INTERVIEW: Baru Talks Drugs The EP & Growth As A Creator.

Award winning producer Baru is one creator who has consistently given us bodies of work on top of producing chart topping singles and he isn’t about to slow down. As we wind up the first quarter of the year 2019, Baru has given us a new EP titled Drugs (you can purchase it here). The project features acts like Isaiah Misanvu, Haka Mukiga, Delboy, Precious And Aux who bring something different to make this body of work amazing and one that stands out of the Baru catalog. We linked up with the Dustville in house producer and had a brief chat about the project.

What’s  #Drugs? The meaning behind the title?

I used drugs as a synonym of sorts to represent the things we tend to get attached to unknowingly which in the long run become difficult to shake, to a point your convinced you can’t do without them. You know these things are not good for you but you tend to be strongly drawn to them. We all have different drugs we get hooked on. Be it real drugs, love, people, behaviors, actions etc. So the music on drugs is me expressing my own version of drugs. Its like a love and other drug situation. During the past year I got myself involved in a bunch of toxic relationships and behaviors which were not doing me any good and it took me major decisions to snap out of it. I tried to turn the whole bad situation into good by using these situations as fuel to make the music on drugs. The EP also signifies my break away, moving forward and growth. But then again I hope whoever encounters the music interprets it and applies it in their own way because it’s diverse, broad and can relay different messages depending on the interpretation.

Aren’t you worried (for lack of a better word) that the UG music consumers are going to pass on the EP without listening to it  cause of the title given that most of them are conservative?

Am not that kind of people who lets my fears get in the way of my creativity. I always tend to put the art first. I also try to work out of that box of being conservative and not within it otherwise I wouldn’t change anything. Besides I think there is a bunch of people who will be interested in hearing what this is about just because it’s titled drugs. Plus my target demographic is Uganda and beyond I never want to limit myself.

We thought we would get more “The New Wave” projects before an independent Baru project, what caused the change in plans?

The plan hasn’t changed. I have made and still make a lot of music with Delboy and it’s going to come out. Just that as much I make music with Delboy, I also make a lot of music for myself. Sometimes I have something I would like to express and I need a larger pallet which requires me to work with a variety of artists to bring it out.

Let’s Talk About The music, What’s new on this project? How’s it different from the past Baru projects?

There is a lot of growth on this EP. You will understand what am saying when you listen to the project. It’s my best work at the moment. I just hope it gets to touch more people and change somethings.

Where does this project fit in the world of Baru the producer and creator? What should be the takeaway for the listener on this project?

This is me pushing the bar a notch higher and giving Ugandan music a good look. It’s also another body of work  added to my catalog as I push for more as always. As for the listeners I hope it helps whoever comes in contact with it in real life situations. This is my way of giving back with this gift I was given.

As usual, your projects introduces listeners to new acts and we already see names that casual Ugandan music listeners wouldn’t know. How was the process of creating and working with them?

I made the music on the EP in a space of two week. I already had an idea of the people I wanted to work with so I would call in the artist, talk to them let em know where my head was at and what I wanted to say with each song. I would have them write on the spot and record that same day. It was crazy and interesting at the same time as all of them delivered. I had set out to make five songs and all of them made it to the project.