Quincy Jones was briefly honored at the 2025 BET Awards.
During the “In Memoriam” segment of the show, Miles Caton, Luke James, and Lucky Daye paid tribute to the prolific innovator with a soul-stirring performance of Jones’ 1989 ballad, “The Secret Garden (Sweet Seduction Suite).”
Originally performed by Al B. Sure!, James Ingram, El DeBarge, and Barry White, the sultry record appeared on Jones’ Back on the Block album. It peaked at No. 1 on Billboard‘s Black Singles chart, No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100, No. 26 on the Adult Contemporary chart, and No. 67 on the UK Singles Chart. The single remains one of Jones’ most notable collaborations.
The mics were on and these men made it seem like they were serenading every woman at once. While many loved the touching moment, some seemed displeased about the tribute.
As reactions trickled in via social media, one person described every Quincy Jones tribute as “mid.” Another felt that, while Jamie Foxx’s tribute was deserved, Jones should’ve gotten similar treatment.
Following his death in November 2024, fans ran to X with their picks for a tribute. Tevin Campbell, Diana Ross, and Tamia were among those named, but one did accurately manifest Luke James’ participation.
Jones was previously honored at the 2025 Grammys by Cynthia Erivo, Janelle Monáe, Stevie Wonder, and Herbie Hancock as well as the 2025 Oscars by Queen Latifah, Oprah, and Whoopi Goldberg. Both performances received mixed reactions from fans.
One tweeted, “The #Grammys should’ve done an entire Quincy Jones tribute special. You cannot honor his legacy and the breadth of what he has done with 10 to 15 minutes at most.” Someone else piggy-backed that sentiment: “The truth is a real Quincy Jones tribute should be at least 2 hours long.”
There’s no word on whether or not a Quincy Jones tribute special will happen in the near future.
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