Jellybean Johnson, the acclaimed drummer for The Time and a renowned producer behind hits like Janet Jackson’s 1990 No. 1 single “Black Cat,” died suddenly on Friday (November 21) at the age of 69. Known for his work with Prince protégés The Time on their first three studio albums – The Time (1980), What Time Is It? (1982), and the platinum-selling Ice Cream Castle (1984) – along with collaborations with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, Johnson also went on to produce tracks for Alexander O’Neal, New Edition, and Cherrelle. After leaving The Time in 1985, he reunited with the band for Prince’s 1990 Graffiti Bridge film and soundtrack, and played on their accompanying album, Pandemonium, while later making a notable performance alongside Rihanna at the Grammy Awards in 2008. A Chicago native who grew up in Minneapolis, he founded the Minneapolis Sound Museum in 2022 which aims to “educate, celebrate and create, while also providing an environment to learn, gather and showcase artistry that preserves and fosters the Minneapolis Sound genre”
Tributes have poured in for the beloved multi-instrumentalist, including from The Time frontman, Morris Day, who said: “Jellybean was a friend of mine since the age of 11 years old. He wasn’t just a bandmate, he was more like a brother to me. As one of the original members of the Time, Bean was a consummate musician. I’m certain he’s up in heaven now with Prince assembling an All-Star lineup of some of the baddest musicians to ever do it. Bean will forever be missed.” Funk percussionist and fellow Prince cohort, Sheila E., wrote a touching tribute on Instagram, calling Johnson “a kind human being, extremely talented and funny. He had a great sense of humor and was an awesome guitar player. I love u bean 🙏🏽🙏🏽💔🌹 rest in peace and power.” (Rolling Stone)
