Quincy Jones' Oscars Tribute Shines with Queen Latifah's 'The Wiz' Performance
During Sunday night’s Oscars, Hollywood’s brightest stars took a moment to honor Quincy Jones — the legendary producer and composer who passed away in November at the age of 91.
The tribute was introduced by Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, both of whom starred in The Color Purple, a film scored by Jones. The highlight of the celebration was a powerful performance by Queen Latifah, who delivered a lively rendition of "Ease on Down the Road" from The Wiz — a 1987 adaptation of The Wizard of Oz with an all-Black cast. Jones had produced the soundtrack for the film, which featured Michael Jackson as the scarecrow.
Queen Latifah, a longtime friend and collaborator of Jones, previously appeared on several tracks of his 1995 album, Q's Jook Joint. Her performance at the Oscars was a dazzling, dance-filled tribute that had stars like Colman Domingo, Ariana Grande, and Cynthia Erivo on their feet. Both Grande and Erivo are nominated for their roles in Wicked, another reimagining of The Wizard of Oz.
Quincy Jones’ influence on the music industry is monumental. The mastermind behind Michael Jackson’s iconic Thriller album, Jones won an impressive 28 Grammy Awards over his career. His journey from a young jazz trumpeter in New York City clubs to a music industry giant is the stuff of legends.
Beyond his hits in pop and jazz, Jones was also known for uniting the music world for good causes. He spearheaded the charity track "We Are the World" to raise funds to combat starvation in Africa, a concept that was revived in 2010 to support Haiti following a catastrophic earthquake.
The Oscar tribute was a fitting salute to a trailblazer whose impact on music and culture will be felt for generations.