Heartbreaking Details About Quincy Jones' 7 Kids

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Quincy Jones was a music legend. Though the music industry icon died at the age of 91, he will live on through the era-spanning music that he helped create. Best known for producing Michael Jackson's record-setting records like "Bad," "Off the Wall," and "Thriller," his career began even earlier. From Ray Charles to Aretha Franklin to Little Richard to Donna Summer, he helped shape the sound of the '70s and '80s. And while one is inclined to first think of Jones' musical legacy, he is also survived by the seven children that he had.

Born of three different mothers, his seven kids now continue his legacy, both in and out of the entertainment business in which he was so deeply entrenched. People reported that while he may not have always been the easiest to get along with, he wrote of a late-life acknowledgment of the joy of having kids, saying, "Never underestimate your role in your kid's lives. I learned that a bit later in my life, but I'm so glad I finally figured it out because being a father is hands down one of the greatest blessings!" But much like the story of Quincy Jones, who himself struggled early in his life, his kids have all had to weather difficulties of their own. Keep reading to learn the heartbreaking details about Quincy Jones' seven kids.

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Of all the heartbreaks in Quincy Jones' family, the most gut-wrenching might be that of his third-youngest daughter, Kidada Ann Jones. Born to his third wife, actress Peggy Lipton, Kidada was dating "Dear Mama" rap icon Tupac Shakur when he was tragically killed in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas. According to Vanity Fair's report on Shakur's final moments, Kidada was not in the car when Tupac was murdered but at their nearby hotel. However, she was at the hospital by Tupac's side when he died from wounds related to the shooting.

It's impossible to know what Kidada's life would be like if Tupac were still alive, but we know that their last minutes together in the hospital were heartbreaking. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Kidada recalled how Tupac briefly regained consciousness as she was getting ready to play Don McLean's "Vincent" on a CD player. She asked Shakur to move his feet if he could hear her, which he did. And then she asked, "Do you know I love you?" After he did not respond, she asked again, "Do you know we all love you?" After that, Tupac nodded, and when she turned away, he began to convulse before dying. It is a searing final memory that ended the star-crossed journey of the daughter of a musical icon and a musical icon in the making.

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Perhaps the most well-known child of Quincy Jones, Rashida Jones, was hit especially hard because of how close she was to her famous parent. As the second daughter of Quincy and actor Peggy Lipton, in 2018, Rashida produced and directed a documentary titled "Quincy" about her father. The nature of the documentary required Rashida to probe him about his life, which came with its own difficulties, not only because of her father's success but also his at times spotty reputation, with Rashida telling Forbes, "The intention was for people to get a real sense of who he is, the good and the bad."

The documentary took three months to film and one year to edit, with the "Parks and Recreation" cast member telling Forbes in an interview, "It was the hardest project I've ever done. It [is] so personal and so intense to spend time with your parents and try to be objective." Despite the hardship, the labor of love clearly paid off, with USA Today reporting that Quincy said the film "always [made] him cry" and that his life's message of "family, life, and keeping perspective" comes through. While Rashida may have a few acting roles under her belt, we have a feeling that the down-to-earth daughter heeds her father's words to "keep the humility with the creativity. And grace with the success."

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The eldest of Quincy Jones' children, Jolie Jones Levine, was born during his first marriage to his childhood sweetheart, Jeri Caldwell. Levine has a very particular impairment known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity (EHS). According to the NIH, EHS is a syndrome whereby an individual may have nervous system symptoms when exposed to electromagnetic waves in an environment or occupational setting. For many people, that means feelings of dizziness or tingling when in the presence of cell phones, microwaves, or devices that give off any kind of radio wave or signal. On her personal website, Levine describes her realization that she had the impairment, writing, "Seemingly overnight I became impaired... Unable to be anywhere near radiofrequency waves generated by cellphones and wireless devices. I was unable to use a cellphone. I was unable to work. I had to become a refugee in the modern world."

Levine now spends her time raising awareness for the condition, and though her website says that it caused her to lose connection with friends and family, with her no longer able to visit them in their homes, she still supports them, even giving sister Rashida and her dad a shout-out during the lead-up to the release of "Quincy."

The second child of Quincy Jones, Rachel Jones, was the result of a brief affair Quincy had with dancer Carol Reynolds. The exact details of their time together aren't well known — only that Quincy and Reynolds never married. But that didn't stop Quincy from being a supportive father to Rachel, and it appears that the support went both ways. In memory of Quincy's passing, Rachel posted an old picture of her and her father on Instagram with a caption that said, "This is us...together...still...and always connected."

Unlike most of the other Jones children, Rachel has carved out a life outside the arts and entertainment business. She earned her degree in veterinary medicine at Tuskegee University School of Veterinary Medicine and now owns a bi-coastal, holistic, mobile veterinary clinic in New York and Los Angeles. She is active on social media, where she continues the Jones tradition of supporting her family. And while she may not have become a music producer or actor, it looks like she's passing on her own medically inclined interests to her children, one of whom recently followed her into a similar field, becoming a chiropractor.

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Quincy Jones' only son, Quincy Jones III, followed directly in his father's footsteps and has been carving out his own path in the music industry. However, being the son of a music legend hasn't protected him from making enemies in the business, as was the case when he became tangled up in a lawsuit with Lil Wayne. First known for producing the documentary music series "Beef," about famous hip-hop feuds, Jones III found himself in the middle of one when he tried to produce a documentary on Lil Wayne titled "The Carter."

According to Billboard, Lil Wayne sued Jones III for the use of his music and a "scandalous portrayal" of himself in the film. However, Wayne didn't appear in court for his deposition, leading the judge to call his prerecorded deposition "irresponsible," toss out the suit and rule in a countersuit that Quincy III had filed, resulting in Wayne having to pay Quincy III a little over $2 million. It's a lot of money, but one wonders if Jones III might listen to the sage advice of his successful and musically inclined father, who told The National, "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."