By the time he reached adolescence, Robert knew his destiny was to be a jazz musician. He was accepted to the Houston's famed High School for the Performing Arts ("Jason Moran went there before me."). Post-graduation, Glasper enrolled at New School University in Manhattan. Soon after arrival, he hooked up with future bandmember Reid and vocalist Bilal, an old schoolmate. As an undergrad, Glasper gigged with Christian McBride, Russell Malone and Kenny Garrett. Professional life after the New School was even sweeter: stints with Nicholas Payton, Roy Hargrove, Terence Blanchard, Carmen Lundy, and Carly Simon.
The Bilal connection brought the pianist back to hip-hop. Glasper's contributions to Bilal's debut and subsequent tour brought him to the attention of Q-Tip (A Tribe Called Quest). "Tip would come hang out at my shows, and one day he called me and said, ‘I'm doing this tour and I need you to play keys. Can you do it?’” He's also since played with Mos Def, and is featured prominently on Bilal's forthcoming sophomore release.
In 2003, Glasper's first album Mood was released on indie label Fresh Sound New Talent, and two years later, Blue Note came calling. At Blue Note, Glasper joins a jazz piano legacy that stretches back to 1939, beginning with Albert Ammons and Meade Lux Lewis, and continuing through Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Herbie Hancock, McCoy Tyner, Chick Corea, Andrew Hill, Cecil Taylor, Gonzalo Rubalcaba, Jacky Terrasson, Jason Moran and Bill Charlap. Undaunted, Glasper reflects, “I’m just happy to be a part of the Blue Note family and its rich history.”
-- From Glasper's Official Website
All Matter
Robert Glasper Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Divine by design it all intertwines
Ain't nothing new but we always changing
Moving still water's soft yet so hard
So what is love? What is it?
What's is love, what is it?
Cool on the outside hot in the middle
You ain't even gotta try
All you gotta do is realize
You ain't even gotta try
All you gotta do is realize
Oh one great big small thing
Like pollen in the sping breeze
A spec of dust in this vast universe
Just like a rain drop
Dropped in the sea of consciousness
It's all matter eh, it's all matter
So what is love? What is it?
What's is love, what is it?
Cool on the outside hot in the middle
Cool on the outside hot in the middle oh
You ain't even gotta try
All you gotta do is realize
You ain't even gotta try
All you gotta do is realize
You ain't even gotta try
All you gotta do is realize
You ain't even gotta try
All you gotta do is realize it's all matter
It's all matter matter
It's all matter it's all matter
It's all matter it's all matter
Matter it's all matter
It's all matter it's all matter
It's all matter it's all matter
It's all, matter it's all matter
It's all matter it's all matter
Matter matter it's all matter matter
It's all matter matter
Matter it's all matter
Matter, matter, matter, matter, matter
Matter, matter, matter, matter, matter
You ain't gotta try
The lyrics to the song "All Matter" by Robert Glasper ft Bilal talks about the concept of unity and diversity in the world. The first line of the song "We're all the same and all so very different" establishes this idea of people being unique but connected at the same time. The lyrics go on to suggest that although we are constantly changing, we are all divinely connected to each other in some way.
The chorus of the song poses the question "What is love?" and answers it by describing it as something that is cool on the outside but hot on the inside. This could be referencing the idea that love may not always appear obvious, but when you experience it, it is intense and powerful. The repetition of the line "You ain't even gotta try" suggests that love is effortless and should come naturally without force or difficulty.
The song takes a step back to look at the bigger picture of existence. The lyrics describe humanity as “one great big small thing” amongst the vast universe. The image of a spec of dust in a vast universe is a reminder that although we may seem insignificant, we are all connected and part of the same universe. The lyrics continue by referencing the idea of collective consciousness and how our individual experiences contribute to a larger whole.
Overall, the lyrics of "All Matter" promote the idea that even though we are diverse individuals, we are all connected and part of something bigger than ourselves.
Line by Line Meaning
We're all the same and all so very different
Regardless of our differences, we all have a common thread that runs through us
Divine by design it all intertwines
The universe has a master plan that brings everything together
Ain't nothing new but we always changing
Although life is constantly evolving, the essence of it remains the same
Moving still water's soft yet so hard
What appears calm on the surface may be turbulent underneath
So what is love? What is it?
An eternal question we all grapple with
Cool on the outside hot in the middle
Passionate and intense, yet restrained on the surface
You ain't even gotta try
Love doesn't require any effort or force
All you gotta do is realize
Love is already present, you just need to recognize it
Oh one great big small thing
The universe is full of paradoxes, where something small can be immensely significant
Like pollen in the spring breeze
Something seemingly insignificant can have a far-reaching impact
A spec of dust in this vast universe
The vastness of the universe makes us feel small and insignificant
Just like a rain drop
A single drop of water can cause ripples that extend far beyond its size
Dropped in the sea of consciousness
Our actions have an impact on the collective consciousness of humanity
It's all matter eh, it's all matter
Everything in the universe is interconnected and interdependent
Matter it's all matter
Our physical existence is made up of tiny particles that form everything we see and experience
You ain't even gotta try
Love is a natural force that doesn't require any effort from us
All you gotta do is realize it's all matter
Once we recognize our interconnectedness, we can see that everything is important and deserves respect
Matter matter it's all matter matter
The repetition highlights the importance of this truth
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ronald
on Everybody Loves the Sunshine (feat. José James)
who is the xylophonist playing with Robert
Glasper on Everybody loves the sunshine?