Performance and CD Reviews for Heru

As the President and CEO of Harambee Radio, we are pleased to announce that we have awarded and named Heru as Spoken Word Poet of the Year for 2005.

Upon listening to the three available Heru cds, I was finally acutely aware of the power of the "Word". As an institution we have the awesome responsibility of picking quality messages for our audience. After sifting through and hearing thousands of so called spoken word artists, one stuck out in my mind as absolutely needed by us. His nomination and being awarded Spoken Word Poet of the year should come as no surprise unless you have not heard the "WORD."

--Dalani Aamon-CEO
The Harambee Radio Network

(www.harambeeradio.com)

The most captivating and inspiring aspect of Heru's politically super-charged performance poetry, which was featured at Seed Magazine's annual Seed Lounge at Bates College, was his ability to suggest and state his opinions without being dogmatic. Heru cited sources and challenged the audience to research and question his claims about history, discourse, and current political crimes and injustices like a published historian. His ability to offer realistic solutions inspired the audience, and the response of the students who attended was unprecedented. Heru's passion, excitement, and energy coalesced with the audience and spawned an hour and half post performance discussion.

In summation, Heru's presence and poetry positively affected the Bates College community unlike any other speaker that I have seen. Students are asking Seed to bring Heru back to the campus, and others having begun email dialogue with the poet evidence this.--Jordan Williams, Co-Editor and Treasurer, Bates College SEED Magazine

The "Nappy Head Natty Dread" Heru comes through like no one else we know today. He's like part Baraka, part Jeru the Damager, part-Marley or Capleton, all remixed by Queen Nzingha! Hearing him is not just so satisfying, spiritually and politically, it's also so edifying in a million and one ways. See him perform and there's even more. He spits fire. He chants. He delivers. Watching his audience transfixed by The Word he embodies is a sight to behold: Heru's show becomes a Black Church of Consciousness, concrete and divine, life-savingly pan-Afrikan, ancient and cutting-edge. He came to us at our Black Convocation event, Fall 2003, (though we had planned to bring him later), after our original speaker for that event, the beloved revolutionary Safiya Buhkari, tragically passed on. The Brother made it happen, absolutely accommodating as a guest, as humble as he is talented, conjuring up the fallen soldier's fire for those who remain on this side of the Struggle. In other words, Heru is much more than a mere "poet." An "ancestral avenger" and "truth-speaker," he spits fire that purifies: Bablyon is burned and chanted down! -- Greg Thomas, Professor of English & Textual Studies, Syracuse University; Editor of PROUD FLESH: New Afrikan Journal of Culture, Politics & Consciousness (wwwProudFleshJournal.Com).

Urban America Magazine in their June 2004 Cover Story on Heru says: Heru is the man with the master plan of poetic flows that speak truth and prophecy. Slackness will never come from the mouth of this spoken word genius. Neither Def Poetry Jam nor any other commercial spoken word venue could ever measure up to the fire that he spits when he graces the stage. He has the same fiery effect on Spoken Word as Bob Marley had on Reggae. His candid truth resembles The Last Poets or Gil Scott Heron. In fact he's had the pleasure of touring with the Last Poets. Heru's intellect and knowledge of history and African culture are what makes him to be considered the Best Male Spoken Word Artist that has come out of the South Florida area, and he's toured the country and the Islands spreading his thought provoking poetic flows. Every poem is a clever lecture that educates and entertains the audience. When you hear Heru you hear talent and words of liberation.

"Poets like Heru are the reason many of us have not turned our backs on Spoken Word and continue to believe in an age old craft. He has the uncanny ability to entrance and enlighten listeners in a style equivalent to a favorite uncle or grandfather sharing information that has been passed down through the generations. I couldn’t listen to just one of his CD’s I had to listen to both over and over and even felt compelled to take notes and open books long forgotten. His words inspire thoughts hard to articulate but easy to digest. His words and works are a definite must have."

--What's Hot Review by PoetryJoint.com

"The Power of the Word! Heru is clearly one who exemplifies the power that is the word; the magic that is the word. The Yoruba have a concept called afo, the spoken aspect of Ashe, meaning literally: I speak it and it happens! This is the power that is Heru. His voice, his wisdom, his boldness and courage, his political clarity and vision identify Heru as one of the best among his generation of spoken word artists. Heru joins a long line of poets who are not afraid to speak truth to power; who bring together theory and practice and so create the finest praxis. Above all, Heru is the poet who embodies his words. Heru has performed to outstanding responses for a number of events that I have witnessed ranging from poetry cafes, presentations at Miami area universities and significantly at the recent State of Black Studies and African Diaspora Peoples Conference. "

--Dr. Carole Boyce Davies, Director and Professor of African-New World Studies, Florida International University, Miami, FL.

RollingOut Newspaper says in their April 8, 2004 expose' on Heru entitled "Spoken Genius": To say that Heru is one of the most distinguished and celebrated poets in his field would be a gross understatement. The multitalented performer is well on his way to carving out legendary status within the spoken word genre.

"I had the opportunity to book Heru and The Last Poets at The University of Iowa. The event lasted for three days. Heru 's performance was absolutely phenomenal! The audience was completely captivated by his words. As the hostess of the event, I was able to look into the crowd and see the fascination of the audience. When he announced that he would do his last piece, the audience shouted for more. Afterwards, he received a standing ovation. I 've never seen anything like it! He is an incredibly gifted and talented brother. Heru is by far one of the best performers I 've ever seen or heard. "

--Raquel Signorile, Information Officer, Black Graduate and Professional Students, The University of Iowa

"Heru, whose poems, such as Tell-Eye-Vision (Tell Lie Vision) and Poets of Today (Careless Ethiopians), disclose his law background, reading like killer closing arguments in the case for African liberation and repatriation. A Coltrane of verse coax[ing] riffs with dramatic flair, summoning the deep roots and long dreadlocks of language, referring back to ancient Egypt, to Ethiopia, to Harriet Tubman, to Liberty City, to Jean-Jacques Dessalines, linking it all to a present-day African experience in America."

In 2001-2002, Heru founded and hosted a weekly open mic called Spoken Word With No Apology at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center in Liberty City, Miami. He was awarded with The Best Open Mic Poetry Venue by Miami New Times Best of Miami Poll for 2002.

"On Saturday nights the microphone stands open until the last poet drops. And what the street wordsmiths throw down is nothing short of a verbal pipe bomb -- homemade and packed with angst, sexual longing, and political rage. Billed as a night of poetry for the strong and conscious soul, this poetry jam often goes until 5:00 a.m., the evening suffused with the sweet smell of incense, vegetarian soul food, and a bazaar of scented oils and artwork for sale. Musicians take the stage between poets, and often improvise in the background during a reading. If you are burning with a message, this would be the place to release it to the universe."

"When I first heard Heru perform at the Rocksteady meets Reggae Show PT I in summer of 2001 I was mesmerized. In my mind, this was one of the most talented Spoken word artists that I had ever heard. I was immediately inspired to book him for College events at FIU.

I booked him for Black History Month (2002) at a Conference that I co-convened at the conference and he was simply electrifying, exhilarating, edifying and mind-blowing.

In addition to his Spoken Word Skills, Heru is also a great Public Speaker. He reinforced this reputation when he spoke at a Film Discussion of the award winning Life and Debt Documentary that I invited him to, both at the South Campus of FIU, (OCTOBER 29TH 2002)and the North Campus of FIU (21st February 2003). "
--Dr. Michael Barnett, Professor of Sociology, Florida International University, Miami, FL

"Heru continues to mesmerize and enlighten audiences on a level that most artists simply are not capable of reaching. With an overdose of passion, a strong sense of conviction, and an abundance of courage, Heru propounds on earthly truths and spiritual insights that few dare to delve into. He raises the bar for all poets and anyone calling themselves an artist. His CD's are a welcome addition to my show, and his live performances are always memorable."

"We give much thanks to Heru for Blacking Up the airways with his poetry on the Friday Night Drum segment of What Good is a Song, a Public Affairs program of Radio Free Georgia WRFG-FM ( 89.3) that streams internationally at www.wrfg.org every Friday in a drive time format from 5:30 pm - 7:00 pm. Heru shared two works on the current political scene, exposing the unjustified invasions against people by the U.S. and the U.K., then he encouraged unity of African people."