Will Smith Announces New Hip-Hop Podcast ‘Class of ’88’ Featuring Queen Latifah, Rakim & More

Will Smith announced his new forthcoming podcast, Class of ’88, on Thursday (Sept. 21). Produced by Wondery, Audible, Westbrook and Awfully Nice, Smith will celebrate 1988 hip-hop with episodes alongside Queen Latifah, Salt-N-Pepa, Darryl ‘DMC’ McDaniels, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Rakim and Chuck D. 

“Hip-hop has been a central part of my life for over four decades,” Smith tells Billboard. “I’m hyped to share my first-hand experiences and those of some of hip-hop’s greatest legends as we delve into the origins of one of the most influential genres of music in history.”

Smith will explore the landmark year of 1988, which included the rise of Public Enemy, the ascension of The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff, and the outpour of female MCs such as Salt-N-Pepa and Queen Latifah.

Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff enjoyed success in 1988 with their standout record “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The song made history after becoming the first to win the Grammy for best rap performance at the 1989 Grammy Awards. Controversy surrounded the win, as the duo boycotted the awards show because their monumental feat wasn’t televised. The song peaked at No. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 and No. 10 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. 

The eight-episode series will be available on Amazon Music and Audible beginning Oct. 26. Prime members can also listen ad-free on Amazon Music. 

Listen to the trailer here.