Quincy Jones has more than 60 years of experience and accolades in the world of music. The bandleader, producer, and composer was recently interviewed by The National stated “When you come from the era of Ray Charles, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra and Michael Jackson, it gets hard to get used to Lil Wayne.” Jones continued, “I just can’t handle it.”
The multiple Grammy winner acknowledged the singers that he enjoys. “There are some good singers out there. Mary J. Blige can sing; so can Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera,” said Jones. “I know who they are. I also know who they aren’t, too.”
Aside from Lil Wayne, the acclaimed musician voiced his general displeasure with the popular music of today.
“Music has gone so far down lately because everyone is going after the money,” he says. “People are making songs to sell all sorts of things such as tires, clothes and alcohol. When you go after the money, God walks out of the room; trust me. I never went out after the fame and money. I was just doing what I loved and the money came. You gotta do what you love and really believe in it because that is your truth. I plan to stay like that.”
Jones singled out techno for specific scorn.
“I don’t like techno at all,” said Jones. “That’s just noise. I can try it because there is nothing to it but I just don’t think there is anything to learn from it. Now all these DJs are making more money than rock groups. They don’t even need bands anymore. People such as Skrillex and those guys get half a million to a million dollars a show all over the world from Las Vegas to Brazil. As a musician, it is extremely frustrating. Because; that’s just music to sell products.”
