As the 2025 Oscars come to a close, we can't wrap up awards season without acknowledging those we lost in the past year. Well, Queen Latifah was on hand to celebrate the legacy of an incredible music producer — and folks had lots to say about it.
The star-studded ceremony occurred on March 2 in Los Angeles, and movie-goers tuned in to see which films would take home coveted trophies throughout the night. In between giving out awards, viewers also got to see the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences pay tribute to some of the biggest composers who made a difference in music and movies. One such person given the tribute treatment was the late music producer Quincy Jones, who died in November 2024 at age 91 from pancreatic cancer.
Earning multiple Oscar nominations for creating scores for movies like The Wiz, The Color Purple and other projects, Quincy made history in 1967 when he became the first Black composer nominated for Best Song (for "The Eyes of Love" from Banning). What's more, he was also the first Black musician to become a music director for the Oscars telecast, in 1971.
As a way to honor Quincy's impact on the music industry, Queen Latifah (who worked with him on the 1995 album Q's Jook Joint) appeared onstage to sing "Ease on Down the Road" from The Wiz. Dressed in a bold silver cape and black pants, she got into the groove of Quincy's popular song with a performance that was as bold as the man who composed the music.
When fans saw just how soulful Queen Latifah was during her tribute performance, they couldn't stop talking about it online.
"QUEEN LATIFAH EASE ON DOWN THE ROAD LETS GO GIRLS," one person wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "Queen Latifah forever 🫶 what a great performance to honor Quincy Jones," another exclaimed. "Queen Latifah is bringing it for the Quincy Jones tribute!!!" a different user added.
Needless to say, the audience appreciated how Queen Latifah brought the joy and love that Quincy embodied.
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
