Will Smith has seen much success throughout the course of his illustrious career in Hollywood. Of course, he didn’t reach such massive heights alone, as he had a few people looking out for him early on. A person who served in that capacity for him was revered record producer and composer Quincy Jones. The great Jones sadly passed away earlier in November at 91, and many have since shared their recollections of him. Now, Smith is recalling how Jones taught him about legacy at a time that he was experiencing ups and downs.
The Oscar winner found success early through his rap career but also experienced financial issues stemming from poor decisions made early on. A lot of that started to change when Quincy Jones came into his orbit and in time, helped Will Smith land The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. Smith recently appeared on 95.7 Hallelujah FM, during which he discussed the notion of his legacy. Eventually, interviewer Tracy Bethea asked the Bad Boys star about Quincy Jones, which led him to share the following sentiments in the YouTube clip:
You gonna have me on your show crying. Quincy, he grabbed me at a time in my life that was a real fork [in] the road. Quincy, he showed me how I want to be in this business. … He just always made himself completely available to help me and to teach me… He was there with me through my first marriage and my kids being born and my divorce and the rise of the Fresh Prince and the end of the show… He's a model of how I want to be. You talk about legacy. I want mine to be like Quincy's.
Quite frankly, the story of how the late “We Are the World” arranger helped make Fresh Prince – one of the best Black sitcoms of the ‘90s – a reality. It was all due to a conversation between Will Smith and the late music man during the latter’s birthday party. And, that same night, Smith not only auditioned for the bigwigs of NBC (at the Jones’ home), but a contract was also made up. It’s truly one of the most extraordinary moments in entertainment history.
What I really love, though, is the sheer amount of love and appreciation that the Independence Day star still has for Quincy Jones to this day. He was among the many to pay tribute to Jones following his passing. In a candid Instagram post, the King Richard lead thanked his mentor for his impact, saying that he “defended”, "nurtured" and “inspired” him. The now-56-year-old rapper-turned-actor also shared some sweet throwback photos. As a whole, this all signifies that one shouldn’t underestimate the impact of a solid mentor.
On that note, a part of Will Smith’s legacy has been to serve as a guide of sorts to others who are currently navigating Hollywood. An example of that is the way in which he reached out to Keke Palmer years ago when she considered getting emancipated from her parents. Smith apparently left a voicemail on her phone and told her that he understood that “sometimes it's hard being the first” in your family to achieve fame. He also advised her to keep loving her relatives and staying focused on her work.
And, of course, in addition to his mentorship, the A-lister has also continued to be a box office draw. The 2024 movie schedule marked the release of his latest film, Bad Boys: Ride or Die, which was a hit at the box office. He’s also working on a number of upcoming films that are in different stages of development. Between his continued work and his desire to pay it forward, I’d say that the multihyphenate is doing Quincy Jones proud.
Fans who’d like to check out Will Smith in Bad Boys: Ride or Die can stream the film now using a Netflix subscription. You can also dive into all six seasons of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air using a Max subscription.
