#betterthaniimagined

[yanarchy072]

・ ・ 想像以上にイイ感じがほしいw ・ #BetterThanIImagined #ベターゼンアイイマジンド #RobertGlasper #ロバートグラスパー ・ #Jazz #ジャズ ・ #instamusic #musicstagram #instagood #instapic (Tokyo Japan) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cew1v8_hv-s/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[barryorchestra]

barryorchestra presents...2020: A Playlist - #37.

#37. “Better Than I Imagined” by Robert Glasper, H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello

Robert Glasper (who has already been on this list via the Dinner Party project) takes his skills as a jazz musician, his love of hip hop and the intersection of R&B to create a lush, smooth blend of sounds. His series of albums entitled “Black Radio” have functioned as a launchpad to pull artists from a wide variety of musical backgrounds into a singular vision that represents what contemporary black music can be. “Better Than I Imagined” serves as the lead single to the 3rd installment of “Black Radio”, and from the second it comes on, it destroys me! The soft & distinct percussion, the jazz chords, the pleading and hushed tones of H.E.R. combined with the spoken word monologue from Meshell Ndegeocello...simply put, it’s perfection! The song is a reflection of an estranged love that ended but still lingers in the hearts and minds of both parties. H.E.R. gives a smooth, but emotional vocal performance as recounts the lows of the relationship and feels the highs, while Meshell Ndegecello (a classic neo-soul artist who I’m ashamed to say that I did not know before this song), gives a lucid monologue after receiving a call from her former lover. Meshell is outside of the U.S and can’t catch a flight back because of the global pandemic that’s hitting. She regrets missing the call and implores her ex to call again. I like the tension of “what if” that this song captures. What if they hadn’t broke up? What if there was never an issue? Could they have made it work? Are the memories of good times worth the struggle of trying again? Or is the past better left in the past?

This song doesn’t answer those questions, but it does leave them open ended and provides the space at atmosphere for you to apply the narrative to your own situation, and that’s the mark of a great blues song.

Glasper was asked about the song in an interview, and he said: 

“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.”

[artifacts-and-beyond]

GOLD!.... love all three artists

Better Than I Imagined feat. H.E.R. & Meshell Ndegeocello ∞ Robert Glasper

artwork by Gianni Lee directed by Marvin Lau

[iamgabrisan]

Watch @robertglasper - "Better Than I Imagined" ft. @hermusicofficial ., @officialmeshell " on YouTube https://youtu.be/8yQE8v-5GTU  Songwriters: Meshell Ndegeocello / Robert Glasper / Gabriella Wilson #betterthaniimagined #RobertGlasper #Her #MeshellNdegeocello #GabriellaWilson . #Selfie #photoshoot #mood @iamgabrisan @haitilegends @massagemelodies #iamgabrisan #Haitilegends #massagemelodies https://www.instagram.com/p/CFOPZriDSIBGGBtHr8HIq0XGn6Oupn7PnrgK6I0/?igshid=1jvsy22gmbzep