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“Ghetto Walkin’” is a raw, soulful single from the up and coming Miles Davis and Robert Glasper project entitled Everything Is Beautiful. On this jazzy track, master takes from Davis’ work with Columbia Records have been compiled and reworked by Glasper to create a remote, somber affect that is well represented by the creative artwork of its complementary video. The harsh stoicism of the urban-sprawl is emoted in the sketchwork of the animation, seemingly influenced by the artwork of Jean-Michel Basquiat. The complementary video highlights the existential crisis of black, urban subjecthood as vocalist Bilal sings “So low I’m thinking one way out / In a box, In a church, and the people shout / Grandma’s hands prayed for me / But these streets still preyed on me.” The remorseful interiority of urban life expressed is similarly expressed in Mac Miller’s song “Friends” from his Faces mixtape, which also samples Davis’ “The Ghetto Walk”. The tempo of “Ghetto Walkin” is noticeably faster than the Davis original, yet it creates a rich texture of sound that is well paced by the dry percussion. The layering of sound on this single is incredibly rich, from the powerful emotive qualities of the vocals to the sweet nuances of it’s forlorn strings. This modern re-working of Davis’ sound is well arranged by Glasper, but it lacks the thought-provoking surprise of Davis’ improvisation. Given the nature of the project, this lack is lessened by the aesthetic cohesion of Glasper’s work, and the euphony of the track breathes life into the work of Davis and his musical legacy.
Condition: NEW
TRACK LISTING
SIDE A
A1 Ghetto Walkin' – Robert Glasper, Bilal
SIDE B
B1 The Ghetto Walk – Miles Davis
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