WILL SMITH's former best friend claims the ALI (2001) star is a heavyweight chump who owes him a fortune. Ex-musician Clarence Holmes has slapped Smith with a $5 million (£3. 5 million) lawsuit to recover "residual" money he says he is owed to him from their collaboration in the top-selling rap act DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince.

Holmes explains, "We were like brothers, I just couldn't believe it that Will was gonna stick me like he has. While growing up in Philadelphia, we lived about four blocks apart and did everything together. I'd call his mother, 'Mom' and he'd do the same with mine. Neither of us had to ask permission to get something from the fridge at our houses. "

Holmes, his pals Smith and Jeff Townes - aka DJ Jazzy Jeff - formed a rap group in the mid 1980s. They sold more than 6 million copies of their first two albums. But Holmes says he was unceremoniously dumped from the group after the 1988 GRAMMY Awards where they performed their smash hit Parents Just Don't Understand.

Holmes says, "It's a song that I didn't perform on but I did co- write it. since I wasn't performing, Will said there was no need for me to be onstage with him and Jeff. I was shell shocked. " Holmes claims Smith has reneged on a written contract and an oral agreement. He says he has struggled to raise his family while being paid a total of only $31,000 (£22,000) by Smith since he left the group. (SVD/TG/ES)

Source: WENN