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Will Smith's Westbrook Studios develops '215', a series on his and DJ Jazzy Jeff's early careers

Westbrook Studios, Will Smith's company, is developing a scripted series called 215 about his rise with DJ Jazzy Jeff. It is the first project from a new film and TV slate with The Malar Group.

2 outlets · 0L · 2C · 0R First reported Account updated
Image: Deadline
Image: Screen Rant

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The story, neutrally told

Centre · 2Will Smith's company Westbrook Studios is developing a scripted series titled 215, based on the early life and career of Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff, according to Deadline's exclusive report. Centre · 1215 is the first project from a new slate of film and television projects that Westbrook is launching with The Malar Group, which was founded by Sayan Navaratnam. Under the partnership, Westbrook will develop and produce projects funded by Malar. Centre · 2The series follows a quick-witted teenage rapper, the DJ who is his musical other half, and the friends who helped fuel the dream. They chase a record deal, money and a way out as Philadelphia's hip-hop scene takes off, dealing with label meetings, hometown loyalty, sudden fame and strained friendships.

Centre · 1Deadline notes that DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince had hits including 1989's "Parents Just Don't Understand" and 1991's "Summertime" and sold over 5 million records. Centre · 2Deadline says it is the latest scripted series based on Smith's early life, following Bel-Air, a reimagined version of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air that ran for four seasons on Peacock. Screen Rant headlines the project as a "Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Replacement Series". Centre · 1Terence Carter, Westbrook's President of Television, said 215 is especially meaningful because it celebrates Philadelphia's late-'80s/early-'90s hip-hop scene, and described it as rooted in friendship, ambition and the integrity of that time and place.

Centre · 1Navaratnam, CEO of Malar Group, called 215 "the untold origin story" of a show audiences have connected with for decades and said it marks the start of a broader collaboration with Westbrook. No network, streamer, cast or release date was reported.

Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.

Left0 outlets

No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.

Centre2 outlets

Framing
Trade and entertainment outlets report the development news as an industry announcement; Deadline leads with the exclusive and the Westbrook–Malar partnership, while Screen Rant recasts it as a follow-up to Bel-Air.
Emphasis
Deadline stresses the partnership, executive quotes and the duo's music career; Screen Rant stresses the plot and the Fresh Prince connection.
Leaves out or plays down
Screen Rant omits the Malar Group partnership and executive quotes; neither reports a network, cast or release date.
Charged language
“Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Replacement Series”“untold origin story”
For example
“EXCLUSIVE: The early life and career of Will Smith and DJ Jazzy Jeff is set to be the inspiration for a new scripted series.” — Deadline
“Will Smith Developing New Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air Replacement Series” — Screen Rant

Right0 outlets

No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.