3 Reasons Quincy Jones Will Always Be A Legend

younger quincy jones smiling
Via Wikipedia
Leslie Grover-Taylor
November 10, 2024

Quincy Jones has gifted us with so many jewels for the culture, but it wasn’t until MLK’s death that he began to see his work as a means of activism. Here are three of his Blackest moments:

#1 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air is beloved by the culture. But had it not been for Jones’ influence on Will Smith, Smith might never have taken the role. Though Smith was a rapper, he doubted his ability to act. Jones, who produced the show, gave Smith a pep talk, encouraging him to take a risk. And the rest is freshest history ever.

#2 Urban culture began to take off in the 90s, but as popular as it was, mainstream media still refused to respect it. Enter Jones, who founded Quincy Jones Entertainment and gave us VIBE Magazine and Qwest TV. Both are now digital. The VIBE archives still contain the largest archive of hip-hop’s rich history.

#3 Jones is connected to every form of Black music. From hymns to jazz, to soul, to R&B, to pop, to hip-hop, there is no genre that Jones’ talent has not helped develop or innovate.

Jones’ legacy as a producer, arranger, solo artist, composer, mogul, innovator, and entrepreneur reminds us of the power of our voices to create art, change, and community. What’s your favorite Quincy Jones creation?

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