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Quincy Jones was a legend, and the reach of his legacy in the music industry is impossible to measure. But even without music, his life definitely hit a high note for Blackness and a few other things, too.
#1: Jones claims that he used drugs during his teenage years. From the tender age of about 13, he was addicted to heroin. When he played in a band, Detroit Red sold them the drug. That drug dealer would later become Malcolm X. Jones kicked his drug use after falling down a flight of stairs and getting sense knocked into him.
#2: Jones got involved in activism and Civil Rights after MLK's death in 1968. He befriended Jesse Jackson, and after that interaction, Jones believed his power and platform were there to serve community.
#: 3 Jones narrowly escaped being murdered by Charles Manson’s cult, The Family. He was slated to be at Sharon Tate’s party that night, but he ended up not going. The reason? He simply forgot about the invite.
Jones reminds us that our brilliance, talent, and passions are more than just pastimes for us. How we wield our skills is always fertile ground for serving our communities and getting each other free.