The musical talents of H.E.R. are undeniable. The mystical songstress was honored with a Grammy Award nomination for Best New Artist and won the Best R&B Album award, achievements that prove her gift to those who have yet to experience it. While her musicality is being celebrated, poetry is her first love. "I started writing the most silly rhymes when I was 5 [or] 6 years old," she told XXL. In school, I used to compete in poetry slams. There used to be a club in my hometown called Listen & Be Heard. That’s where I experienced spoken word. It made me approach my songwriting differently."
Her appreciation for lyricism most likely informs the artists she gravitates towards. She named J.I.D. as one of the entertainers she is currently enjoying. In terms of collaborations, H.E.R. aspirations are also top-tier. "J. Cole is in like the top three people who I wanna work with. And Drake, for sure."
She pointed to Drake's poetic skills as the element that inspired her "Jungle" cover. "The lyrics really hit home for me. I just felt like I could kill this, like this is a song that I wish I would’ve wrote," she explained. "I think about this rapping/singing thing that Drake kind of re-invented. There's so many other artists before him—like James Brown—who did that. I felt like I could do it as well. Sometimes in rap and poems you can go into more detail with what you wanna convey. That's what 'Jungle' did."