EXCLUSIVE: The early life and career of Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff is set to be the inspiration for a new scripted series.
Smith’s company Westbrook Studios is launching a new slate of film and television projects with The Malar Group, founded by Sayan Navaratnam, and 215 is the first project to emerge from the partnership.
The partnership will see Westbrook develop and produce projects funded by The Malar Group.
215 is based on Smith’s early life and his rise alongside DJ Jazzy Jeff as one of hip-hop’s first crossover acts. It follows a quick-witted teenage rapper, the DJ who is his musical other half, and the friends who helped fuel the dream. Together they chase a record deal, money and a way out as the city’s hip-hop scene takes off. Along the way they deal with label meetings, hometown loyalty, sudden fame and the friendships that hold them together, or almost don’t.
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince were behind hots such as 1989’s “Parents Just Don’t Understand” and 1991’s “Summertime” and sold over 5M records.
It marks the latest scripted series to be based on Smith’s early life; Bel-Air, a reimagined version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air ran for four seasons on Peacock.
“Westbrook has always been focused on developing stories with strong characters, distinctive worlds and a clear point of view,” said Terence Carter, President of Television, Westbrook Studios. “215 is especially meaningful to us because it draws from the rise of DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince and celebrates Philadelphia during such a defining era in the city’s late-’80s/early-’90s hip-hop scene. The Malar Group shares our approach to storytelling, and this partnership gives us the opportunity to build a slate together with intention, beginning with a project rooted in friendship, ambition and the integrity of this specific time and place.”
“We’re excited to partner with Westbrook Studios on a slate of film and television projects driven by distinctive creative vision and exceptional storytelling,” added Sayan Navaratnam, CEO of Malar Group. “215 caught our attention immediately. It’s the untold origin story of a show that audiences around the world have connected with for decades, but at its heart, it’s about two people who believed in each other, overcame extraordinary odds and built something that endured. 215 marks the start of a broader collaboration with Westbrook Studios, and we look forward to this project and the stories still to come.”
English (US) ·