How did Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones connect jazz with hip-hop and other popular music styles?

Herbie Hancock and Quincy Jones were instrumental in bridging the gap between jazz and popular music genres, including hip-hop and electronic music, through their pioneering crossover projects beginning in the 1980s.1

Herbie Hancock
Hancock transitioned from his roots in bebop and jazz-rock to incorporate electronic elements and dance rhythms. His 1983 hit "Rockit" showcased his early adoption of electronic sounds. Later, he continued to blend genres by collaborating with techno artists on Future 2 Future (2001) and exploring pop collaborations on albums like Possibilities (2005) and The Imagine Project (2010).23

Quincy Jones
Jones utilized his background as a jazz arranger to become a transformative producer in popular music. His work on Michael Jackson’s blockbuster albums in the 1980s redefined dance-based sound. Jones further integrated diverse musical styles through his label, Qwest, and his 1989 album Back on the Block, which featured a cross-genre fusion of jazz legends and rappers like Ice-T.456