About “Wild Wild West”

This is the theme song from the 1999 steampunk film Wild Wild West starring Will Smith. Though the song was commercially successful and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, it received widespread criticism for its verbatim sampling of Stevie Wonder classic “I Wish”, one of many choice cuts from his critically acclaimed Songs in the Key of Life; it was also criticized for being nowhere close to a “Western” kind of song (not that that was a bad thing).

“Wild Wild West” would later end up on Will Smith’s second studio album Willenium. The music video ended up being a star-vehicle for Dru Hill member Sisqó.

Why was Kool Moe Dee brought on to this project? It may have something to do with this 1987 track….