Legendary producer and songwriter Quincy Jones was the guest of honor at the Spotify Stories Behind The Music event held Wednesday night at the Andaz Hotel in Hollywood, but he’s made some waves for his criticism of Sean “Diddy” Combsduring an interview with the night’s host Bruno Mars.
When the topic of Diddy came up, according to MTV, Jones, who is considered a musical genius for his work with artists like Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, completely disregarded Combs’ musical skills.
“He couldn’t recognize a b-flat if it hit him,” he reportedly said to audience laughter.
“P. Diddy has a doctorate in marketing. He’s got clothes companies and Ciroc Vodka,” Jones went on , inferring that Combs’ strengths rest firmly outside of the music industry.
He used Diddy to make a bigger point about success, though. He pointed out that styles and marketing strategies come and go, but if you really learn your craft, you can craft a good career in whatever you do.
The event was held to celebrate the launch of a new Spotify playlists app that features musical guidance from leading artists and tastemakers. The subscription-based streaming service recently surpassed 2.5 million paying users.