Robert Glasper
Crystal Palace Bowl, Terrace Straight, SE19 2GA London Directions
Sun 09.08.2026 14:00
Roots Picnic
Performers
-
Robert GlasperRobert Glasper is one of the founders of a new sound that has changed the face of a genre.
-
CommonRobert 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 critically hailed documentary “13th” with Common and Karriem Riggins, and a Peabody Award for his Composition of “Mr. Soul!”. His work and accolades bridge all aspects of the music business, from live touring to film scoring, composing and producing.
Evolution is his hallmark. Glasper’s breakout crossover album Black Radio changed the face of the genre and set a new expectation for what popular music could be. The album won him the Grammy for best R&B album and established him as the musician of choice for some of the world’s most iconic artists; notably playing keys throughout Kendrick Lamar's To Pimp A Butterfly, winning another Grammy for the elastic track “These Walls”. The ongoing Black Radio series has since become Glasper’s calling card, upholding a place at the heart of a trailblazing community: from long-time sonic brothers Mos Def and Bilal, to legends including Ledisi, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Jill
Scott, and Erykah Badu.
Glasper’s eternal pursuit to further his sound has been consistent in challenging and transforming his creative horizons across the board. Whether producing a remix album with Kaytranda or as a bandleader, Robert consistently defies the limits of the genre. This is evident in a portfolio that ranges from his acoustic jazz trio; which simultaneously defies and elevates the traditional idiom by uniting it effortlessly with electronics from visionary DJ Jahi Sundance, to August Greene; a collaboration with Common + Karriem Riggins, to R+R=Now; a supergroup at the crossroads of hip-hop and Jazz.
In the last year alone, Glasper has seen a staggering diversity of success. He released Black Radio III and Black Radio III Supreme Edition on Loma Vista Records; with features ranging from Jennifer Hudson, Killer Mike, and the late Mac Miller. On screen he created the original score for Run The World Season 2 and The Best Man television series. In July 2022 he was the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the first Blue Note Napa Valley Jazz Festival, which brought to the stage a plethora of iconic artists; from Chaka Khan to Maxwell and Glasper’s Dinner Party project featuring Snoop Dogg. October 2022 sees him back in New York for his now-legendary month-long residency at the Blue Note NYC, with the usual array of star-studded appearances from the likes of Dave Chappelle, Chris Rock, Questlove, Alex Isley and Miguel joining him both on and off stage.
With boundless innovation and elite technique as his signature it’s no surprise that Glasper has an avalanche of accolades, awards, and achievements to his name - most recently being asked to play at the 2020 March On Washington with Derrick Hodge and funk legend, Sir George Clinton. In August of 2020, Robert released ‘Better Than Imagined’ which won the Grammy for Best R&B song in 2021; the first taste of his Black Radio 3 album. Featuring H.E.R and Meshell Ndegeocello, the song advocates for Black love and the power, and responsibility, we have to improve our world; again demonstrating that, above all, Glasper is an artist at the heart of a moment - and a movement - to champion Black music, Black people, and the possibility of a better future. The hip-hop-head-nod ballad is a dedication to just that: the beauty and
brilliance of a heritage that is as much Kendrick as it is Coltrane, and which seeks to empower and uplift with every offering. Glasper later went on to win the Grammy for Best R&B Album for Black Radio 3 in 2023
In his own words:
“Black lives matter and so does black love; no one wants a life without love, but we have generations of people in our community who haven’t had the tools to actually be in healthy relationships. 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.” -Robert Glasper -
The Roots Festival
The Most Legendary Hard Working
-
Anthony HamiltonMusiq Soulchild is one of the most influential singers of his generation. Weaned on Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway just to name a few along with hip hop elements & story telling Musiq pioneered the “neo-soul” movement of the early millennium. Musiq has received 13 Grammy nominations and has sold millions of records throughout the world. He is still one of the most popular performers and a true artist. Known for his raw vocal talent Musiq went from signing on the street corners of Philadelphia in the late 90’s to landing a big record deal with Def Jam in 2000, ushering in a new age and sound of his own.
-
Musiq SoulchildMusiq Soulchild is one of the most influential singers of his generation. Weaned on Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder and Donny Hathaway just to name a few along with hip hop elements & story telling Musiq pioneered the “neo-soul” movement of the early millennium. Musiq has received 13 Grammy nominations and has sold millions of records throughout the world. He is still one of the most popular performers and a true artist. Known for his raw vocal talent Musiq went from signing on the street corners of Philadelphia in the late 90’s to landing a big record deal with Def Jam in 2000, ushering in a new age and sound of his own.
-
?UestloveGilles Peterson is an influential DJ and record-label owner from Switzerland, who moved to London (England), as a boy. Through his labels Acid Jazz and Talkin' Loud he has been associated with the careers of countless well-known artists of the 1990s. He is also well known as a radio DJ: he used to have a radio show on London's Kiss FM dance music station, but was recruited to the BBC's youth-oriented Radio 1 in 1998. Peterson is known for his eclectic musical selections. Though not as "anything goes" as the late John Peel, he plays anything from dub and reggae through jazz, nu-jazz, soul, neo soul, R&B to drum and bass, house, broken beat, hip-hop and Jazz-funk.
Gilles's official website is at www.gillespetersonworldwide.com