Queen Latifah delivered a lively tribute to Quincy Jones at the 2025 Oscars.
On Sunday night, March 2, the esteemed rapper and actress hit the stage at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood following an introduction from Whoopi Goldberg and Oprah Winfrey, who also paid tribute to the late musician. "When we talk about Black excellence, we're talking about Quincy," Whoopi said. The "U.N.I.T.Y" rapper stunned the crowd by performing an energetic rendition of "Ease On Down The Road" — a song Jones produced for the 1978 film The Wiz. The song earned Jones a nomination for Best Adaptation Score at the 1978 Oscars.
The heartfelt tribute to Jones was an homage to his decades-long career in the entertainment industry. In addition to his iconic career as a groundbreaking artist, Quincy Jones also made history at the Academy Awards. The legendary producer was the first Black music director for the annual live broadcast. He also became the first Black composer to receive an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song in 1967. He also earned seven nominations in scoring categories for films like The Wiz and The Color Purple.
Quincy Jones passed away last November following his battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 91. Queen Latifah's performance was also a nod to her work with Jones. The revolutionary rapper worked with Jones on two songs from his 1995 album Q's Jook Joint. Quincy Jones' tribute also came after several incredible performances from Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo, who performed songs from The Wizard of Oz, The Wiz and Wicked. Doja Cat, Raye and Lisa also joined forces to deliver a tribute to the James Bond franchise.
Watch Queen Latifah's full performance below.