| "Parents Just Don't Understand" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single byDJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince | ||||
| from the albumHe's the DJ, I'm the Rapper | ||||
| Released | February 17, 1988 | |||
| Recorded | 1987 | |||
| Studio | Battery Studios (London) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length |
| |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Songwriters | Pete Harris,Will Smith,Jeffrey Townes | |||
| Producers | Harris, Smith, Townes, Bryan "Chuck" New | |||
| DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Audio sample | ||||
| Music video | ||||
| "Parents Just Don't Understand" onYouTube | ||||
"Parents Just Don't Understand" is the second single from American duoDJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince's second studio album,He's the DJ, I'm the Rapper (1988). In the song, theFresh Prince details his problems with his parents, whom he feels do not understand the challenges of being a teenager.
The song was released as a single in spring 1988 byJive and peaked at number 12 on the USBillboard Hot 100.[1] It won aGrammy Award for Best Rap Performance at the1989 Grammy Awards, one of the two songs to do so before the award was discontinued in 1991. The song was referenced several times in thetelevision showThe Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and was ranked number 96 onVH1's "100 Greatest Songs ofHip Hop". It was also featured in the moviesThe Parent Trap (1998),Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius (2001)Malibu's Most Wanted (2003) andJersey Girl (2004).
In the first verse, theFresh Prince recounts the time he went to theGallery Mall with his family to buy clothes for the upcoming school year. His mother buys him clothes that do not align with his personal tastes, includingbell-bottoms and a plaid shirt with a butterfly collar. On the first day of school, the Prince attempts to fake being sick, with no success. Forced to wear the clothes that his mother chose for him, the Prince is met with ridicule from his schoolmates.
In the second verse, the Prince recounts the time he took the familyPorsche out for a drive while his parents were on vacation, despite not yet having adriver's license. He picks up an attractive young girl and takes her toMcDonald's. When the Prince shows off the car's speed, he is pulled over by the police, and finds out that the girl he picked up was atween runaway. The Prince is arrested and his parents have to cut their vacation short to bail him out; they angrily assault him on the way home.
Jack Barron fromNME wrote, "Over a hip-bone-quaking bass and horns that blow harder than a hurricane The Fresh Prince tells a domestic tale that halfway through turns into a nightmare when his mom buys him zits for his birthday and dresses him in flares. Mind you he's his own worst enemy, making typical mistakes like stealing his parents' car to impress his girlfriend and striking out until he gets arrested by the police for not having a licence. [...] Wack it up the next time you have an argument with your ma and pa."[2]
Lil' Romeo,3LW, andNick Cannon recorded a cover for theJimmy Neutron: Boy Genius soundtrack in 2001. T-Squad covered the song in 2007 on their only albumT-Squad.[3]
Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) sang part of the song in the cold open ofseason 2 episode 1 ofParks and Recreation, "Pawnee Zoo" in 2009.
| Chart (1988) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[4] | 49 |
| Canada Top Singles (RPM) | 28 |
| New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[5] | 13 |
| UK Singles (OCC)[6] | 87 |
| USBillboard Hot 100 | 12 |
| USHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[7] | 10 |
| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| United States (RIAA)[8] | Gold | 500,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
