During 50 years in the entertainment industry Jones' work has earned him more than 70 Grammy Award nominations, more than 25 Grammy Awards, and a Grammy Legends Award in 1991. He is best known as the producer of two of the top-selling records of all time: the album Thriller, by pop icon Michael Jackson, and the charity song โWe Are the Worldโ. Also known for work with Frank Sinatra.
In 1968, Jones along with his songwriting partner Bob Russell became the first African-Americans nominated for an Academy Award in the "Best Original Song" category. That same year, he became the first African-American nominated twice in the same year when he was nominated for Best Original Score (for In Cold Blood). Jones is also the first (and so far, only) African-American to be nominated as a producer in the category of Best Picture (in 1986, for The Color Purple). He is also the first African-American to win the Academy's Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, in 1995. He is tied with sound designer Willie D. Burton as the most Oscar-nominated African-American with seven nominations each.
Born on the South Side of Chicago, to Sarah Frances (nรฉe Wells) (1903-1999) and Quincy Delightt Jones, Sr (1895-1971). His father was a semi-professional baseball player and carpenter from Kentucky; his paternal grandmother was an ex-slave in Louisville. They had gone to Chicago as part of the Great Migration out of the South. Sarah was a bank officer and apartment complex manager. Jones later discovered that his paternal grandfather was Welsh. Quincy had a younger brother, Lloyd, later an engineer for the Seattle station, KOMO-TV; he died in 1998. Quincy was introduced to music by his mother, who always sang religious songs, and by his next door neighbor Lucy Jackson. When he was five or six, Jackson played stride piano next door, and he would always listen through the walls. Lucy Jackson recalled that after he heard her that one day, she could not get him off her piano if she tried.
When the boys were young, their mother suffered from a schizophrenic breakdown and was committed to a mental institution. His father obtained a divorce and remarried.
Jones' stepmother, Elvera, had three children of her own: Waymond, who became a friend of the young Quincy, Theresa and Katherine. Elvera and Quincy Senior had three more children together through 1950, after they had moved to the Northwest: Jeanette, Margie and Richard, now a judge in Seattle, making a total of eight in the family.
In 1943, when Jones was ten, his family moved to Bremerton, Washington, where his father got a wartime job at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. After the war, the Jones family moved to Seattle, the major regional city, where Jones attended Garfield High School near his home. He had discovered music when he was 12 and became more deeply involved in high school, developing his skills as a trumpeter and arranger. Classmates included Charles Taylor, who played saxophone and whose mother, Evelyn Bundy, had been one of Seattle's first society jazz-band leaders. The youths began playing with a band. At the age of 14, they were playing with a National Reserve band. Jones has said he got much more experience with music growing up in a smaller city; otherwise, he would have faced too much competition.
At the age of 14, Jones introduced himself to a 16-year-old musician from Florida Ray Charles, after watching him play at the Black Elks Club. Jones cites Ray Charles as an early inspiration for his own music career. He noted that Charles overcame a disability (blindness) to achieve his musical goals. He has credited his father's sturdy work ethic with giving him the means to proceed, and his loving strength with holding the family together. Jones has said his father had a saying: "Once a task is just begun, never leave until it's done. Be the labour great or small, do it well or not at all."
In 1951, Jones won a scholarship to Seattle University, where a young Clint Eastwoodโalso a music major thereโwatched him play in the college band. After only one semester, Jones transferred to what is now the Berklee College of Music in Boston on another scholarship (as of 2016, Jones' application for admission is preserved on display at Berklee). While studying at Berklee he played at Izzy Ort's Bar & Grille with Bunny Campbell and Preston Sandiford, whom he later cited as important musical influences. He left his studies after he received an offer to tour as a trumpeter with the bandleader Lionel Hampton and embarked on his professional career. While Jones was on the road with Hampton, he displayed a gift for arranging songs. Jones relocated to New York City, where he received a number of freelance commissions arranging songs for artists including Sarah Vaughan, Dinah Washington, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Gene Krupa, and Ray Charles, by then a close friend.
At the age of 19, Jones travelled with Lionel Hampton to Europe and said it turned him upside down, altering his view of racism in the US.
"It gave you some sense of perspective of past, present and future. It took the myopic conflict between just black and white in the United States and put it on another level because you saw the turmoil between the Armenians and the Turks, and the Cypriots and the Greeks, and the Swedes and the Danes, and the Koreans and the Japanese. Everybody had these hassles, and you saw it was a basic part of human nature, these conflicts. It opened my soul, it opened my mind."
In 1956, Jones toured again as a trumpeter and musical director of the Dizzy Gillespie Band on a tour of the Middle East and South America sponsored by the United States Information Agency. Upon his return, Jones signed with ABC-Paramount Records and started his recording career as the leader of his own band. In 1957, Quincy settled in Paris, where he studied composition and theory with Nadia Boulanger and composer Olivier Messiaen. He also performed at the Paris Olympia. Jones became music director at Barclay Disques, a leading French record company and the licensee for Mercury Records in France.
During the 1950s, Jones successfully toured throughout Europe with a number of jazz orchestras. As musical director of Harold Arlen's jazz musical Free and Easy, Quincy Jones took to the road again. A European tour closed in Paris in February 1960. With musicians from the Arlen show, Jones formed his own big band, called The Jones Boys, with eighteen artists. The band included double bass player Eddie Jones and fellow trumpeter Reunald Jones, and organized a tour of North America and Europe. Though the European and American concerts met enthusiastic audiences and sparkling reviews, concert earnings could not support a band of this size. Poor budget planning resulted in an economic disaster; the band dissolved and the fallout left Jones in a financial crisis. Quoted in Musician magazine, Jones said about the ordeal,
"We had the best jazz band on the planet, and yet we were literally starving. That's when I discovered that there was music, and there was the music business. If I were to survive, I would have to learn the difference between the two."
Irving Green, head of Mercury Records, helped Jones with a personal loan and a new job as the musical director of the company's New York division. There he worked with Doug Moody, who founded Mystic Records.
In 1964, Jones was promoted to vice-president of Mercury Records, becoming the first African American to hold this executive position. In that same year, he turned his attention to film scores, another musical arena long closed to African Americans. At the invitation of director Sidney Lumet, he composed the music for The Pawnbroker (1964). It was the first of his 33 major motion picture scores.
Following the success of The Pawnbroker, Jones left Mercury Records and moved to Los Angeles. After composing the film scores for Mirage and The Slender Thread in 1965, he was in constant demand as a composer. His film credits over the next seven years included Walk, Don't Run, The Deadly Affair, In Cold Blood, In the Heat of the Night, Mackenna's Gold, The Italian Job, Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice, Cactus Flower, The Out-of-Towners, They Call Me Mister Tibbs!, The Anderson Tapes, $ and The Getaway. In addition, he composed "The Streetbeater," which became familiar as the theme music for the television sitcom Sanford and Son, starring close friend Redd Foxx; he also composed the themes for other TV shows, including Ironside, Banacek, The Bill Cosby Show, the opening episode of Roots, and the Goodson & Todman game show Now You See It.
In the 1960s, Jones worked as an arranger for some of the most important artists of the era, including Billy Eckstine, Sarah Vaughan, Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, Nana Mouskouri, Shirley Horn, Peggy Lee, and Dinah Washington. Jones's solo recordings also gained acclaim, including Walking in Space, Gula Matari, Smackwater Jack, You've Got It Bad, Girl, Body Heat, Mellow Madness, and I Heard That!!.
He is known for his 1962 tune "Soul Bossa Nova", which originated on the Big Band Bossa Nova album. "Soul Bossa Nova" was a theme used for the 1998 World Cup[citation needed], the Canadian game show Definition, the Woody Allen film Take the Money and Run, and the Austin Powers film series. It was sampled by Canadian hip hop group Dream Warriors for their song, "My Definition of a Boombastic Jazz Style".
Jones produced all four million-selling singles for Lesley Gore during the early and mid-sixties, including "It's My Party" (UK No. 8; US No. 1), "Judy's Turn to Cry" (US No. 5), "She's a Fool" (also a US No. 5) in 1963, and "You Don't Own Me" (US No. 2 for four weeks in 1964). He continued to produce for Gore until 1966, including the Greenwich/ Barry hit "Look of Love" (US No. 27) in 1965.
In 1975, Jones founded Qwest Productions, for which he arranged and produced hugely successful albums by Frank Sinatra and other major pop figures. In 1978, he produced the soundtrack for The Wiz, the musical adaptation of The Wizard of Oz, starring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross. In 1982, Jones' produced Michael Jackson's all-time best-selling album Thriller.[17]
Jones's 1981 album, The Dude, yielded multiple hit singles, including "Ai No Corrida" (a remake of a song by Chaz Jankel), "Just Once," and "One Hundred Ways", the latter two featuring James Ingram on lead vocals and marking Ingram's first hits.
In 1985, Jones wrote the score for the Steven Spielberg film adaptation of the Pulitzer-prize winning epistolary novel, The Color Purple, by Alice Walker. He, Jerry Goldsmith (from Twilight Zone: The Movie), and Thomas Newman (from Bridge of Spies) are the only composers besides John Williams to have scored a Spielberg theatrical film. After the 1985 American Music Awards ceremony, Jones used his influence to draw most of the major American recording artists of the day into a studio to record the song "We Are the World" to raise money for the victims of Ethiopia's famine. When people marvelled at his ability to make the collaboration work, Jones explained that he'd taped a simple sign on the entrance: "Check Your Ego At The Door".
In 1988, Quincy Jones Productions joined forces with Warner Communications to create Quincy Jones Entertainment. He signed a ten-picture deal with Warner Brothers and signed a two-series deal with NBC Productions. The television show The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air was completed in 1990, but producers of In the House (from UPN) later rejected its early concept stages. Jones produced the highly successful Fresh Prince of Bel Air (discovering Will Smith); UPN's In the House, and FOX's Madtvโwhich did 14 seasons on Fox.[18] In the early 1990s, Jones started a huge, ongoing project called "The Evolution of Black Music." Not only did the Quincy Jones Entertainment Company produce The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, but it also started a weekly talk show with his friend, Reverend Jesse Jackson, as the host.
Starting in the late 1970s, Jones tried to convince Miles Davis to revive the music he had recorded on several classic albums of the 1960s, which had been arranged by Gil Evans. Davis had always refused, citing a desire not to revisit the past. In 1991, Davis, then suffering from pneumonia, relented and agreed to perform the music at a concert at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The resulting album from the recording, Miles & Quincy Live at Montreux, was Davis' last released album (he died several months afterwards). It is considered an artistic triumph.
In 1993, Jones collaborated with David Salzman to produce the concert extravaganza, An American Reunion, a celebration of Bill Clinton's inauguration as president of the United States. The same year, Jones joined forces with Salzman and renamed his company as Quincy Jones/David Salzman Entertainment (QDE). QDE is a diverse company that produces media technology, motion pictures, television programs (In the House, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and MADtv), and magazines (VIBE and Spin).
In 2001, Jones published his autobiography, Q: The Autobiography of Quincy Jones. On July 31, 2007, he partnered with Wizzard Media to launch the Quincy Jones Video Podcast.[21] In each episode, Jones shares his knowledge and experience in the music industry. The first episode features him in the studio, producing "I Knew I Loved you" for Celine Dion. This is featured on the Ennio Morricone tribute album, We All Love Ennio Morricone. Jones is also noted for helping produce Anita Hall's CD, Send Love, which was released in 2009.
Jones's social activism began in the 1960s with his support of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Jones is one of the founders of the Institute for Black American Music (IBAM), whose events aim to raise enough funds for the creation of a national library of African-American art and music. Jones is also one of the founders of the Black Arts Festival in his hometown of Chicago. In the 1970s Jones formed The Quincy Jones Workshops. Meeting at the Los Angeles Landmark Variety Arts Center, the workshops educated and honed the skills of inner city youth in musicianship, acting and songwriting. Among its Alumni were Alton Mc Clain who had a hit song with Alton Mc Clain and Destiny, and Mark Wilkins, not the Race Car Driver, who co-wrote the hit song "Havin' A Love Attack" with Mandrill, and went on to become the National Promotion Director for Punk / Thrash record label Mystic Records.
For many years, Jones has worked closely with Bono of U2 on a number of philanthropic endeavors. He is the founder of the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation. A nonprofit organization that built more than 100 homes in South Africa which aims to connect youths with technology, education, culture and music. One of the organization's programs is an intercultural exchange between underprivileged youths from Los Angeles and South Africa.
In 2004, Jones helped launch the We Are the Future (WAF) project, which gives children in poor and conflict-ridden areas a chance to live their childhoods and develop a sense of hope. The program is the result of a strategic partnership between the Global Forum, the Quincy Jones Listen Up Foundation, and Hani Masri, with the support of the World Bank, UN agencies and major companies. The project was launched with a concert in Rome, Italy, in front of an audience of half a million people.
Jones supports a number of other charities including the NAACP, GLAAD, Peace Games, AmfAR and The Maybach Foundation. Jones serves on the Advisory Board of HealthCorps. On July 26, 2007, he announced his endorsement of Hillary Clinton for president. But with the election of Barack Obama, Quincy Jones said that his next conversation "with President Obama [will be] to beg for a secretary of arts," This prompted the circulation of a petition on the Internet asking Obama to create such a Cabinet-level position in his administration.
In 2001, Jones became an honorary member of the board of directors of The Jazz Foundation of America. He has worked with The Jazz Foundation of America to save the homes and the lives of America's elderly jazz and blues musicians, including those who survived Hurricane Katrina.
Jones and his friend John Sie, founder of Liberty Starz, worked together to create the Global Down Syndrome Foundation. They were inspired by Sie's granddaughter, Sophia, who has Down syndrome.
With the help of the author Alex Haley in 1972 and Mormon researchers in Salt Lake City, Jones discovered that his mother's ancestors included James Lanier, a relative of Sidney Lanier, the poet. Jones said in an interview, "He had a baby with my great-grandmother [a slave], and my grandmother was born there [on a plantation in Kentucky]. We traced this all the way back to the Laniers, same family as Tennessee Williams."Learning that the Lanier immigrant ancestors were French Huguenot refugees, who had court musicians among their ancestors, Jones attributed some of his musicianship to them. In a 2009 BBC interview, Jones said Haley also helped him learn that his father was of part Welsh ancestry.
In 1974, he suffered a life-threatening brain aneurysm, so he decided to cut back on his schedule to spend time with his friends and family. Since his family and friends believed that his life was coming to an end, they started to plan a memorial service for him. He attended his own service with his neurologist by his side in case the excitement overwhelmed him. Some of the entertainers at his service were Richard Pryor, Marvin Gaye, Sarah Vaughan and Sidney Poitier.
Jones has been married three times and has had other relationships; he has a total of seven children:
Jeri Caldwell (1957 to 1966); they had a daughter, Jolie Jones (now married and using the surname Levine).
Ulla Andersson, Swedish actress, (1967 to 1974); they had two children, Martina and Quincy Jones III;
Peggy Lipton, actress, (1974 to 1990); they had two daughters, Kidada and Rashida Jones, both born in the United States, who have become actresses.
Jones had a brief affair with Carol Reynolds, and they had a daughter, Rachel Jones.
Jones dated and lived with the actress, Nastassja Kinski, from 1991 until 1995. They had a daughter, Kenya Julia Miambi Sarah Jones, born in 1993.
In 1994 he was criticised by rapper 2Pac for having relationships with white women.
For the 2006 PBS television program, African American Lives, Jones had his DNA tested and genealogists researched his family history again. His DNA admixture revealed he is predominately African with 34% European in ancestry, found on both sides of his family. Research showed that he has Welsh, English, French and Italian ancestry, with European ancestry in his direct patri-lineal line (Y DNA). Through his direct matri-lineal line (mt DNA), he is of West African/Central African ancestry of Tikar descent, a people centered in present-day Cameroon. Other matri-lineal ancestry includes European, such as Lanier male ancestors who fought for the Confederacy, making him eligible for Sons of Confederate Veterans. Among his ancestors is Betty Washington Lewis, the sister of president George Washington. Jones is also a direct descendant of Edward I of England; Edward's ancestors included Rurik, Polish, Swiss, and French nobility.
Jones has never learned to drive, citing an accident in which he was a passenger (at age 14) as the reason.
In addition to receiving recognition specifically for his music and arrangements, Jones has been recognized for his overall contributions to music and humanitarian goals. He has received numerous honorary doctorates and been invited to speak at college and university commencement ceremonies.
Garfield High School in Seattle named a performing arts centre after him.
Quincy Jones Elementary School located in South Central Los Angeles is named after him.
He received the Humanitarian Award at the BET Awards in 2008.
He received the John F. Kennedy Center Honors in 2001.
He received the Los Angeles Press Club Visionary Award in 2014.
He received an honorary doctorate from the Royal Academy of Music, London, in 2015.
Back on the Block
Quincy Jones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With the soul, rhythm, blues, be bop and hip hop
Back on the block
Back on the block
[ VERSE 1: Ice-T ]
Ice-T, let me kick my credentials
L.A., home of the bodybag
You wanna die, wear the wrong color rag
I used to walk in stores and yell: "Lay down!"
You flinch an inch - AK spray down
But I was lucky cause I never caught the hard time
I was blessed with the skill to bust a dope rhyme
All my homies died or caught the penzo
Lost their diamonds, cops towed their Benzos
Livin that life that we thought was it
Fast lanin, but the car flipped
I'm not gonna lie to ya, cause I don't lie
I just kick thick game, some people say: why?
Cause I'm back on the block, I got my life back
So I school the fools about the fast track
I get static from the style of my technique
Profanity, the blatant way in which I speak
But the Dude knows the streets ain't no kiddie game
You don't know the Dude? Quincy's his first name
He told me: "Ice, keep doin what you're doin, man
Don't give a damn if the squares don't understand
You let em tell you what to say and what to write
Your whole career'll be over by tomorrow night
Rap from your heart, and your heart's with the street
Rap on my record, man, Kimiko, send Ice the beat"
The Dude is def no doubt, what can I say?
The man can roll with Ice-T or Michael J
[ all ]
Back
Back on the block
Back
Back on the block
Back, on the block, so we can rock
With the soul, rhythm, blues, be bop and hip hop
Back on the block
Back on the block
[ VERSE 2: Melle Mel ]
I'm back, on the block, on the screen
I'm on the wax, I'm on the stage, I'm on the scene
I'm on the case, just like an attorney
The Dude took me on a magic journey
To dance in France, alone in Rome
On the farmlands of Nebraska, the cold of Alaska
The heat of the motherland
To be with my brotherman
On top of a snowcapped mountain I'm scoutin
What another man saw in a race of people
To see him give his life for the price of equal
The highest wisdoms, the richest kingdoms
The Song of Songs we heard David sing them
He showed me me when I was young and hung out
He showed me makin love, even showed me strung out
He showed me poppin nines, standin on a rock
But tears came to my eyes when he showed me my block
[ Tevin Campbell (& Andrae Crouch Singers) ]
Stokie's just Stokie, mama
(Stokie's Stokie)
And one by one each woman he kiss
(He kiss her and she gon' fall in love)
Stokie's just Stokie, you know?
(Stokie's Stokie)
Till someone shows that they care enough
(Ain't nothin gonna bother Stokie much)
Some say they can't take it no more
(Comin here, comin here startin stuff)
But Dude is back on duty fo' sho'
(Back on the block to stay)
They say he ain't gonna be with it
(Comin back, comin back to the street)
But Dude he know you'll never forget it
(Back on the block to stay)
[ VERSE 3: Big Daddy Kane ]
Back up and give the brother room
To let poetry bloom to whom
It may concern or consume
As I reminisce before this
The bliss that exist
But now we brought about a twist
Cause I remember of my people bleedin
Put through slavery and killed for bravery
We shoulda got our freedom much sooner
You never seen a blackman on _The Honeymooners_
But now somehow we've learned to earn, to grow, to show
The elevation of a people built is so
Jesse Jackson, Miss America a black one
No more livin for just a small fraction
I was once told by the Dude that knowledge is a food
To nourish, so to conclude
This from an Asiatic descendant, Big Daddy is shocked
Yo Q, we back on the block
[ all ]
Back
Back on the block
Back
Back on the block
Back, on the block, so we can rock
With the soul, rhythm, blues, be bop and hip hop
Back on the block
Back on the block
[ VERSE 4: cool Moe Dee ]
An everlasting omnipresence is my present
State of being, seeing the unpleasant
Sight of righteous souls live like peasants
The mind stunts growth in adolescence
My insight enables me to enlight
The weakest of minds, and I put em in flight
As I transcend, a-scend or de-scend
Re-create, re-incarnate and re-send
The powerful spirits of our ancestors
For those that don't know how God blessed us
Because man messed up, the media dressed up
Lies perpetrated as truth, and it left us
Confused, but I've seen it all before
>From Babylon to the Third World War
I'm more than a man, I'm more like an entity
Back on the block, and this time my identity
Is the Dude
Ba-ba-ba-back on the
Ba-back on
Ba-ba-back on the block
Ba-ba-back on
Ba-ba-back on the block
[ Tevin Campbell (& Andrae Crouch Singers) ]
Stoki, ke Stoki, mai-bo
(Stoki, Stoki)
Wam babma, wam bamb'you mandisa
(Wahm bamba wahm bamboo mandisa)
(Stoki ke Stoki, mai-bo)
(Stoki, Stoki)
Wam babma, wam bamb'you mandisa
(Wahm bamba wahm bamboo mandisa)
M'yeke, yeke, yeke, wena
(Kha'mye, kha'myeke wena)
Yo khala, khala, khala, you mama
(Yo khal'you mama khe)
M'yeke, yeke, yeke, wena
(Kha'mye, kha'myeke, wena)
Yo khala, kha, 'yok 'shaya you baba
(Yok shaya you baba khe)
[ Rev. Jesse Jackson ]
(Now I would - I would contend that ah -
The rappers - rap is here to stay
The song "Back on the Block" by Quincy Jones is a tribute to the African-American music and culture that emerged from the streets and blocks of America. The lyrics are a collaboration of various artists like Ice-T, Melle Mel, Big Daddy Kane, and Cool Moe Dee. The song opens with Ice-T rapping about his credentials, his time growing up in South Central L.A., a place where wearing the wrong rag could cost someone their life. But he considers himself lucky because he wasn't caught up in the lifestyle that claimed many of his friends. Melle Mel adds that he has traveled the world but still has a soft spot for his block. Big Daddy Kane raps about the history of black people in America, from slavery to the present, and Cool Moe Dee gives his philosophy on life and truth.
The song pays homage to African American musical traditions such as soul, rhythm, blues, be-bop, and hip-hop. The melodies and backbeats are a mixture of these styles with a modern flavor. The lyrics talk about the influence that African Americans have had on the music landscape of America. The song is a testimony to the struggles and contributions of African Americans in music that paved the way for future generations.
Line by Line Meaning
Back, on the block, so we can rock
Returning to our roots in the neighborhood, where we can make great music and have a good time
With the soul, rhythm, blues, be bop and hip hop
Blending various genres of music, including soul, rhythm and blues, be bop, and hip hop
Ice-T, let me kick my credentials
Ice-T is introducing himself and his qualifications
A young player, bred in South Central
Ice-T grew up in South Central, Los Angeles
L.A., home of the bodybag
Referring to the violence and danger in Los Angeles
You wanna die, wear the wrong color rag
Wearing the wrong color bandana can lead to confrontation and potential death
I used to walk in stores and yell: 'Lay down!'
Ice-T used to rob stores and demand compliance
You flinch an inch - AK spray down
If someone shows any resistance, Ice-T would shoot them with an AK-47
But I was lucky cause I never caught the hard time
Ice-T considers himself fortunate for avoiding imprisonment
I was blessed with the skill to bust a dope rhyme
Ice-T believes he has a talent for rapping
All my homies died or caught the penzo
Ice-T's friends either died or ended up in prison
Lost their diamonds, cops towed their Benzos
Ice-T's friends lost their expensive possessions and luxury cars due to legal trouble
Livin that life that we thought was it
Ice-T and his friends believed that their dangerous lifestyle was the epitome of existence
Fast lanin, but the car flipped
Despite living in the fast lane, their fortunes took a turn for the worse
I'm not gonna lie to ya, cause I don't lie
Ice-T prides himself on being honest and straightforward
I just kick thick game, some people say: why?
He shares his wisdom through his music, although some people question his motives
Cause I'm back on the block, I got my life back
Returning to the neighborhood has allowed Ice-T to regain control of his life
So I school the fools about the fast track
Ice-T educates ignorant individuals about the pitfalls of a reckless lifestyle
I get static from the style of my technique
Some criticize Ice-T for his explicit and confrontational style of rapping
Profanity, the blatant way in which I speak
His use of curse words and direct language is seen as offensive by some
But the Dude knows the streets ain't no kiddie game
Quincy Jones, referred to as 'the Dude,' understands that life in the streets is not a game
You don't know the Dude? Quincy's his first name
Introducing Quincy Jones as 'the Dude' and confirming it is his first name
He told me: 'Ice, keep doin what you're doin, man
Quincy Jones encouraged Ice-T to continue with his music career
Don't give a damn if the squares don't understand
Quincy Jones doesn't care if mainstream society doesn't appreciate Ice-T's music
You let em tell you what to say and what to write
Quincy Jones advises Ice-T not to let others dictate his artistic expression
Your whole career'll be over by tomorrow night
If Ice-T succumbs to external pressure, his career will quickly come to an end
Rap from your heart, and your heart's with the street
Ice-T should rap with authenticity and relay the experiences of the streets
Rap on my record, man, Kimiko, send Ice the beat
Quincy Jones wants Ice-T to rap on his record and instructs his collaborator, Kimiko, to send Ice-T the instrumental track
The Dude is def no doubt, what can I say?
Quincy Jones is undoubtedly cool and talented, which Ice-T acknowledges
The man can roll with Ice-T or Michael J
Quincy Jones can associate with famous individuals like Ice-T or Michael Jackson
I'm back, on the block, on the screen
Melle Mel has returned to the neighborhood and is making appearances on television
I'm on the wax, I'm on the stage, I'm on the scene
Melle Mel is recording music, performing on stage, and in the entertainment industry
I'm on the case, just like an attorney
Melle Mel is focused and dedicated, like a lawyer working on a case
The Dude took me on a magic journey
Quincy Jones guided Melle Mel on a transformative and enchanting experience
To dance in France, alone in Rome
Melle Mel traveled to France to perform and had solitary moments in Rome
On the farmlands of Nebraska, the cold of Alaska
Melle Mel experienced diverse environmentsโfrom Nebraska's farmlands to Alaska's freezing temperatures
The heat of the motherland
He also felt the warmth and connection to his ancestral homeland
To be with my brotherman
Melle Mel enjoyed the company of other black men and formed bonds with them
On top of a snowcapped mountain I'm scoutin
Melle Mel had a moment of reflection and appreciation while standing atop a snowy mountain
What another man saw in a race of people
He observed how others perceive and view a particular race or ethnicity
To see him give his life for the price of equal
He witnessed individuals sacrificing their lives in the pursuit of equality
The highest wisdoms, the richest kingdoms
Melle Mel encountered great wisdom and witnessed prosperous kingdoms
The Song of Songs we heard David sing them
He listened to David sing the most beautiful songs, likely referencing biblical references and the Psalms
He showed me me when I was young and hung out
Quincy Jones guided Melle Mel to reflect on his younger self and his experiences
He showed me makin love, even showed me strung out
Quincy Jones exposed Melle Mel to the highs and lows of romantic relationships and drug addiction
He showed me poppin nines, standin on a rock
Quincy Jones witnessed Melle Mel engaging in violence and standing on the edge of danger
But tears came to my eyes when he showed me my block
Melle Mel became emotional when Quincy Jones reminded him of his roots and where he came from
Stokie's just Stokie, mama
Stokie is simply being himself, mom
(Stokie's Stokie)
Repeating the idea that Stokie is authentically Stokie
And one by one each woman he kiss
Stokie has a way with women, captivating them with his charm
(He kiss her and she gon' fall in love)
When Stokie kisses a woman, she tends to develop strong feelings for him
Stokie's just Stokie, you know?
Emphasizing that Stokie will always be true to himself
(Stokie's Stokie)
Reiterating that Stokie is unapologetically himself
Till someone shows that they care enough
Stokie will continue to be himself until someone demonstrates genuine care and affection towards him
(Ain't nothin gonna bother Stokie much)
Stokie is not easily bothered or affected by external factors
Some say they can't take it no more
Some people claim that they can no longer tolerate Stokie's behavior or attitude
(Comin here, comin here startin stuff)
These individuals are causing trouble and conflict by confronting Stokie
But Dude is back on duty fo' sho'
Despite the negativity, Quincy Jones is back and focused on his responsibilities
(Back on the block to stay)
Quincy Jones has returned to the neighborhood and plans to remain there
They say he ain't gonna be with it
Some people doubt that Quincy Jones will continue to be involved in the neighborhood
(Comin back, comin back to the street)
Confirming that he is indeed returning to the street and neighborhood
But Dude he know you'll never forget it
Quincy Jones is aware that the community will never forget his impact and contributions
(Back on the block to stay)
Reiterating that Quincy Jones intends to remain in the neighborhood
Back up and give the brother room
Respecting personal space and allowing the brother to express himself
To let poetry bloom to whom
Creating an environment for poetic expression to flourish and reach its intended audience
It may concern or consume
Poetry can impact and resonate with both specific individuals and a wider audience
As I reminisce before this
Reflecting on past experiences and moments before this moment
The bliss that exist
Acknowledging the happiness and contentment that exists
But now we brought about a twist
However, a twist or change of direction has occurred
Cause I remember of my people bleedin
Recalling the pain and suffering of his people
Put through slavery and killed for bravery
Highlighting the history of slavery and the bravery of individuals who were killed
We shoulda got our freedom much sooner
Expressing the belief that freedom should have been obtained earlier
You never seen a blackman on _The Honeymooners_
Pointing out the lack of representation for black individuals in mainstream television shows like _The Honeymooners_
But now somehow we've learned to earn, to grow, to show
In the present, black individuals have learned to earn, grow, and showcase their talents
The elevation of a people built is so
The progress and upliftment of a marginalized community is remarkable
Jesse Jackson, Miss America a black one
Noting the achievements of Jesse Jackson and the crowning of a black Miss America
No more livin for just a small fraction
No longer confined to a limited portion or role in society
I was once told by the Dude that knowledge is a food
Quincy Jones emphasized the importance of knowledge, comparing it to nourishment
To nourish, so to conclude
To provide sustenance and wrap up the conversation
This from an Asiatic descendant, Big Daddy is shocked
Big Daddy Kane, an Asian descendant, expresses his surprise and amazement
Yo Q, we back on the block
Addressing Quincy Jones and affirming their return to the neighborhood
An everlasting omnipresence is my present
cool Moe Dee believes he possesses an eternal and all-encompassing presence
State of being, seeing the unpleasant
He observes and acknowledges the unpleasant aspects of life
Sight of righteous souls live like peasants
Witnessing morally upright individuals living in poverty and hardship
The mind stunts growth in adolescence
cool Moe Dee believes that a narrow mindset hinders personal development during adolescence
My insight enables me to enlight
His understanding and perspective allow him to provide enlightenment
The weakest of minds, and I put em in flight
cool Moe Dee can influence and inspire individuals with weak mentalities and help them change
As I transcend, a-scend or de-scend
cool Moe Dee can move beyond or rise to higher levels of consciousness
Re-create, re-incarnate and re-send
He can recreate, reincarnate, and relay important messages
The powerful spirits of our ancestors
cool Moe Dee believes he can tap into the spirits and wisdom of his ancestors
For those that don't know how God blessed us
Sharing the blessings and gifts bestowed upon them by God
Because man messed up, the media dressed up
The media distorts and manipulates the truth due to flaws in humanity
Lies perpetrated as truth, and it left us
The dissemination of lies masked as truth has left them disillusioned
Confused, but I've seen it all before
cool Moe Dee has witnessed these manipulations and deceptions in the past
>From Babylon to the Third World War
Referencing historical instances of deceit and manipulation, from Babylon to the potential Third World War
I'm more than a man, I'm more like an entity
cool Moe Dee sees himself as transcending mere human existence, becoming more like a divine being
Back on the block, and this time my identity
Returning to the neighborhood solidifies and reaffirms cool Moe Dee's true identity
Is the Dude
His identity is linked to the persona of Quincy Jones, 'the Dude'
Stoki, ke Stoki, mai-bo
These lines seem to be nonsensical and may not have a clear meaning or translation
(Stoki, Stoki)
Continuing the repeated phrase, which may be unrelated to the overall meaning
Wam babma, wam bamb'you mandisa
Another nonsensical line that lacks a clear meaning or translation
(Wahm bamba wahm bamboo mandisa)
Repeated nonsensical phrase, potentially adding a rhythmic or melodic element
M'yeke, yeke, yeke, wena
Another line with unclear meaning or translation
(Kha'mye, kha'myeke wena)
Continued repetition of nonsensical sounds
Yo khala, khala, khala, you mama
More unclear phrases that lack a clear interpretation or meaning
(Yo khal'you mama khe)
Continued repetition of unclear phrases
An everlasting omnipresence is my present
cool Moe Dee believes he possesses an eternal and all-encompassing presence
State of being, seeing the unpleasant
He observes and acknowledges the unpleasant aspects of life
Sight of righteous souls live like peasants
Witnessing morally upright individuals living in poverty and hardship
The mind stunts growth in adolescence
cool Moe Dee believes that a narrow mindset hinders personal development during adolescence
My insight enables me to enlight
His understanding and perspective allow him to provide enlightenment
The weakest of minds, and I put em in flight
cool Moe Dee can influence and inspire individuals with weak mentalities and help them change
As I transcend, a-scend or de-scend
cool Moe Dee can move beyond or rise to higher levels of consciousness
Re-create, re-incarnate and re-send
He can recreate, reincarnate, and relay important messages
The powerful spirits of our ancestors
cool Moe Dee believes he can tap into the spirits and wisdom of his ancestors
For those that don't know how God blessed us
Sharing the blessings and gifts bestowed upon them by God
Because man messed up, the media dressed up
The media distorts and manipulates the truth due to flaws in humanity
Lies perpetrated as truth, and it left us
The dissemination of lies masked as truth has left them disillusioned
Confused, but I've seen it all before
cool Moe Dee has witnessed these manipulations and deceptions in the past
>From Babylon to the Third World War
Referencing historical instances of deceit and manipulation, from Babylon to the potential Third World War
I'm more than a man, I'm more like an entity
cool Moe Dee sees himself as transcending mere human existence, becoming more like a divine being
Back on the block, and this time my identity
Returning to the neighborhood solidifies and reaffirms cool Moe Dee's true identity
Is the Dude
His identity is linked to the persona of Quincy Jones, 'the Dude'
Lyrics ยฉ BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TRACY LAUREN MARROW, MOHANDAS DEWESE, SIEDAH GARRETT, M HARDY ANTONIO, QUINCY JONES, MELLE MEL, KATSE SEMENYA CAIPHUS, ROD TEMPERTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
GBODYJEDI
"An everlasting omnipresence is my present
State of being, seeing the unpleasant
Sight of righteous souls live like peasants
The mind stunts growth in adolescence
My insight enables me to enlight
The weakest of minds, and I put em in flight
As I transcend, a-scend or de-scend
Re-create, re-incarnate and re-send
The powerful spirits of our ancestors
For those that don't know how God blessed us
Because man messed up, the media dressed up
Lies perpetrated as truths, and it left us
Confused, but I've seen it all before
>From Babylon to the Third World War
I'm more than a man, I'm more like an entity
Back on the block, and this time my identity
Is the Dude"
Kool Moe Dee verse is pure jewels
Joylan Netter
First on the mic is my man iced tea
Ice-T, let me kick my credentials
A young player, bred in South Central
L.A., home of the body bag
You wanna die, wear the wrong color rag
I used to walk in stores and yell, "Lay down"
You flinch an inch AK spray down
But I was lucky 'cause I never caught the hard time
I was blessed with the skill to bust a dope rhyme
๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
When Tevin Campbell does his 2nd verse some rappers later in this ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ Jizzie ๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฅ
๐ฅ๐ค๐๐พ๐ค๐ฅ
Stoki, ke Stoki, mai-bo
(Stoki, Stoki)
Wam bamba, wam bamb'u mandisa
(Wahm bamba wahm bamboo mandisa)
Stoki, ke Stoki, mai-bo
(Stoki, Stoki)
Wam bamba, wam bamb'u mandisa
(Wahm bamba wahm bamboo mandisa)
M'yeke, yeke, yeke, wena
(Kha'mye, kha'myeke wena)
Yo khala, khala, khala, u mama
(Yo khal'u mama khe)
M'yeke, yeke, yeke, wena
(Kha'mye, kha'myeke, wena)
Yo khala, kha, 'yok 'shaya u baba
(Yok shaya u baba khe)
Mikaili Kamau
"An everlasting omnipresence is my present
State of being, seeing the unpleasant
Sight of righteous souls live like peasants
The mind stunts growth in adolescence
My insight enables me to enlight
The weakest of minds, and I put em in flight
As I transcend, a-scend or de-scend
Re-create, re-incarnate and re-send
The powerful spirits of our ancestors
For those that don't know how God blessed us
Because man messed up, the media dressed up
Lies perpetrated as truth, and it left us
Confused, but I've seen it all before
>From Babylon to the Third World War
I'm more than a man, I'm more like an entity
Back on the block, and this time my identity
Is the Dude"
itzkomplykatid
This....this is one of the strongest roots of real hip hop. Most don't remember, they were trying to shut rap down when this came out; Q made SURE that didn't happen, dropping this. His statement? Use the voice, send the message, pull no punches, unveil the truths in the black community, and he stands behind it. Him standing behind it? Linked rap to Motown, MJ and pop, and really gave it the traction and push it needed.
Ten4
hands down
Dwight Love
@Ten4 He said that Rap is here to stay but unfortunately the style of rap I heard is being destroyed by the record company executives all you hear is music design to put black ppl in jail or the graveyard.
Christian Dal
โคโคโค
DoubleDeuce90
This album was all that!!! Priceless!!!
Butterfly Love NJ
๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ๐๐พ
Christian Dal
6 star in Denmark. Top.
slmeucalesa1
a Masterpiece
kcoolmuziq
Tevinโs voice was simply amazing!
Kimberly Dill
He sound so mature