Quincy Jones’ countless friends, fans, and peers have started sharing tributes to the legendary musician and producer following his death on Sunday, Nov. 3, at the age of 91.
Ice-T, who won his first Grammy after contributing to Jones’ 1989 song “Back on the Block,” wrote on Twitter, “I woke up today to the Terrible news that we lost Quincy Jones. Genius is a description loosely used but Rarely deserved. Point blank, Quincy was the MAN… I live with his Wisdom daily. My condolences go out to his family who I had the honor of meeting. This one Hit me. God bless you KING.”
Victoria Monét called Jones “one of my biggest inspirations,” adding, “Your legacy will live forever and ever. Heaven definitely got an upgrade with you.” LL Cool J — who once dated Jones’ daughter, the actress and model Kidada — celebrated Jones as a “mentor,” “role model,” and “a father and example at a time when I truly needed a father and example.”
The rapper continued: “You gave me opportunities and shared wisdom. Music would not be music without you. My condolences to the entire family. I love you. Rest in the sweetest music eternally.”
Oscar-winning actor Michael Caine — who was born on the same day as Jones, March 14, 1933 — honored his “celestial twin” as “a titan in the musical world.” Caine added: “He was a wonderful man and unique human being, lucky to have known him.” (Jones also scored the 1969 Caine-starring heist film, The Italian Job.)
Another actor, Colman Domingo, remembered meeting Jones and the producer asking him where hew as from: “Philly I replied, his eyes twinkled and he talked about the Uptown Theater. I was so thrilled to meet Mr. American Music himself. I literally kneeled because he was a King. Thank you Mr. Quincy Jones for giving us all the sound.”
Domingo, who starred in the 2023 remake of The Color People — which Jones produced after scoring Steven Spielberg’s 1985 original — also said he hoped everyone spend the day playing Jones’ music to “send this genius King off… Why? Because there would be no American Music without this great man.”
Other tributes came in from Nile Rodgers, who bestowed upon Jones a several honorific hashtags — “leader, teacher, spirit, pioneer” — and producer Flying Lotus, who wrote of Jones, “He was absolutely the template.”
Elsewhere, playwright Jeremy O. Harris celebrated Jones’ versatility and “limitless” contributions to American culture. “Quincy Jones, literally born when the limits on how big a black boy could dream were unfathomably high, taught us that the limit does not exist,” he wrote, adding: First black person nominated for an Oscar for best score. First black person nominated later twice in the same year. The producer of inarguably the biggest albums of the 20th century. An EGOT. Father to some of pretty incredibly talented children as well and godfather to musicians around the world.”
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