Synopsis

Will Smith turns "Just the Two of Us" into a heartfelt portrait of fatherhood. The video opens with Smith spending time with his young son, Trey, before expanding into a warm collage of family moments and fathers with their children. Smith performs in a bright, minimalist setting while the lyrics reflect on parental responsibility, protection, discipline, and unconditional love. The personal focus broadens into a celebration of family, featuring Smith's relatives, celebrity fathers, and a glimpse of his pregnant wife, Jada Pinkett Smith.

Factoids & Trivia

• The song was released in 1998 as the fourth single from Smith's debut solo album, Big Willie Style.

• Smith's version draws heavily from Grover Washington Jr. and Bill Withers' 1981 song of the same name, using elements of its melody and chorus while changing the subject from romantic love to the bond between a father and son.

• Smith's real-life son Trey appears throughout the video. The opening exchange, in which Trey warns his father that the subject is sensitive, gives the otherwise emotional presentation a playful touch.

• Jada Pinkett Smith appears while pregnant with the couple's first child, Jaden. Will's father and siblings are also included, making the video notably autobiographical.

• The family theme is extended through appearances by fathers including Babyface, Montell Jordan, Brian McKnight, Magic Johnson, and Muhammad Ali.

• Muhammad Ali's appearance gained an extra layer of significance when Smith later portrayed him in the 2001 biographical film Ali.

• The video won the Best Male Video award at the 1998 MTV Video Music Awards.