Hargrove primarily played in the hard bop style for the majority of his albums, but also had a penchant for genre-crossing exploration and collaboration with a variety of hip hop, neo soul, R&B and alternative rock artists.

One of Hargrove's most profound early influences was a visit to his junior high school by saxophonist David "Fathead" Newman, who performed as a sideman in Ray Charles's Band.

[12] Shortly thereafter, Hargrove recorded with the band Superblue featuring Watson, Mulgrew Miller, Frank Lacy, Don Sickler and Kenny Washington.

[22] In 1994, Hargrove signed with Verve and recorded With the Tenors of Our Time featuring Joe Henderson, Stanley Turrentine, Johnny Griffin, Joshua Redman, and Branford Marsalis.

[23] Soon afterwards, Hargrove released his second album for Verve, Family, which included his original song "Roy Allan", named after his father, which thereafter became a popular jazz composition for others.

[5] Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hargrove collaborated with the Soulquarians, a collective of experimental jazz, hip hop and soul artists that included Questlove, D'Angelo, Common, and others.

"[31] In 2002, Hargrove won his second Grammy for Best Jazz Instrumental Album for Directions in Music: Live at Massey Hall with co-leaders Herbie Hancock and Michael Brecker.

[32] Also in 2002, Hargrove collaborated with D'Angelo, Macy Gray, the Soultronics, and Nile Rodgers on two tracks for Red Hot & Riot, a compilation album in tribute to the music of afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.

[33] From 2003 to 2006, he released three albums as the leader of Roy Hargrove's The RH Factor, a group that blended jazz, soul, hip hop and funk idioms.

[38] Thereafter, until his death in 2018, Hargrove toured extensively and appeared as a sideman on recordings by Jimmy Cobb, Roy Haynes, Cyrille Aimée, The 1975, D’Angelo, Johnny O'Neal, Kandace Springs and others.

[51] Music critic Sharonne Cohen of Everything Jazz praised the recording, noting that "Grande-Terre brims with Crisol's intricate and sophisticated arrangements, Hargrove's explosive, imaginative and soul-stirring playing, and the band's powerful, singular sound.

We've been hearing Hargrove spin silk on this instrument for a couple of decades now, yet one still marvels at the poetry of his tone, the incredible slowness of his vibrato and the arching lyricism of his phrases.

[64] Posthumous release Superblue Manhattan Projects With Carl Allen, Donald Brown, Ira Coleman and Kenny Garrett Jazz Futures With Antonio Hart, Benny Green, Carl Allen, Christian McBride, Mark Whitfield, Marlon Jordan, Tim Warfield The Jazz Networks Buckshot LeFonque With D'Angelo With Erykah Badu With Jimmy Cobb With Johnny Griffin With Roy Haynes With Shirley Horn With Jimmy Smith With The 1975 With others