Quincy Jones, the legendary music producer behind Michael Jackson‘s Thriller, has died at the age of 91.
Jones, who also worked with names as eclectic as Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin and Will Smith, died at his Los Angeles home on Sunday night (November 3).
The news was revealed by Jones’ publicist, who released a statement from his family saying: “Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing. And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”
A cause of death has yet to be announced.
As well as his celebrated collaborations with Michael Jackson, Quincy Jones was also renowned for his work on film soundtracks such as those from The Italian Job, The Color Purple and The Getaway.
When Jones was a young man, he was also notable for his work in jazz, collaborating with greats such as Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Ella Fitzgerald. He also played trumpet for Elvis Presley.
Outside of his work in music, Jones served as a producer on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and co-founded VIBE magazine.
Tributes to the music giant have already started pouring in, with Victoria Monét writing on social media: “To one of my biggest inspirations! Quincy I love you so much!!! Your legacy will live on forever and ever. Heaven definitely got an upgrade with you.”
Just Blaze added in an emotional tribute: “It took my mom a while to understand what I did. She just knew it was something to do with music and turntables and machines.
“It didn’t really click fully until we went to the Grammys for the first time along with her students asking if it was true she was Just Blaze’s mother. She couldn’t figure out how they knew who I was. Eventually one day she asked ‘so are you like Quincy Jones, but for rap music?'”
Fellow Hip Hop producer Pete Rock said on Instagram: “Rest in peace Quincy, truly one of the greatest ever! Worth can’t describe the importance. Thanks for everything my Dude.”
R&B duo Dvsn added: “Quincy…. Magic has left again. Not much more left here,” while Top Dawg Entertainment president Terrence “Punch” Henderson tweeted: “Quincy Delight Jones Jr. The G.O.A.T.”
💔💔💔💔💔 to one of my biggest inspirations! Quincy I love you so much!!! Your legacy will live on forever and ever 😢 Heaven definitely got an upgrade with you
— Victoria Monét (@VictoriaMonet) November 4, 2024
Quincy…. Magic has left again. Not much more left here. 💔
— dvsn ÷ (@dvsn) November 4, 2024
Quincy Delight Jones Jr.
The G.O.A.T
— Punch TDE (@iamstillpunch) November 4, 2024
Quincy Jones, man. Lucky to have known him from my VIBE days. What's crazy is that as much as he's recognized for his work with Michael Jackson, it's his Frank Sinatra work I find myself listening to more recently. Sinatra singing over a Quincy Jones arranged Count Basie band is…
— Cheo Hodari Coker (@cheo_coker) November 4, 2024
Notorious screenwriter Cheo Hodari Coker also paid tribute, writing: “Quincy Jones, man. Lucky to have known him from my VIBE days. What’s crazy is that as much as he’s recognized for his work with Michael Jackson, it’s his Frank Sinatra work I find myself listening to more recently. Sinatra singing over a Quincy Jones arranged Count Basie band is absolute perfection.
“That’s the beauty of Q. His arrangements and production of Ray Charles, Dinah Washington, and Basie would have guaranteed him Hall Of Fame status, but he continued to evolve. From Bebop through hip-hop at its highest levels, he’s the only person who can righteously claim both.”
HipHopDX sends its condolences to Quincy Jones’ family, friends and fans.
A life well lived, RIP
RIP. Few people deserve the title legend…he is one of the few.
It’s not a hiphop related post. Take that shit elsewhere
Dozens of HIP HOP artists sampled his music as well as collaborated with him….
Rest In Power Q
His music was sampled thousands of times within hip hop, including the biggest of names and the most recognizable beats… and that isn’t even mentioning the other shit he did for the genre (expanding to tv and print). The fact that you don’t think this is hip hop related shows how little you know about hip hop.
🤣
Are you serious? He has so many hits sampled by artists not to mention being behind Will Smith getting his sitcom that preceded him becoming a superstar. Had the Vibe magazine. There is so much history with hip hop. Something wrong with you?
And yet no one is putting an unrelated rock artist dying just because his music was sampled one time. This belongs on a pop site, not hiphop as he didn’t produce any hiphop music
Will smith was a pop rapper, not a hiphop artist. That’s not the same thing. He wasn’t signing hiphop artists, just pop and r&b.
If there was a rock artist that was sampled over 3500 times by the hip hop community, they would probably be mentioned here too.
It’s like mentioning big time rush news just because they worked with a hiphop artist one time. He didn’t significantly contribute to hiphop. He’s definitely talented but hiphop is the last thing I would describe him. He worked with frank Sinatra for crying out loud. How is it hiphop?
Just admit you’re a dummy and keep it moving.
Quincy Jones is the greatest producer of all time regardless of genre!!! Period! RIP
Some hip hop songs that sampled Quincy Jones productions: Shook Ones Pt2, It Ain’t Hard to Tell, Passing Me By, Good Life, Hey Lover, King Kunta, Breakadawn, How Do You Want It, Temperatures Rising, Rhymes Like Dimes, Colors, Like Toy Soldiers, Number 1 Spot, So Many Tears, Unbelievable, Speak Ya Clout. RIP to arguably the greatest producer in music history.
One of the GOATs. RIP King.
life goes on…fuck em💯
ScumGAY 🤣
Rip legend.