When it comes to success in the music industry, Chris Brown and Robert Glasper are two names that come to mind. Both have achieved tremendous success in their respective genres, with Brown being a multi-Grammy nominated R&B artist and Glasper being a five-time Grammy-winning pianist and producer whose work transcends jazz, R&B and hip-hop.
Recently, the two were pitted against each other when Glasper beat out Brown for the Grammy for best R&B album. Brown took to Instagram to express his disappointment, and then later apologized to Glasper for his reaction.
In this blog post, we’ll explore the story behind Brown and Glasper’s rivalry and how it ended in an apology from Brown. We’ll also look at Glasper’s impressive career, how he transcends genres, and his upcoming festival dates.
It all started when Glasper won the Grammy for best R&B album, beating out Brown. Brown posted an Instagram story of Glasper that read, “Y’all playing. Who da fuck is this?” He then wrote, “Ima keep kicking y’all ass! Respectfully.” Brown also posted an image that read, “Who the f*ck is Robert Glasper,” using a graphic and phrase that Glasper himself has used in self-deprecating fashion.
But after doing some research, Brown realized Glasper was an amazing artist and decided to apologize. Posting a screenshot of his own direct message to Glasper, Brown wrote, “Congratulations my brother… I would like to apologize if you took offense to my reaction at the Grammys. You were not the intended target and I know I came off really rude and mean.”
Brown continued, “After doing my research I actually think you’re amazing… the organization isn’t doing us Blacks our due diligence. You and I should never be in the same category… two totally different vibes and genres. So from one Black man to another, congratulations. Hope you are able to feed your family for life. God bless my G.”
Glasper is a decorated musician whose work transcends genres. In an October interview with Variety, Glasper spoke of his ability to jump across genres, saying, “No one in the history of music has ever been a high-level musician in any other genre — like a high-level R&B or hip-hop or classical musician — and been able to go into the jazz world and make some noise and get respect. That doesn’t happen. To play jazz, you have to master your instrument just to play the music, even in a mediocre sense.”
Glasper is set to embark on a handful of festival dates in Mexico and Australia. In April, he will play Coachella with his supergroup Dinner Party, which features modern jazz titans Kamasi Washington and Terrace Martin.
The Chris Brown-Robert Glasper rivalry is a story of respect and understanding, and it’s a great example of how the music industry can bring together two different genres. Brown’s apology to Glasper is a testament to the power of research and the importance of recognizing and celebrating the talent of other artists.
Source: variety.com