Music Legend Quincy Jones Claimed He Wasn't Religious: "I Know Too Much About It"

On Sunday, Nov. 3, 2024, the music world lost a titan in Quincy Jones. The legendary record producer died at his home in Bel Air, Calif., at the age of 91. His cause of death has not yet been revealed.

As tributes flow in from fans and associates alike, many people are eager to learn more about his life beyond music. For starters, what was Quincy Jones's religion?

Here's what we found.

Regarding his views on religion, Quincy Jones told Vulture in February 2018 that he does not consider himself religious. When asked about what he thinks happens after death, he simply stated, "You're just gone."

The award-winning music producer then explained his stance on religion by saying he isn't religious because he knew "too much about it." Quincy also mentioned his belief in a God who opposes the love of money.

"I knew Romano Mussolini, the jazz piano player, the son of Benito Mussolini. We used to jam all night. And he'd tell me about where the Catholics were coming from," Quincy said.

He continued, "The Catholics have a religion based on fear, smoke, and murder. And the biggest gimmick in the world is confession: 'You tell me what you did wrong and it’ll be okay.' Come on. And almost everywhere you go in the world, the biggest structures are the Catholic churches. It's money, man. It's f--ked up."

However, during an interview with Oprah in 1985, the influential jazz musician recounted a profound out-of-body experience he had during major brain surgery. He described it as a moment where he "short-circuited" and had to rely on his faith amid the uncertainty of what was happening to him.

"I think at that state, you just keep drifting back into a coma," he clarified, noting that he encountered a white light, which he perceived as God and a glimpse of the end of life.