"It's always home," says Glasper. "Houston's always home."
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Glasper's exact genre is hard to categorize. He works in jazz, hip-hop, and R&B, and often combines the three into his own sound. He calls himself a "musical mutt," and credits his mother with his ability to work with a variety of sounds.
"My mother was a singer, and used to sing all styles of music," he says. "I grew up with all kinds of music happening in the house."
Glasper has won three Grammys as a solo act, and two for his work with the Robert Glasper Experiment. He is currently nominated for two more Grammy Awards, both in R&B. He is an alumni of HISD's High School of Performing and Visual Arts, and has also worked with artists like Common and HER.
"I'm glad to be in the number of people who represent Houston," Glasper said.
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When Glasper returns to his hometown, he says there are four places he must visit before heading back to California: Shipley Do-Nuts, Frenchy's Chicken, Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen, and The Galleria.
"My family is here, and people I went to high school with, and people who are just rooting for me," Glasper says. "It still feels like home."
You can watch Glasper, along with a variety of other acts, on Friday's exclusive broadcast of Reliant Lights Mayor's Holiday Spectacular, airing at 7pm on ABC13.