Will Smith shared a heartfelt tribute to his longtime mentor Quincy Jones after the music legend passed away at the age of 91.

The 56-year-old actor and musician shared an emotional post on Instagram on Monday along with a black-and-white throwback photo of himself and Jones on set The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

His caption says: Bad boys The actor honored Jones as a “mentor, father and friend” and praised the late producer for guiding him to the “greatest parts of me.”

He added: “He defended me. He encouraged me. He gave me courage. He inspired me,” Smith wrote. “He let me use his wings until mine were strong enough to fly.”

Plus Jones, who arranged Smith's life-changing audition The Fresh Prince in 1989, remained a central figure in his life for over 35 years.

Additionally, the post resonated with Smith's followers, garnering nearly 350,000 likes and sparking an outpouring of condolences.

Accordingly Daily MailHer fans remembered Jones' impact, noting, “The vision that Quincy Jones had in casting you…was the launch of one of the greatest careers in Hollywood.”

Meanwhile, rapper Ludacris also paid his respects by commenting with crown and king emojis.

In addition, Quincy Jones, known for his work with stars such as Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Ray Charles, died on November 4th surrounded by his family.

It's worth noting that his publicist confirmed his death early Sunday.