(February 25, 2022) Robert Glasper's 2012 album Black Radio was a groundbreaking collection that combined hip-hop, R&B, jazz and more into a diverse yet cohesive package that displayed the breadth of BAM (Black American Music). It was justly honored with the Best R&B Album award at the 55th Grammys, recognizing both its ambitiousness and its near flawless execution. It also begat the critically acclaimed Black Radio 2 a year later.
Now, a decade later, Glasper returns with Black Radio 3, another thoughtful collection of materials featuring guests such as Esperanza Spalding, Jennifer Hudson, India Arie and Lalah Hathaway, that should find a welcoming audience among music fans of various stripes. There are many worthy songs on the collecition, but in our latest SoulTracks First Listen, we show our special love for the beautiful Ledisi-Gregory Porter duet "It Don't Matter."
(February 25, 2022) Robert Glasper's 2012 album Black Radio was a groundbreaking collection that combined hip-hop, R&B, jazz and more into a diverse yet cohesive package that displayed the breadth of BAM (Black American Music). It was justly honored with the Best R&B Album award at the 55th Grammys, recognizing both its ambitiousness and its near flawless execution. It also begat the critically acclaimed Black Radio 2 a year later.
Now, a decade later, Glasper returns with Black Radio 3, another thoughtful collection of materials featuring guests such as Esperanza Spalding, Jennifer Hudson, India Arie and Lalah Hathaway, that should find a welcoming audience among music fans of various stripes. There are many worthy songs on the collecition, but in our latest SoulTracks First Listen, we show our special love for the beautiful Ledisi-Gregory Porter duet "It Don't Matter."
"It Don't Matter" gives the melancholy confession of a lover who realizes that time may be running out on a romance that never seems to connect as the parties wanted.
When I think it's getting better
Mmm, could you be mine?
I don't know about forever
Yesterday we were fine
But I love to see you in the morning
The light in your eyes
But the pain has got me fading
I can't find my shine.
Porter and Ledisi sound tremendous together, both restraining beautifully to both blend and collectively tell the sad story of the ballad. This is some great listening, and a song we'll be putting on repeat -- from an album that will also be spinning regularly. Check it out below.
By Chris Rizik