Why I Make Music

This conversation isn’t about becoming a rapper, chasing streams, or fitting into an industry lane.

It’s about expression.

In this docu-series episode, Imani Lenz speaks openly about why music entered his life later — not as a career move, but as a necessary extension of observation, storytelling, and voice. After years of working behind the camera as a videographer and photographer, music became another way to process what he was already witnessing: people, culture, community, and the quiet moments in between.

Music, in this context, is not performance. It’s presence.

Voice as a Creative Tool

For Imani, music begins in the body — in breath, throat, and intention. It’s tied to the same instincts that guide his camera work: noticing what’s happening, feeling it fully, and responding honestly.

This conversation reframes music as:

• A mode of self-expression rather than a product

• A tool for reflection rather than validation

• A way to speak when silence no longer fits

Rather than separating “music artist” from “visual storyteller,” Imani describes them as interconnected — different expressions of the same perspective.

What Music Vlogs Make Possible

Out of this understanding came Music Vlogs — a format that blends original music with real-world documentation.

Music vlogs are not traditional music videos. They live alongside longer docu-series conversations and tours, offering another entry point into the same story. A viewer might come for the song — or they might stay for the people, the place, the moment unfolding on screen.

These videos highlight:

• Real people

• Real environments

• Real conversations

Music becomes the thread that weaves everything together.

Responsibility and Representation

A central theme of the conversation is responsibility.

Imani reflects on how music — any music — carries influence, whether intended or not. Every artist, regardless of audience size, shapes perception. For him, that means creating work that invites curiosity rather than imitation, depth rather than spectacle.

This isn’t about moralizing music. It’s about being intentional with what’s put into the world — especially when younger generations are watching, listening, and forming ideas about what’s possible.

Creating Outside the Algorithm

Rather than making music for a specific platform, genre, or moment, Imani speaks about creating from lived experience. His songs pull from everyday life: filming on set, conversations with business owners, community gatherings, and quiet personal reflections.

The goal isn’t virality.
It’s resonance.

If a thousand people genuinely connect with the work — that’s enough.

Music as Community-Building

At its core, this conversation frames music as a connector.

Not something to consume passively, but something that can:

• Bring people together

• Spark conversation

• Encourage self-reflection

• Inspire others to create from their own perspective

Music becomes less about fitting in — and more about showing up fully.