Hearing Heri Watu perform his song I.D.E.K.Y.N. at Busboys and Poets, was like ascending from a tunnel; when you feel that strong pop in your ears and suddenly realize that everything you had been hearing before was muddled and muffled.
The buttery sound of his guitar, playing upbeat, almost happy notes of a song about love was a far cry from the mumbles of “ho” and “bitch” that I scroll past daily on Instagram.
With the release of his third EP titled “Piece Uh Me” on the horizon, Watu took some time out of his busy day to talk about the project, among other things. Busy may be an understatement, as he is not only a musician but also a songwriter, producer, graphic designer, artist, and entrepreneur.
The vibrant colors of Calabash Tea, infused with the smell of incense and herbs with a variety of flavors was a perfect meeting place, as I found that Watu himself seemed to be an enigmatic, leaning towards indigo, individual.
Watu credits his love for music to growing up listening to his mother’s classic R&B albums. He taught himself how to play guitar before he was 10 and expanded his own musical library to include artists like Dennis Brown, D’Angelo, Metallica and The Migos. He started writing songs and studied music theory and began his musical career in 2015 under the name Heri Watu, which means “blessed people” in Swahili.
When asked what genre is his music, he replied that, “it’s Watu Music.” It doesn’t fit into an existing label. He says his music is primarily guitar with heavy melodies with the vibes of blues, reggae, R&B, and even rap mixed in to create a different sound. He calls his style holistic wisdom, but says it’s not pretentious or preachy. “I’m bringing the righteous and the rachet together.”
Piece Uh Me will be released exclusively on his website, Heriwatu.com, on September 28.
He wrote and produced the five songs that will be on the EP, and played the instruments as well.
He also drew the cover art himself.
He describes the work as personal with each song having a slightly different style, but assures us that all of the songs will make you want to bounce and snap along with the rhythm.
The song titled “No Lie” has a contemporary, trap beat for the younger fans, but he insists that he will never lose Watu while trying to stay with the times.
“I’d rather make timeless music than ride the wave,” he insisted.
Going back to his name, he explained that, “Heri Watu is a blessing. You use your blessing to bless others. You start with accountability and you change yourself, then you can change your family, your community, your neighborhood and then you can change the world. But you can’t change the world if you don’t change yourself.”
His final words to his fans was to expect more. “I’m a real person and I have to make good products and good music. Expect an elevation of more music.”
You can connect with Heri Watu on his Instagram account by that name, or on his website Heriwatu.com, where he also sells his handmade whipped shea butter, which he calls Wonder Butter.
Watch the I.D.E.K.Y.N. video BELOW: