Since it features all the charting singles,
The Very Best of DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince contains just about everything that any disc jockey played by the duo, including lighthearted smart-ass favorites like "Girls Ain't Nothing But Trouble" and "Parents Just Don't Understand," silly topical fluff like "A Nightmare on My Street" and "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson," surprisingly durable minor hits like "Brand New Funk" and "The Things U Do," and even
Jazzy Jeff's nimble instrumental flipping of tracks by
Bob James,
the Mizell Brothers, and
Marvin Gaye ("A Touch of Jazz"). One significant track that doesn't appear is "You Saw My Blinker," a rare example of cranky bitterness from the otherwise wisecracking, punchline-delivering
Fresh Prince. The 1998
Greatest Hits release and 2003's
Platinum & Gold Collection aren't much different from this set, so the best route to go is more dependent upon what's available than brain-teasing comparisons of track listings. ~ Andy Kellman