Orangutang: The Joy of Making Music That Doesn't Ask to Behave

The Life of a Modern Renaissance Man: A Video Journal, entry 20

Every once in a while, I want to make something that isn't trying to be respectable, educational, or especially polite. I want something with energy, attitude, a wild title, and enough personality to announce itself before I've finished explaining what it is.

Orangutang lives in that space. Mr. Ash produced the beat, and I wrote and recorded the track. Then I took on directing, filming, and editing the music video, with Gabrielle operating camera. It was the kind of project that let the rapper and filmmaker sides of my brain collaborate without filing a formal meeting request.

I have always enjoyed that freedom. One day I can make a philosophical spoken-word film, and another day I'm producing a loud rap video. I don't need every creative impulse to fit one neat category. That's the whole appeal of being Ace of All Trades.

Creating the visuals myself also means I get to decide what kind of world a song lives in. The work is demanding, but there's real satisfaction in shaping the full experience from track to screen.

I still smile at this era because it captures creative confidence without apology. Some projects are essays. Some projects are pure energy. They both deserve to exist.