Andy's Anachronisms
Time Travel Songs/Videos

Will Smith
Will 2K Video

Will Smith's 1999 album Willennium introduced the single Will 2K and features Smith singing about the eve of the Millennium with a backbeat provided courtesy of The Clash's Rock the Casbah.

As with all Smith's efforts of late, there has been no expense spared in marketing the song or the concept. Case in point, the mini-epic video for Wild Wild West or the Men in Black video. The concept for the video of Will2K is a Millennium New Year's Party hosted by Will Smith, during which he takes his guests on a trip through time.

The video starts with Will addressing his guests by saying "My daddy told me one time, you don't know where you're going until you know where you've been". With that Smith fires up his hand-held Time Travel device and transports the entire party to a variety of time periods.

First stop on the tour is a 1929 speakeasy. Where Will dressed in a white top hat and tails sings on stage while guests dance until the police raid the party.

Next the crowd jumps to a late 1970's Disco where Smith dances on roller skates while wearing a jumpsuit and star shaped sunglasses complete with an over-sized Afro wig.

Then its back to 1940's where the crowd dances some swing. Smith accidentally shows up in his Disco gear, before being transformed into a zoot suit wearing hipster.

Next stop on the tour is 1984 and a period which Smith and his crew can personally relate to. It was around this time that Will Smith and Jeff Townes started their career together as The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff. If you look closely during this segment of the video Smith is actually wearing a gold chain that spells Fresh Prince, which according to Smith is a piece of his own jewelry from around that period.

During this sequence, Jeff accidentally jams the Time Machine and causes everyone except himself and Smith to slow down to a crawl. As Smith attempts to take the machine from Jeff, the device hits the stage and arms itself for the year 2222. Smith alone is transported to future where it appears he is still performing (perhaps some form of animatronic karaoke?) on a "futuristic" stage with dancers.

Nearing the end of the song Smith hears the crowd (presumably in 1999) counting down to midnight. Rushing to return to the present, Smith is a few seconds late and arrives just after everyone has shouted Happy New Year. Oblivious to the timing, Smith dressed in what appears to be a Wild Wild West outfit starts congratulating himself "Do I know how to throw a party! Will, Will, Let me hear you say Will". While his guests stare silently, Smith stops to ask what's wrong. Will suddenly notices that he is in Black and White and storms off the stage.

Will 2Kis a fun video with some great special effects and it made me want to own a hand held device like the one featured in the video. To be able to dial up a given year and be instantaneously transported to a desired time period appropriately attired would be a great value-added feature for time machines. Now if only they could put currency appropriate to the time period in your pocket, you'd be all set. This video is also interesting in that it differs from most Time Travel stories where a lone time traveler is the norm. At the most Time Travel stories has involved 2 travellers, as in the Time Tunnel. Smith, however brings his entire party with him through time.

If you haven't seen this movie on MTV,MuchMusic or some other music video show, than you can always pick up Will Smith's Music Video Collection that was released just before Christmas 1999 at a local video or record store.


The Will Smith Video Collection

  • Men in Black
  • Just Cruisin'
  • Gettin' Jiggy Wit It
  • Just the Two of Us
  • Miami
  • Wild Wild West
  • Will 2K

You can check out will Smith's official web site at www.willsmith.net where you can actually hear the song or download the video.


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