Today in black history: Dr. J is born, DJ Jazzy Jeff and Will Smith win a Grammy

1950 – Happy birthday, Dr. J. Julius Winfield “Dr. J” Erving is known for dunking from the free throw line and leaping above the rim. Erving won two ABA championships, one NBA title and four MVP awards. He spent time with the New York (now Brooklyn) Nets, the Virginia Squires and the Philadelphia 76ers. Erving was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 1993.

1989 — DJ Jazzy Jeff and The Fresh Prince (aka Will Smith) get the Grammy. The rapper/DJ duo of Smith and Jazzy Jeff was the first rap group to win a Grammy for best rap performance for the hit single “Parents Just Don’t Understand.” The best rap performance category was first presented at the 31st Annual Grammy Awards in 1989. They beat out J.J. Fad for “Supersonic,” Kool Moe Dee for “Wild Wild West,” LL Cool J for “Going Back to Cali” and Salt-N-Pepa for “Push It.” Jazzy Jeff and Smith boycotted the Grammys that year because their category wasn’t televised.