The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air premiered on NBC in 1990 and ran until 1996, starring Will Smith as a fictionalised version of himself. The theme, written and performed by Smith with DJ Jazzy Jeff, was released as a single and became closely tied to the show's identity. Its extended version explains the full backstory that the shorter TV edit condenses. Online, the opening lines are widely quoted, parodied and used in memes about sudden life changes, with new generations discovering it through reruns, streaming and social media clips.