Elsie UdohEver heard of the hustling spirit? That’s the drive that keeps the best of us going. One that Quincy Jones, the producer of one of the best-selling albums of all time, Michael Jackson’s Thriller wielded.
Often, when the name Quincy Jones is mentioned, we mostly remember him as the producer who made our ears trickle to hit songs that we fondly remember—songs like Billie Jean, Smooth Criminal, and We Are The World, among others.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelBut that’s not all there is to know about Quincy Jones; like a true hustler, he was involved in more than being a music producer, some of which you might be well aware of and others, a little more obscure.
Whatever the case, here are some of the side hustles of Quincy Jones that you didn’t know about:
Quincy Jones as a Jazz Trumpeter and Arranger
From the early age of 18, Quincy Jones had already forged his path in music and was working alongside Lionel Hampton to go on tours as a jazz trumpeter.
His creative influence didn’t end there, but he moved on to become a music arranger for jazz artistes like Duke Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie in the 1950s.
And with this, Quincy Jones was just getting started to be known on a global stage, and several other hustles that he ventured into saw him achieve that feat.
Quincy Jones in Hollywood
You might want to picture Quincy Jones as an actor at the mention of Hollywood, but this is not quite the case. Instead, he moved from arranging jazz music in the studio to scoring films.
He did this by writing and composing the original songs that accompanied movies such as Walk, Don’t Run.
This move was a bold one since very few black artistes at that time were hired to score movies, but as a true hustler, Quincy Jones did it after all.
By the 1960s, he became one of the first Black composers to score major films like The Pawnbroker and In the Heat of the Night. With his movie soundtracks, jazz gained its way into mainstream film.
Although Jones majorly scored films, he did make an appearance on screen a few times. One was when he briefly appeared in the 1990 video for the Time song Jerk Out, and another was when he was a guest actor on an episode of The Boondocks.
Quincy Jones as a Movie Producer
Upon trying out his hands on jazz and movie scoring, Quincy Jone’s hustle was just getting started.
He had a knack for recognising fresh ideas and talent, and with these superpowers, he put Will Smith in the limelight by venturing into movie production and co-producing a movie series that was the rocket launch for Smith’s career—The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
He also worked on other movies like Michael Jackson’s Bad, among others.
Quincy Jones as a Social Activist and Philanthropist
With his music, Quincy Jones was also in the business of championing social causes. For example, in 1985, he produced ‘We Are the World,’ which was an anthem that was used to raise funds for famine relief in Africa
He didn’t end his philanthropy there but went ahead to establish a foundation known as the ‘Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation’ to promote youth education, conflict resolution, and intercultural understanding.
Quincy Jones as an Entrepreneur
Among the many side hustles that he ventured into apart from being creative was entrepreneurship. He launched in record label ‘Qwest Records’ in the late 1980s and signed R&B and jazz artists, as well as hip-hop, with Ice-T as one of its early signees.
With Jones, his main aim was not just on the music aspect alone but on managing and nurturing artists. He showcased this not only with his record label but also by publishing the ‘Vibe’ magazine that highlighted both music and social issues.
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Quincy Jones, the Author
Jones was indeed a jack of all trades as he dabbled into writing amidst the many occupations he was already involved in.
He published his autobiography known as ‘Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones’ to share his triumphs and struggles with the world.
He also published a range of articles and essays over the years on jazz and popular music to show his intellectual expertise.
Quincy Jones, the Mentor and Talent Developer
Jones did not stop identifying talents with Will Smith. Instead, he served as a mentor to many, from Michael Jackson to Oprah Winfrey, to help them in their careers. His focus was on both big names as well as up-and-coming artists and composers.
Quincy Jones’ passing leaves much to be remembered with the indelible marks he left behind through the many side hustles he was involved in.
Although his face did not appear on screen quite so often, his endeavours off-screen led to his being the 3rd most Grammy award winner, and with his side hustles, he forged a pathway for young black artistes to explore, dream, and create music.
Elsie Udoh is an SEO content writer who specialises in writing engaging stories that resonates with diverse audiences. She studied mass communication at the Lagos State University.
