Jamie Foxx Honors Quincy Jones at Governors Awards 2 Weeks After His Death: His ‘Impact’ Will ‘Never Be Forgotten’

• Quincy Jones was honored with a posthumous honorary Oscar at this year’s Governors Awards on Sunday, Nov. 17
• Jamie Foxx introduced the award with a heartfelt speech about the late music legend, his longtime friend, who died at age 91 from pancreatic cancer on Nov. 3
• Four of Jones’ children were in attendance to accept the award on his behalf including daughter Rashida Jones, who read the speech her dad planned to give before his death

Quincy Jones has received a posthumous honorary Academy Award.

Two weeks after the legendary musician and producer died on Nov. 3 at age 91 of pancreatic cancer, he was among the recipients of this year’s special Oscar statuettes at the Governors Awards on Sunday, Nov. 17.

Jamie Foxx introduced the prize onstage at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, before four of the late legend’s children, including actress Rashida Jones, stood and accepted the award on Jones’ behalf.

Foxx, 56, honored the seven-time Academy Award nominee in a heartfelt speech about his longtime “illustrious” friend and “inspiration.”

“Tonight we pay tribute to him for the creativity and the brilliance he brought to cinema,” said the actor, recalling how Jones helped him prepare for his own Oscar-winning portrayal of Ray Charles in 2004’s Ray at Jones’ home, by playing him an old cassette tape of a young Charles.

Foxx also thanked Jones for his advocacy surrounding Down syndrome, especially in the context of his late sister DeOndra Dixon, who was born with the condition and died in 2020.

“She inspired the foundation’s highest honor, the Quincy Jones Exceptional Advocacy Award. She was its first recipient. And for that, I’m forever grateful,” the actor said.

After listing off several accomplishments of Jones’, Foxx continued his speech, “The impact he has will never be forgotten.”

“Quincy, thank you for giving the world music. Thank you for giving the world light. Thank you for giving the world an example of what a great human being is supposed to be like,” he concluded.

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In addition to producing, scoring and writing songs for 1967’s In Cold Blood and Banning, 1968’s For Love of Ivy, 1978’s TheWiz and 1985’s The Color Purple, Jones received the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ honorary Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1993.

This year’s recipient of that award was filmmaker Richard Curtis, while casting director Juliet Taylor and James Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli also accepted honorary trophies.

“The recipients of this year’s Governors Awards have set the bar incredibly high across their remarkable careers, and the Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to recognize them with Oscars,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement released June 12.

Yang said Jones was being recognized for his “artistic genius and relentless creativity [as] one of the most influential musical figures of all time.”

Jones, who earned remembrances from the many artists he worked with throughout his decades-spanning career, is survived by seven children.

Rashida, 48, also read the speech her father had planned to give at the Governors Awards before his death, adding of her own words, “In some ways, it was a difficult decision for our family to be here tonight, but we felt like we wanted to celebrate his beautiful life and career.”

“His music has literally defined an entire century of culture-spanning genres: jazz, disco, film, pop, R&B, hip-hop. But the real thread is that his music is all infused with his love. That was his gift to us,” she added.

“You lived the biggest, best, most beautiful life of love every single day you were here,” Rashida addressed her father, concluding, “In honor of our dad, we hope you will do the same. Live with love, lead with love. Bring love to everything that you do. Thank you so much.”

The music titan was laid to rest in a private funeral attended by close family members in Los Angeles a week after his death, according to the Associated Press. A second larger ceremony is being planned for members of the public to attend.

Last year’s Governors Awards gave honorary Oscars to industry legends Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, Carol Littleton and Michelle Satter.