On March 29, 1988, an album that propelled two kids from West Philadelphia into the stratosphere of international fame was released on Jive Records: DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince’s He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. Their debut LP, 1987’s Rock the House, included the mild hit single, “Girls Ain’t Nothing But Trouble,” but it was the duo’s sophomore effort, which eventually sold enough to be certified triple platinum, that ranks among the most successful hip-hop records ever—and certainly the most successful out of Philadelphia.

He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper made Jeffrey Townes and Will Smith household names throughout their beloved hometown, while subsequently putting Philly on the map and the global stage in ways that still resonate a quarter-century later. Townes remains one of the most respected spinmasters in the world, and Smith has become one of the highest grossing actors in Hollywood and part owner of the 76ers.

But DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince were absolute underdogs at the time. They were making rap music, but didn’t sound like anyone else, didn’t look like anyone else and almost didn’t fit in—except that they did. Why? Because they were “regular kids from the neighborhood” that hip-hop could relate to. What set them apart was that they were making music that was slightly ahead of the curve.