Scotland, too, apparently…
Celebrated music producer Quincy Jones described Ireland as “so racist it’s frightening,” adding that he seemingly takes refuge in Bono’s castle when visiting.
Known to his friends as “Q”, Jones is the man behind classic Michael Jackson albums Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad, which is just one shining example of an incredible six-decade-long career in the music industry.
Midway through a lengthy and sensational interview with GQ, published on Monday, the 84-year-old recalls when U2 frontman Bono invited him to the Vatican in 1999 to meet Pope John Paul II, which led to Jones praising the late Pope on his “pimp shoes.”
Asked if the Pope overheard this potentially sacrilegious remark, Jones admits that he did, before aiming a controversial sideswipe at Ireland and its citizens:
And that’s the end of that. No follow-up, no challenge from the journalist, just another bizarre soundbite in an interview packed with them.
Other highlights from a truly fascinating chat include Jones buying drugs from Malcolm X, having lunch with Nazi propaganda filmmaker Leni Riefenstahl, and how he’s going to live until he’s 110 years old: