic with something like this, but this video alone is probably the reason why we needed an act like NWA to bring things back to the streets.