Last month, I dropped And Yet The Town Moves, an eight-song EP of mostly-new music/freestyles. The few of you who listened on the first day or after, I humbly thank you. I guess that I’ve still got some fans, somewhere. For those who haven’t yet, a dishonor on your cow. I kid, I kid. That said, my creative streak is akin to Prince’s in terms of having an “I’m always creating, even when I’m not actually releasing” mindset. That isn’t comparing my music itself to the actual legacy/multi-instrumental talent aspect, of course. I’m good at what I do, but I’m not delusional. However, I’m usually thinking about creative things, even when I’m not actually creating.

For instance, while my timeline became flooded by people posting Drake lines from the then-upcoming three-pack he dropped, I got inspired. I’m no one in particular, but I was once a Drake fan and still respect his impact on the game. It saddened me that he was still, two years later, dissing Kendrick Lamar and others. As a student of the same era of music as Drake, both as a listener and an artist in my own right, I started writing what eventually became “Dear Aubrey.” From one “blog era rap ni**a” to another, I hoped to unfurl my own opinions on a topic I’d willingly avoided since “Like That.”

In case you’re wondering, though I’m sure you’re not, I didn’t intend to attempt capitalization off that man. Nor was it meant as any sort of actual “diss.” Screw that. I like being in the shadows, even when I record and drop music. I also like to mostly stay out of the way. It’s better that way, word to Big KRIT. Again, I’m no one in particular. At my peak, the highest I’ve gone is about 320,000 streams on any one album (2022’s Something to Tide You Over, shameless plug). I’m proud of that and it’s nothing to sneeze at, of course. However, it’s absolutely nowhere near “Janice STFU” numbers at all. That’s the game. Some people blow up, some have a moment and then fade out. Others end up like me, mostly observers to the whole insanity that is “The Game.”

No, I did “Dear Aubrey” as a former fan and a guy who’s had his own share of grudges I’ve held onto for far too long. I did it more to just say “let that shit go bruh and continue on your way.” It was equally an open letter “to” Drake as it was a reminder to myself to keep evolving. After all, it’s infinitely easier mentally to try to heal from any given “loss” and keep pushing forward. Holding onto that hurt, that embarrassment, that pride, any of that crap? It’ll do nothing but eventually weigh you down and leave you in some sort of sunken place (even if not THE Sunken Place). That’s where the song came from. After getting that frustration off my chest, I had to face a hard truth and, well, evolve myself.

Simply put, I’m not “that” guy anymore and had to accept that. Prior to Town, I’d been away from regularly-released new music since 2022, 2023. Hell, I even had some of my projects ripped off of DSPs and said “screw it” and let it rock like that. Depression is a bastard, but I digress. On the writing front, I had zoned out over the last two years, as documented in my reset piece earlier this week. The game had changed in some ways and, in others, passed me by. What better way to deal with that than to put my feelings out there on song, I thought.

So, one verse came, then another, then another. Soon after, I had eight songs. A few were re-takes of older tracks, but most of And Yet The Town Moves is (was?) new and dealt with that “damn, I’m pushing 40, the game ain’t the same, I’d rather listen to Gundam OSTs than most rap, and I’m trying to rediscover where I fit in” energy/questioning. I had to take a deep look at who I was, who I’d been, and who I wanted to be. I didn’t want to be the old head trying to still be young and hip, especially when I wasn’t heavily involved in any scene, locally or otherwise. However, I also didn’t want to be the old guy who yelled at clouds–or newer artists–because I didn’t “get” it. I knew I could still rap, but I had to figure out where my place was in 2026 as the SOTB I was in 2026.

As much as “Dear Aubrey” was an open letter for Drake to just move on, “mature,” and continue to do whatever it is he does, AYTTM as a whole? It’s an acceptance from myself that I, too, had to get the hell out of the way–especially my own. To do so, I had to breathe and just let everything I’d been holding on for the last few years go. This whole “reset” thing I’m doing is not a comeback, traditionally speaking. Instead, it’s more of an acceptance of my strengths, weaknesses and my place in the world (and the repercussions of all of my actions since, well, my birth). Sure, I’ll be 38 in August. But, I’d rather continue to grow and learn more about myself now than, like some, never learn anything.

So, if you want to take away that dishonor from your cow, I think you know what to do. If not, no biggie. It’ll likely be here if you want it, though I have been craving some steak.