Robert Glasper
City Winery Pittsburgh presents Robert Glasper live on Thursday, June 26th, at 9:00 PM, part of a four show series. View all their Pittsburgh dates and times here!(opens in a new tab)
Robert Glasper is the leader of a new sonic paradigm with a career that bridges musical and artistic genres. To date, he boasts 5 Grammy wins and 12 nominations across 11 categories, an Emmy Award for his song for Ava Duvernay’s documentary 13th with Common and Karriem Riggins, and a Peabody Award for his composition of Mr. Soul!. His work spans the music business—from live touring to film scoring, composing, and producing—consistently pushing creative boundaries.
Glasper’s breakout crossover album Black Radio redefined the genre and won the Grammy for Best R&B Album, establishing him as a go-to collaborator for iconic artists, including his contribution to Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly and the Grammy-winning track “These Walls.” The ongoing Black Radio series has become his signature, featuring long-time collaborators like Mos Def and Bilal alongside legends like Ledisi, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Jill Scott, and Erykah Badu.
A relentless innovator, Glasper continues to challenge expectations. Whether remixing with Kaytranada, collaborating with Common and Karriem Riggins in August Greene, forming supergroup R+R=Now, or performing with his jazz trio alongside visionary DJ Jahi Sundance, his work dissolves the borders between jazz, hip-hop, soul, and beyond.
In the past year alone, Glasper released Black Radio III and the Supreme Edition on Loma Vista Records, featuring artists like Jennifer Hudson, Killer Mike, and the late Mac Miller. He composed original scores for Run The World Season 2 and The Best Man series, and co-founded the Blue Note Napa Valley Jazz Festival, bringing Chaka Khan, Maxwell, and Snoop Dogg to the stage. He also returned for his now-legendary residency at Blue Note NYC, joined by star guests like Dave Chappelle, Questlove, and Miguel.
With innovation and elite technique as his signature, Glasper’s accolades reflect his cultural resonance. His track “Better Than Imagined,” featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello, won the 2021 Grammy for Best R&B Song and previewed Black Radio III, which earned him another Grammy in 2023 for Best R&B Album. The song advocates for Black love and the responsibility to create a better future—showcasing Glasper’s dedication to empowering Black voices through music.
In his words:
“Black lives matter and so does black love... It seems like people are finally ready to open their eyes to systemic racism in this country, and if we’re going to talk about it, we have to also talk about how it affects our relationships—how we communicate, how we see ourselves, how we treat each other. It’s not always good, even though maybe it could be.”
