NOTICE: Quincy Jones’ fingerprints have been all over pop music for the past seven decades, and we’re all better for it.

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I read a lot of books. Because of my love for reading and my desire to debate and argue about life-changing books, I co-founded a book club with a popular bookstore in Washington, DC – MahoganyBooks. I particularly like to obtain biographies and autobiographies; Reading the life stories of famous and infamous people often inspires me to go out and strive for greatness or, at the very least, gives me some ideas about the pitfalls that can befall a person who makes a bad decision.

To that end, one of my favorite books is 2001’s “Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones,” written by Quincy Jones (of course), who died Sunday at the age of 91. I still remember reading this book for the first time in 2003. I received it as a gift from a friend who likes to give books for Christmas. I realize how hyperbolic it can be to say that a book changed your life, but in this case (and with a few others), it’s true.

Reading about all that Quincy Jones had accomplished and how he went about it was so inspiring that as soon as I finished reading the 416-page book, I felt like I could do anything and, likewise, I wouldn’t. had no excuse NOT to experience all that Quincy Jones had accomplished. of my dreams. Quincy Jones has worked with most of America’s musical figures – from Frank Sinatra to Michael Jackson and everyone in between. We owe Quincy Jones the greatest Michael Jackson albums, “Off The Wall” and one of the best-selling albums of all time“Thriller.” Quincy has performed in jazz, rock, pop, R&B and hip-hop.

The first time most of us heard Tevin Campbell was on one of our favorite albums, the seven-time Grammy Award-winning album “Back On The Block” in 1989, when Tevin performed a cover of the Brothers Johnson song, “Tomorrow (A Better You”). , Better Me),” which changed the course of black America. “Back On The Block” showed how adept Quincy was at adopting new styles and genres, something many of his contemporaries failed to do; the album’s title track featured Kool Moe Dee, Melle Mel, Ice-T and Big Daddy Kane. Quincy understood music and he understood how important it was to embrace all musicians and artists.

Although he probably didn’t see how his own musical compositions could become part of the foundation of hip-hop, Quincy’s work has been sampled by artists ranging from Pharycde to SWV to Nas to LL Cool J to Monica; the list goes on and on. Quincy’s work with Michael Jackson alone is enough to justify GOAT status, having produced “Off The Wall”, “Thriller” and “Bad”, but the production influence on those albums had to help create songs that will live forever in hip-hop. and the R&B is truly remarkable.

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Sure, these same musicians might have found other artists to sample to create their music, but would they have been as great without the foundation of already classic and impactful music? I doubt it.

And don’t even get me started on Quincy’s fingerprints on pop culture through the creation of Vibe magazine and executive producing one of the greatest television shows of all time, “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” By creating platforms for the display and analysis of black pop culture, Quincy was able to ensure that not only were we telling our own stories, but we were able to see them every week. Will Smith went from rapper The Fresh Prince to the world’s highest-grossing movie star thanks to the series “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” a casting call directed by Quincy Jones himself. And who can forget the theme song from “Sanford and Son,” otherwise known as “The Streetbeater,” arguably the most iconic theme song of all time?

Do you remember “We Are The World”? Yeah, it’s Quincy Jones. “The Color Purple,” yes, which was produced by Quincy Jones. Quincy played an integral role in creating such black pop culture that we still treasure it today. It is impossible to truly list all of his accomplishments; Quincy lived his life so fully that his autobiography probably needed a few hundred more pages in 2001. He lived and continued to work throughout the 2010s, making waves.

I revisit his book often. When I need inspiration or wonder if all the things I want to do are possible or even worth it, I read the story of a man who walked into every room and led so much work that I know and appreciate that I can’t help. but I feel like I can do anything. I am grateful to a man whose life created so much art that will mean something to me until I die.

Quincy Delight Jones is a true musical icon. We use terms like icon and legend very frivolously, but Quincy is both; his legacy has been cemented for decades. His contributions are remarkable and could not be more praised. There are people who die with work to do. Quincy Jones may still have more to do, but he’s done enough for several lifetimes.

Rest in Power, Quincy Jones, a true musical legend.

Panama Jackson is a columnist at Grio and host of the award-winning podcast “Dear Culture” on the Grio Black podcast network. He writes very dark things, drinks very dark liquors and is rather elegant for a light guy. His biggest achievement to date coincides with his greatest achievement to date, in that he received a phone call from Oprah Winfrey after reading one of her articles (the biggest), but he didn’t did not answer the phone because the caller ID read “Unknown” (Blackest). ).

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