From early success as The Fresh Prince, he has become one of Hollywood's most powerful players, notching up hits on the movie and music charts as well as gaining acclaim for Ali.
Willard Christopher Smith Jr, was born to parents Caroline, a school board employee, and Willard C Smith, the owner of a refrigeration company.
His middle class up-bringing saw him attend a Catholic school, Overbrook High School, despite his family being Baptist.His West Philadelphia neighbourhood was a melting pot of cultures with Orthodox Jews co-existing with a large Muslim population. Smith was a good student whose charming personality and quick tongue were renowned for getting him out of trouble, a trait for which he soon gained the nickname “Prince’’.
Smith began rapping at age 12 emulating heroes like Grandmaster Flash but tingeing his rhymes with a comedic element that would later become his trademark. At 16 Smith met a DJ at a party by the name of Jeff Townes. The pair became friends and the duo DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince was born.
"I had pretty high SAT scores and they (MIT) needed black kids, so I probably could have gotten in. But I had no intention of going to college."