Backed by a three-man dance crew and fueled up on bravado, the legendary rap duo rip into the track, which was nominated for Best Rap Performance that night.
During the 1990 Grammys, the Best Rap Performance Grammy Category became the first-ever televised rap award, marking a pivotal year for hip-hop music and culture. The Best Rap Performance Grammy Award Category was first presented one year prior, at the 1989 Grammys, during the non-televised Premiere Ceremony. As a result, several rap artists and nominees, including DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, boycotted the Grammy ceremony. Prior to launching into his performance of "I Think I Can Beat Mike Tyson" at the 1990 Grammys, The Fresh Prince, aka Will Smith, nodded to the incident in his opening remarks: "We'd like to dedicate this performance to all the rappers last year that stood with us and helped us to earn the right to be on this stage tonight," he said. The note reflected on the monumental growth and impact of rap music then — and the message still resonates today.
Learn how DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince created the ultimate producer/rapper duo prototype.
Grammy Great Performances revisits some of the most iconic Grammy performances throughout the decades.
