I have to admit, I'm not really good at this stuff. I've been making music for years, but only recently started writing more lyrics. Up until now, I'd just mess around in GarageBand or noodle with my guitar. I'm grateful I've unlocked new ways to write, but in the ways that count, I feel like an outsider—like a fraud. [Instrumental Break] I started by making music online, just to listen to in my car on the way to work. Lately, I feel like my priorities have shifted. I'm obsessed with making music for others, or at least wondering how my songs sound to others. I don't know if this is part of searching for validation, trying to understand if what I make is good or bad. Isn't the point of creating something to show it off to others? My family gets bombarded with me asking if they want to hear my latest track. Their reactions reinforce my imposter syndrome. And then, when I hop on Reddit, I see hatred toward this way of creating music, as if there's no creativity involved. I get it—some bad actors have given AI music a bad reputation, pumping out crap and flooding streaming services with mundane piles of garbage. But not me, I'm different. I tell myself that... but I have songs on streaming services, songs that are monetized. Some are mundane piles of garbage, but they're my garbage. Do I, as one Redditor said, "like the smell of my own farts"? I don't think so. I like to think I'm selective about my music. I know for a fact that I skip over a lot of my own songs while driving. Am I just bored of my own music? Am I bad? Are these skippable songs just piles of **** crap? Maybe. I know not all songs are going to be bangers, but are any of mine? I remember my high school English teacher, Ms. Beck, telling me that before you can write well, you have to spend time reading others who write well. So I've been trying my hardest to listen—*really* listen—to others' music. The more I listen, the more ideas I get. These ideas aren’t always lyrical. Some are like, "Wow, I really like how they used this persona," or "These tags are well put together," or "The flow of this rapped section sounds so smooth." I admire a lot of you. You're an inspiration. I hope that by listening to your work, I can improve my own. Maybe then I'll feel like less of an imposter. Maybe then I can justify the time I've spent obsessing over this "hobby." I know it's just a hobby—I haven't fallen into grandiose thoughts of how awesome I am. There's no money in this—not for me. Some of you? Sure... your stuff sounds amazing. [Instrumental Break] The funny part? I don't even know if any of you will listen to this. I feel like so many just hit the like button on songs without listening. Don't get me wrong—I appreciate the likes. I love the likes. But they feel like empty gestures. Anyway, I've been rambling for a while now. I'll end by saying I love what this platform has offered me in terms of creativity and community. Thank you for listening. Peace! Love, Villains Among Thieves. [Instrumental Fade]