How Quincy Jones Transformed Culture in Every Generation
28 Grammys.
E.G.O.T. winner.
100s of records produced.
The list goes on.
As a society, we tend to use the word "legend" loosely, but if you ever need an example of a bonafide legend, it’s Quincy Jones.
More than a musical genius, Quincy Jones is a cultural institution responsible for a lot of the work we love and cherish today. There will likely never be another figure that influential in pop culture again, so he deserves all of the props.
His impact reaches across generations, and people tend to forget exactly how much he gave to the world. But don’t worry, we’ll change that in a second.
For this edition of SNOBHOP, let’s talk about Quincy Jones's influence across generations — from music to TV, and everything in between.
Let’s get it.
On March 14, 1933…
Quincy Delight Jones Jr. was born in Chicago’s South Side. In the 1930s, Chicago was a vibrant but tough place, and young Quincy grew up surrounded by the stark realities of the Great Depression and segregation.
Raised by his father, Quincy’s family eventually moved from Chicago to Seattle, seeking better opportunities and a fresh start after his mother’s struggles with mental health caused turmoil inside the family.
Seattle became the launching pad for Q’s music journey. While there, he attended Garfield High School, where he first discovered his passion for music, specifically the trumpet.
It was here that he met Ray Charles, a fellow teenager and soon-to-be legend, who inspired Quincy to dive deeper into Jazz. Quincy spent countless hours practicing, even sneaking into Seattle clubs to watch musicians perform, soaking up every bit of knowledge.
These formative years exposed him to a plethora of musical styles, and shaped his versatility as a musician, setting him on the path to becoming one of the most influential figures in music history.
If you look at his impact by the decade…
You’ll see that since the 50’s/60s, Quincy Jones's fingerprints are printed somewhere on the cultural tapestry. Each generation knows him for different things, but cumulatively, his impact casts a wide shadow that touches almost everything.
THE 50’s & 60’s
Quincy Jones was at the heart of the Jazz Renaissance, having been a member of Count Basie’s Band and working with Jazz Giants like Duke Ellington and Lionel Hampton. He was also foundational in the career of singer Dinah Washington too.
By 1961, Quincy’s career was on a uptick because of the work he’d done in the Jazz world. This momentum eventually led to him becoming the VP of Mercury Records, where he helped break several Black artists into the mainstream.
Moreover, as the decade progressed, Quincy caught the ear of Frank Sinatra. The two collaborated on the album “It Might As Well Be Swing,” and his time with Sinatra became the springboard that led him into film scoring — effectively opening the film scoring biz to Black people.
THE 70’s
At the start of the decade, Quincy was around 37 years old, but he had already accomplished so much by then. The 70s would mark the beginning of what’s arguably his most important work, and it spans across music and film.
A. Film Scores
Going back to the earlier note about Sinatra helping Quincy Jone get into film scoring, there was a time when Hollywood producers were vehemently against it but Quincy was able to break through and pave a way for the future.
He created the score for movies like In Cold Blood and The Italian Job, marking one of the first times a Black composer took on Hollywood film scores, blending jazz and orchestral music that became genre-defining.
He even did the score for the iconic Sanford & Son starring Red Foxx in 1972.
B. The Wiz
At the tail-end of the 70s (1978, to be exact) The world was introduced to The Wiz — an adaptation of The Wizard of Oz.
This Wiz marked the first time that Quincy worked with Michael Jackson in any capacity, and it was a groundbreaking moment in Black cinema for featuring the biggest stars of that era like Diana Ross.
Although Jones noted that it was hard to get the film into White theatres, he also believed it to be a turning point in getting Black films to have more expansive distribution. 1
C. Michael Jackson’s “Off The Wall”
Yes, this also hit the streets in the '70s (try to keep up).
While working on The Wiz, Michael Jackson was also plotting how to make his foray into the world of pop as a solo artist. He needed the right producer to help mold his sound, and ironically, he asked Quincy for help finding someone to take the job.
After spending some time together working on the movie, Quincy said that he’d like the job and the two began working on what eventually became MJ’s debut album, Off The Wall.
Needless to say… It was a hit.
And, more than that, Off The Wall set the stage for what would arguably become Quincy’s biggest musical contributions in the decade.
THE 80’s
This decade is perhaps where the most monumental work of Quincy’s career takes place (granted, it’s hard to quantify with such an incredible career) and you’ll see why in a secod.
A. THRILLER
Let’s start with the obvious.
Thriller is the highest-selling album in the history of music with over 70 million copies sold worldwide. The number 2 album trails it by 20 million records.
Quincy Jones produced Thriller and effectively changed the sound of pop music while also helping to cement Michael Jackson’s status as a mega star in pop music.
The title track from the album “Thriller” also set a new standard for what music videos could be, and effectively helped cement the importance of MTV after they premiered his behind-the-scenes documentary of the making of the video — something that hadn’t been done before.
Thriller went on to win 8 Grammys in a single year, and effectively cemented Michael Jackson as an international superstar.
B. We Are the World
A lot was going on in the 80s.
The Cold War was still raging on, Reagan had just been re-elected, and worst of all, there was a famine in Ethiopia that lasted two years.
Famous actor & activist Harry Belafonte wanted to do what he could to help end world hunger abroad and the U.S. and wanted to form an organization that could do so. Seeing the success the U.K. experienced in fundraising with a song called “Do They Know It’s Christmas,” Harry reached out to get a coalition of musicians together to do a record.
Naturally, Quincy got the call.
He took time away from producing music for his next film to co-organize and produce “We Are The World,” and in the process, he brought together the biggest names in music to raise funds for Africa.
It was a pioneering example of music as a force for global social change. To date, it’s one of the highest-selling singles of all time.
C. The Color Purple
The Color Purple was the first film that Quincy produced and it was another film where he handled the music scoring responsibilities, as well. Mind you, this movie was made around the same time he was working on We Are The World — it was a busy time.
Despite that, he put together an all-star cast for the movie and it was (and is) hailed as a classic in Black culture.
Fun Fact: Quincy Jones discovered Oprah. Yes, THE Oprah.
A year after The Color Purple entered theatres Oprah started her own talk show The Oprah Show and the rest was history.
THE 90’s
While Gen Z & Boomers felt the impact of We Are The World and Fresh Prince, Hip-hop was coming into its own in the 90s.
Quincy had just struck a deal with Warner to create his own company, Qwest Entertainment, and with that came more innovative work from Quincy — this time it wasn’t just audio, it was also media.
A. Fresh Prince of Bel-Air
The Fresh Prince was the first show produced under Quincy Jones’s imprint, and Will Smith’s presence would not have occurred had it not been for a party at Quincy’s (see the full story below).
Much like the Cosby Show,, it was a groundbreaking moment in TV that showed a version of Black Success that hadn’t been seen in pop culture before.
Will was a superstar in Hip-hop and he was riding high from his first Grammy win a year earlier.
The Fresh Prince marked his transition into acting and gave birth to the box office legend we now know.
B. VIBE Magazine
Through his children, Quincy had developed an understanding and affinity for Hip-hop (having won the first Grammy under his name for his album Back on the Block).
By 1993, he went on to co-found Vibe magazine (yes, THE Vibe magazine) in partnership with Time, and it became a cultural touchstone for Hip-hop journalism, fashion, and Black culture, giving a platform to Black artists and stories that were often overlooked.
Many Black journalists cite Vibe as the turning point in their interests in the field of journalism, and the magazine helped break the careers of several media figures that are present today (the first official cover is below).
2000 & Beyond
A . 90s Nostalgia
His influence extends into digital platforms where younger audiences are rediscovering his work through Michael Jackson’s albums and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air reruns.
In fact, consider the reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air — it’s definitely a 90s nostalgia play, and it wouldn’t have happened without the OG series.
B. The Boondocks
Quincy Jones also had a memorable role in the first season of The Boondocks where he starred as himself during the Christmas episode.
When it was announced that he transitioned, X users from this generation immediately reposted this scene as a way to pay tribute to one of culture’s last giants.
“Don’t look at Quincy Jones. Quincy Jones can’t save you.”
Last Thoughts…
I gotta reiterate — Quincy Jones wasn’t just a music producer, he was a cultural institution.
Not too many like him left in the world, but hopefully this piece gives you a glimpse into the impact that he’s had on the world.
Do yourself a favor and indulge in some of his work this week, or watch his documentary on Netflix. I know I’ve been doing the same.
One.