Grammy Award-winning jazz pianist Robert Glasper celebrates the two-decade long career of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, with a musical arrangement he composed titled “Be Courageous”. The piece embodies the highs and lows of the 2008 Most Valuable Player as he approaches his final season. Glasper’s original piece was also inspired by Martin Luther King Jr., more from Nike.
“Glasper’s choice of 4/4 and 6/8 time signatures, which define the track’s structure, goes deeper than jazz convention. The numbers align with a significant event in history: the assassination of a great leader on April 4, 1968 (4/4/68) in Memphis, Tennessee, at the Lorraine Motel. Additionally, Glasper draws inspiration from the city’s rich musical heritage — including pioneering labels like Stax Records, whose artists frequented the Lorraine Motel, which itself was a catalyst for community growth and support.”
